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Exploration

All participants take some time in advance to prepare by studying examples for artistic research projects - in this case from members of the Oslo-Team:

Ellen Ugelvik: The Soloist in Contemporary Piano Concerti
Jennifer Torrence: Percussion Theatre: A Body in Between
Morten Qvenild: The Hyper(sonal) Piano Project
Ivar Grydeland: Ensemble & Ensemble of Me: What I think about when I think about improvisation

To frame the thoughts of the participants, and to give a common frame of reference, the following questions are given to lead them through their reflective process: 

Observation (pre-phase – ‘infra-red’): Across the entire field of my artistic practice, where are the areas or issues that feel as if they could be informed or enriched by critical reflection? 

Contemplation: Which of these areas or issues, on closer inspection, look(s) most promising from the point of view of benefiting from critical reflection? 

Interrogation: Can I formulate a research question which merits extended critical reflection and has some prospect of yielding insights that will inform my artistic practice? Which tools or resources might assist me in this?

Participants received all details on this phase in Info-Sheet 1.

Processing

The process goes through a structured time schedule combined by presentations, workshops, breakout rooms and plenary discussions. During the week material for the NMH RAPP Lab Research Catalogue exposition is collected. The materials that is by provided by all participants during the course of the week enables to create a more interesting and vibrant exposition. Some of this material comes from the breakout groups, the plenary discussionsandthe workshops, but also items that are developed during the open (free time) sessions are welcome. All kinds of materials are possible: audio, video, text, photographs, reflections, comments, haiku, scribblings, questions, links to sources you feel are important, inconclusive notes, essays - anything goes! Again some kinds of questions that may be addressed to participants are given and participants are invited to reflect upon these in their own ways. So that these can be captured, they are asked to keep notes, in whatever way works best for them, of the thoughts and ideas that come up with during their participation: 

Deliberation: Using the tools and resources I have selected, what thoughts or insights is my critical reflection yielding? Do they seem useful and do they seem to point in the direction which I envisaged?

Clarification: Where are the confusions or, perhaps, the misconceptions in my research question? Can I clarify the former or, if appropriate, modify the latter? 

Confirmation: Following the process of clarification, do the insights of my critical reflection appear to be potentially fruitful for my artistic practice? Can I reliably fix on them as the agents for development and enhancement which will occupy the remainder of my research?

Participants received all details on this phase and the whole time schedule in Info-Sheet 2.

Enactment

During the week participants are brought together in breakout rooms which have been organised before through thematically-related groups. Participants also are invited to take some free time, send materials for the Research Catalogue or otherwise reflect upon their work. In the breakout groups, the floor is open to each participant to discuss the ideas that were sent when they registered for NMH RAPP Lab. Each participant has between 10-15 minutes. For teachers there is a plenary Zoom space as open time to ask the NMH team questions about the learning-and-teaching setup of the Lab, and to share thoughts and ideas. These phase of reflection was based on the third part of the model for Critical Reflection. The kinds of questions that may be adressed to participants have been structured in three aspects: 

Modification: How can I embed in my artistic practice (literally ‘put into practice’) the insights that my critical reflection is yielding? Does this introduce discernible change in my practice? 

Re-imagination: Can I go beyond modifications of a merely mechanical nature to entire re-conceptualisations of my practice? Are there lessons that I am learning in relation to this project that might re-shape my future artistic practice? 

Communication (post-phase – ‘ultra-violet’): How can I best share the new insights I have gained with fellow artistresearchers? Can my art itself be a viable medium for such communication and, if not entirely, how can other communicative media be used in a complementary manner?

Participants received all information about this final phase in Info-Sheet 3.