Pertinent Questions

How are creative identities expressed by indigenous artists?
How do contemporary Western artists form their creative identities and how do the two differ?
How does my work respond to this difference?
How does rock art become involved in the formation, identities and structures of indigenous communities?
How do indigenous artists make use of petroglyphic imagery in their work and in the formation of their identities as artists?
Why are Western artists making use of indigenous petroglyphs in their work and how do they utilize such imagery in the formation of the artistic identities?
How does my identity as an artist draw from this type of imagery?
How do indigenous communities feel about Western artists’ use of rock art imagery, particularly imagery customarily owned by their communities?
What can Western modes of artistic practice learn from 'indigenous' modes?
What are the nature of these indigenous modes as opposed to Western ones?
How relevant are individual artistic identities in a community-based context?
How relevant is the notion of an artistic identity in a shamanic-spiritual context?
How discrete is the notion of art in indigenous contexts - is it perhaps 'merged' with other concepts and practices such as shamanism, ritualistic behaviour or community cohesion?

Issues of Ethics in research on rock art

I have finally completed the document on research ethics, edited highlights of which include...

Anonymising data
I am perfectly happy to anonymise participants’ data if that is requested or desired. This could include participants’ name, address or location, and in particular the precise location of the rock art site. Specific or culturally esoteric or spiritual details can also be anonymised or removed entirely from the final report if desired or culturally respectful to do so.

Ownership of data
Nominally for this project, any first-hand narratives collected by myself as researcher can be owned by me or the College under the form of copyright. If, however, a participant wishes to share data only on condition that s/he retain ownership of those words, I am happy for the ownership, and copyright, of those words to remain with the participant as cultural and intellectual property, and would therefore credit the participant with this copyright in the final report.

Cultural and spiritual respect
It is not my intention during this research project to question or antagonize cultural and spiritual beliefs of the peoples and rock art custodians I may be studying. Rather, the intention of this project is to learn from them, and utilize what is learned to question Western society. It is my intention to proceed respectfully, and where my Western values may conflict with local values, I intend to proceed with sensitivity.

In particular, where a line of enquiry might seem disrespectful, most likely it will actually arise from my own lack of understanding of a particular idea or practice, and in proceeding with the enquiry, care must be applied to point out that it springs from my lack of understanding rather than my disrespect for it.

Another issue here is handling and management of imagery. For many people, images of rock art which is still part of a living custodianship tradition are causally linked to the original rock art itself, meaning that disrespectful or culturally insensitive handling of imagery can have possible detrimental effects on the rock art, its custodians’ wellbeing or indeed the wellbeing of the entire people who collectively own the site. I will therefore look closely to the participants for guidance on how to proceed with the use, handling and presentation of imagery and remain open to their suggestions and instructions.

Issues of power
I am aware that, being a white male researching ‘native’ practices, that there may be an inherent imbalance of cultural power in any relationship or dynamic between myself and any participant. Whilst I do have experience of living in a minority cultural situation (being gay, and also having lived in Japan where Westerners are often looked down upon), I am aware that I will need to proceed with sensitivity and openness to being challenged on this dynamic. However, bearing in mind the main aim of this project, the greater wisdom and insight lies with the participants and not the researcher, and being aware of this, I intend that the dynamic should be an equal and balanced one.

Modified Project Plan - draft

Comparing Methodologies of two (or several) artists

Rather than creating a framework or model of ‘archaic’ and ‘modern’ methodologies which would take a vast amount of research and comparative narrative analysis, I propose to scale down my research project by contacting two or three artists and interviewing them as to their methodologies and inspirations behind their work, and presenting conclusions derived from these in a particular, rather than general, way. This project would thus be a methodological analysis of three specific artists rather than tribal vs contemporary practice in general.

Three artists seems appropriate here – I have in mind two tribal artists (from Dogon and Aboriginal cultures) working with community-owned spiritual imagery and one UK-based artist whose visual language is similar to the above but whose methodology is entirely different.

