Research Creation

This research track empowers artist-researchers to advance their creative practice as a primary mode of academic investigation. It focuses on the methodology of "Practice as Research" (PaR), where the creation of objects, exhibitions, or participatory activities constitutes the central method for generating new knowledge. The track is designed for students who seek to seamlessly integrate their artistic work with scholarly rigor, moving beyond theory-driven analysis to inquiry that emerges from the act of making itself.

The curriculum provides a structured framework for practice-led inquiry, guiding students through the translation of artistic process into a valid research paradigm. Students will learn to document their creative work as data, employ reflexive analysis to interpret their practice, and articulate the unique insights their work generates. This involves navigating specific ethical considerations and leveraging methods from autoethnography to position their creative choices within broader cultural and theoretical contexts.

The ultimate output is a significant body of original creative work accompanied by a critical exegesis. This track prepares students to contribute to the expanding field of practice-led research, producing work that not only has artistic merit but also demonstrates how creative acts can function as a powerful form of critical discourse, offering novel perspectives on the complexities of the contemporary world.

• Research Design: Formulate a practice-led research inquiry by articulating a clear question and designing a rigorous creative methodology where the artistic process itself generates knowledge.

• Methodological Integration: Systematically document and analyze the creative process as a primary research method, integrating auto-ethnographic reflection and theoretical frameworks to generate insights.

• Critical Contextualization: Situate one's creative work within relevant artistic and scholarly conversations, synthesizing insights from academic literature, cultural policy, and contemporary art practices.

• Ethical & Reflexive Practice: Navigate the ethical dimensions of practice-based research, critically reflecting on positionality, representation, and the social impact of the creative work.

• Articulation of Knowledge: Effectively communicate the research findings and their significance through a cohesive synthesis of the creative project and a written exegesis.

The capstone of the Creative Praxis track is a significant, original artistic project presented as a valid research output. This can take diverse forms, including a curated artistic exhibition, a digital resource or platform, a performance series, or a community-engaged event. Students will be actively encouraged and mentored to present their creative output in the public domain. This includes opportunities through curated events at LASALLE, such as the annual LASALLE Show, as well as through major external platforms in Singapore and internationally, ensuring their practice-led research reaches both academic and professional audiences. This dual output validates artistic creation as a rigorous form of knowledge production, contributing to both the field of arts management and contemporary artistic discourse.

This creative work must demonstrate a coherent research inquiry and should be accompanied by a 4,000-word critical exegesis. The exegesis is not merely a description but a critical document that articulates the research embedded within the practice that includes:

• Research Context: A clear statement of the research question and its significance, situating the inquiry within relevant artistic and scholarly debates.

• Methodological Framework: A detailed account of the "Practice as Research" methodology, explaining how the creative process was structured as a systematic mode of investigation.

• Critical Reflection: An analysis of the creative work's development, documenting key decisions, iterations, and how they responded to the research question.

• Theoretical Synthesis: An interpretation of the findings, discussing how the artistic work generates new knowledge, offers critical perspectives, or challenges existing discourses.

• Positionality & Ethics: A reflexive account of the researcher's position and the ethical considerations inherent in the project.