Art, methodology, and the practice of designing (interpretive) research

Methodology can be understood as the art of building references that last. As an art it is concerned about capturing the world in language, translating it into the discourse of academic communities, and creating chains of circulating references that resist controversy and the critique of our peers. Texts about art come in different genres, as do methodology books. A visit to the art section of a local bookstore reveals several of such genres. First, there are the “how-to” books. Picking up the Joy of Painting with Bob Ross (Ross 1993) tells us how to hold the brush, how to organize our canvas and color palette, and how to paint in 20 easy steps a picture that is supposed to resembles a landscape or similar. Second, there are the broad, encompassing histories of the development of art. A World History of Art (Honour and Flemming 2009) is a book we hardly would read from page 1 to 996. Yet, it comes in handy if we want to situate an artist or a piece of art in an epoch or certain style. Then there are, third, the published lectures which are more difficult to digest and present systematic and often philosophical overviews of a distinct tradition or style. A book such as Kirk Varnedoe’s (2006) brilliant Pictures of Nothing allows us to follow the linkages between artists and styles and gives us an understanding of why a black-painted canvas has been considered to be a revolutionary piece of art at some point of time. Fourth, there are the exhibition catalogues which focus on the retrospective of a distinct artist or the theme of an event. They allow us to appreciate an exhibit or to keep it in good memory. Finally, there are also art manifestos such as the Dada Manifesto or the Situationist Manifesto. Manifestos want to bring about a revolution in thinking about and doing art. They are tools for making sense of one’s own practices and allow us by subscribing to them to become part of a gang, movement, community or network.