Sophie Ashdown

Last week we had our new librarian, Ben Salt, join our zoom call to talk to us about how we can find resources for our research.

Aside from the logistics of how to find the resources using the library tools (which I’ll blog about separately,) the session drove home to me that I don’t yet have my research topic nailed down.

This is something that is starting to concern me more and more. During the session when Ben asked us to use the key terms for our research when trying the different search techniques, I realised that I wasn’t even sure exactly what my key terms are!

I knew that it would be something to do with Constructivism in modern Britain and I initially thought I would compare an original Russian constructivist with a modern British one. But that isn’t enough.

I need to have a point of view to research, discuss, and defend.

Using Ben’s tips and tools I started narrowing down which artists I could research but then I realised that I wasn’t really connecting to the topic. It wasn’t resonating with me in that infant state.

Having thought (a lot) about it further, I have since been looking at how I can tie technology into the research.

I’ve always worked in IT as my day job and it really interests me. I love data and algorithms, and I’ve already done some work on how I can translate these into my own art.

When we visited the Tate Modern in March, I was really inspired by the “Electric Dreams” exhibition which gave me loads of ideas. I’ve been looking again at the photos I took and finding it more about some of those artists. There are ideas forming and swirling in my head.

So now I’m delving further into how technology could form part of my research topic, while still having a constructivist angle.

I haven’t struck upon the final focus, but I’m getting closer…