Positioning Artistic Research

Against the background of the current debate in Europe on practice-based research in the arts the question ‘when does art practice counts as research?’ is addressed by looking into different aspects of artistic development and different perspectives on research. A discussion of the epistemology (and the methodology) of practice-based research in the arts leads to a characterization of the specific nature of research in the arts. Also the question of the position within academia is addressed.

Henk Borgdorff studied music theory in The Hague and sociology and philosophy at Leiden University (The Netherlands). From 1983 till 2002 he was lecturer in music theory and aesthetics at the conservatories of Hilversum, The Hague and Amsterdam. Since 2002 Borgdorff is professor (lector) in art theory and research at the Amsterdam School of the Arts, supervising research projects by staff members and lecturing at the practice-based master programme ‘Artistic Research’ in collaboration with the University of Amsterdam. His research interests are: the epistemology of artistic research, music aesthetics, and critique of metaphysics.