Project Plan Outline

1. Set out project plan, outline of intended journey of research, ethics summary.

2. Read and summarise the following two books: “Narrative Analysis” by Catherine Reissmann, and “Decolonizing Methodologies” by Linda Tuhiwai-Smith.

3. Research interview and questionnaire techniques, especially remotely-performed and relatively culture-free (or decolonized). Move towards preparing potential questionnaires but be aware that ex tempore input from informants may here be of greater value. Justify this statement.

4. Contact Zakari Saye of Terêli, Bandiagara, Mali regarding opening up contact with himself and Dogon artists, particularly focusing on the Songa circumcision friezes.

5. Contact Yirrkala Arts Community, Arnhem Land, Northern Australia regarding opening up contact with several Aboriginal artists on their roster. These artists work with bark and canvas rather than on rock and are for sale, but the archaic aspects may well remain strong.

6. Larry Jakamarra Nelson is a Warlpiri rock artist in Yuendumu, Arnhem Land but does not work with Yirrkala. Open up contact with Jutta Malnic or Elaine Godden regarding possible contact with him or the sharing of any source materials in which he or his fellow artists speak about the wandjina friezes. Be aware that speaking of wandjina may be subject to strong cultural taboos.

7. Contact Alec Pearson of Aire Valley Arts (he lives in Keighley I believe) regarding setting up an interview about his work which draws heavily from rock art imagery.

8. Once two or three interviews have been performed, gather up information and subject to narrative analysis for salient points as to methodologies and inspirations.

9. Background to the narratives – references – various Dogon cultural books and mythical narratives given to me by John & Mary. Aboriginal art books in my possession by Jutta Malnic et al. These books will inform the narratives and highlight the artists’ subjective understandings of various cultural ideas. Full book ref list to follow.

Issues Of Scale

There are some issues of scale with this project as it has the potential to ebcome very large and unmanageable quite quickly. required is a project plan and to scale it down...

Useful Links: Aboriginal Art

Aboriginal Rock Art - Images of the Dreaming, Engravings & Protection
Yirrkala Artists - Buku Larrngay Artist Community of the Yolngu People
Wandjina Figures - Artists currently working with Wandjinba spirits

Original Research Proposal

The following text was submitted to the Research dept at Leeds College of Art & Design for their consideration:

PETROGLYPHIC ART: AN ARCHAIC CHALLENGE TO CONTEMPORARY PRACTICE

Rock art and petroglyphic inscriptions form major components in the artistic history of mankind from the earliest evidences of creative expression until the present day. However evidence strongly suggests that the archaic artistic practices utilized by the creators of these works differ markedly from contemporary methodologies in a variety of ways: subject matter, individual- versus community-intentioned approaches and siting of work (and site-specificity of the work). There are also factors of differing belief systems which are major factors in comparing archaic versus contemporary practice, as well as the notions of ritualistic versus spontaneous and transcendental versus non-transcendental.

In this research project I propose to work towards an answer to the question: How do archaic art practices such as the creation of rock art differ from contemporary practices, and what can contemporary practice learn from these ancient modes of expression? This particular question is very pertinent to my own artistic practice, in which rock art and petroglyphic imagery form a major part of both my commission-based work and artistic development. Thus I have considerable expertise in both the understanding of this imagery and its meaning to its original creators from a wide variety of cultures.

In an educational context, there is value to this type of research in several fields: a survey of petroglyphic forms and their origins is useful to students working in a Fine Art context, as numerous artists in the past 100 years have incorporated such forms into their work. Also, a study of a still-living archaic methodology would also aid students studying art history as part of a Contextual Studies project (particularly with respect to the origins of art and how later traditions arose out of earlier petroglyphic ones) and students seeking alternative methodologies from the contemporary would also benefit. Knowledge regarding the community focus of much rock art practice would also potentially benefit both Visual Communications and Art & Design Interdisciplinary students in their practice. In addition, in recent years the visual language of rock art has increasingly finding its way into a wide number of design and animation fields, and a study of the practice behind these works could inform contemporary design and animation students within the College.

