Crossing Boundaries: What Art School Taught Me

Paper

The zone of transition in making for me is all about reconciliation of making, listening and leading.

Within the confines of a studio practice there are specific points of transition, these can be explored and can work to enable at multiple levels. This engagement at multiple levels can result in a unique approach to problem-solving. I believe the ability to move across specific disciplines does provide unique insights.

I am fascinated by technology and where that technology may lead (transhumanism anyone?) but I'm also interested in technology of earlier centuries and the impact that was made by these technologies within a contextual time frame, i.e. the use of early book production.

When I work in the studio as opposed to 'work' how do I see the blending of my practice, what makes it so important to continue with practice while at the same time also continuing with a career in Higher Education? Both I believe serve the same purpose.

I work across several areas of practice and its always been important to me that I engage within very specific elements of the practice, this has a knock-on effect into my professional life. When I am 'making' or working on a technical piece of work that includes the techniques and process used several hundred years ago how does that relate to my professional life?

In the studio I enjoy setting myself a visual problem and then allowing the process of making within a range of techniques that I often leave to their own devices and I deliberately engage with techniques and process in order to allow random change and happenstance, my ideal is to produce something that can only happen around the edges and randomly, to such an extent that the uniqueness of the outcome can never really be replicated.

Is this the same way in which I approach my professional working life, no of course not, but I would state that as an Artist I'm process focused and a IT professional I'm also process focused, albeit both practices need time for reflection and just getting the work done.

Takeaway

What do I expect others to learn from the session?....

Tailoring your environment to meet your need is really an artist's prerogative. The ability to think broadly, accept change, challenge yourself and empathise with others are creative traits that need to be practiced, honed and expressed.

My proposed presentation will explore various strategies that I have used to move from being a traditional and static University Department to a University wide function involved in almost all digital based activities. I strongly believe that my own journey has become key to my understanding the University within the wider context of learning and teaching, social, economic and political values.

I see my role as enabling the use of Digital Technology throughout the University. It is vital to move beyond the structures and processes that can encumber progress in a University setting and enable yourself to be a key enabler of all digital activities and digital service transactions across the University. This in turn requires a mind-set change and a new generation of Technology leaders who are fully engaged with the primary function of a University and see their role as highly informed across all aspects of the learning organisation.

I would hope to relay some guidance in how technology is best used in a University setting. University services in general have to go where the pedagogy leads, this may well be uncomfortable but it is an essential element of the current pace of change in learning and social practice.

I believe there are many strong voices who both advocate a fully integrated use of technology and 'AI' type interventions and those equally strong voices who do not say exactly the opposite but offer council upon the use of technology and whether or not the true value is within the enablement of learning or being guided by technology to make the right decisions.

Abstract

To explore how studio practice can inform an approach to working with technology on an enterprise scale within a specialised University.