In reading the first piece by Eisner and Barone I was introduced to a a new world in approaching inquiry, and indeed in finding a place for the aesthetics of art to inform and give meaning in qualitative research.

I will admit at this early stage that the possibilities and questions this addition presents are both overwhelming. I read through Victoria Restler’s dissertation, and initially perceived the artwork as merely complementary non textual media; I needed a framework to understand how the various pieces were more than just additive but integrated and coalesced into the support of the underlying thesis.

It is the Wang, et al paper that provides a framework for how to organize and understand the approach of ABR.  The 3 “families” of classification – Research about Art, Arts Based Research, and Art in Research, delineate perspectives, and clarify function and intent.

I was then able to revisit Restler’s work,  now seeing the use of Art In Research as liberating way of approaching understanding. It enhances the thesis that has been supported both quantitatively and qualitatively in text, and the format introduces meaning, thus broadening understanding that would not exist in the more traditional textual research format.

I’m particularly interested in how the paradox of interpretation between artist intent and audience interpretation will play out.  Will integration of art in support of a thesis lead a reader to the direct conclusion in alignment with the scholars thesis?  Or will the interpretative and deeply subjective perceptions of art inject different meaning and understanding;  that possibly counters the argument of the research?

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