I propose to seek out narratives from the academic literature as well as remotely interview living rock art practitioners on their practices, intentions and understandings of their work; thus this project will involve both primary and secondary research activities. Secondary research forms will necessitate surveys particularly of Anthropological literature as well as internet access to contact artists in areas such as Australia and the Peruvian Amazon.

On the primary research front, at present I have potential contact with Terêli, a community of the Dogon people of West Africa who are custodians of a contemporarily-used petroglyph site, and can potentially find contacts among the San people of the Kalahari and or the Nunak people of Colombia, who, though remote, have internet-accessible communities provided through local universities.These two types of narrative would document both historical and current petroglyphic art practice and could be analysed for commonalities and distinguishing features which could be collated to be used as a tool for reflections on contemporary practices.

Proposed methodologies would be equally balanced between narrative analysis along the lines of Catherine Reissmann, and visual analysis of the rock art for which the artists/narrators are either authors or act as custodians for their community. I am aware that the questionnaire is usually the most relevant model to adopt for such work, however in this semi-anthropological field the questionnaire may have severe limitations among some of the communities in question: among the Dogon, for example, asking questions of one’s elders can be a breach of etiquette; in other cases, a fuller cultural background^*1 may be denied by the use of a Western-oriented research model. Thus a research approach which balances contemporary and culturally-respectful and culture-specific methodologies appears to be the most relevant.

Some contemporary artists working in the Leeds-Bradford area would also be interviewed to provide a clearer understanding of contemporary practice. I am in contact with several artists working in petroglyphic-themed fields (Alec Pearson being one) and a potential interview with these artists would aid in developing research themes.

Prior to any direct research, a schema of research ethics would need to be developed, detailing the scope of the project and the various rights of any interviewee or participant. This would be particularly important to protect the rights of native peoples who may participate and who may not be fully informed about Western modes of law and ethics. International copyright law and intellectual property rights would also need to be investigated, especially as regards to collectively-owned or ancient artforms^*2. However, a key point for this project would be to understand that where Western modes of law or ethics conflict with local modes or cultural mores, the local native ones would need to take precedence.^*3

Proposed outcomes of this project would include an illustrated report (both online and printed), a College-based lecture and a College-based exhibition of new artwork which exemplifies the relevance of archaic art practices to contemporary multimedia and Fine Art practice. The report is intended to be at least 5000 words plus references; I also have two journals (Visual Anthropology and Visual Anthropology Review) in mind for publication, but further research is likely to uncover more. The exhibition may require financial aid for framing final pieces; alternatively placing the work unframed and site-specific (as per many petroglyphic practices) may be more relevant, in which case any costs arising from that might need to be covered. At this stage, I can’t provide anything more realistic.

I would need at least 50 hours for this project (as well as considerable personal time input) and propose to complete within one academic year (approx Jun 30^th). From looking at my timetable, two hours every Friday morning seems the most applicable time to be working on the project and cover can be arranged where necessary (I do not have any teaching on Fridays…). I may require a mentor to help develop further critical thinking methods.

*1 – Most notably, the more esoteric aspects of rock art can be lost entirely by adopting a non-culturally-specific approach. Shamanic or religious elements, plus the notion of artistic custodianship are also relevant here.

*2 – Where petroglyphs are no longer owned by any living people or tribe, copyright of an image tends to rest with the photographer. Contemporarily owned or used sites are likely, legally speaking, to fall under the same notion, however, local native customs may preclude such image-making. Ethically I believe it is more appropriate to follow native custom where possible.

*3 – This is particularly – though not exclusively – relevant for Aboriginal rock art which is so closely bound to native concepts of religion and creativity that to photograph or even speak casually about some rock art forms is tantamount to sacrilege and, in the local belief systems, can ‘deface’ the original art.

The Seventh

"The Seventh" - Bruce Rimell, 2006 (c)

How does my practice that led to the creation of this piece differ in approach, worldview, focus and purpose to that of the artist(s) who created the Dogon work below?