This group researches into traditional art and related areas with a focus on how traditions are shaped by and shaping the use of technology.

The research comprises artistic research on the relationship between materials, production technologies and tacit/embodied knowledge, as well as more overarching theoretical perspectives on the mutual relationship between technology, aesthetic practice and identity processes.

What are our research objectives?

The concept of tradition is often associated with preservation of cultural elements from the past. However, traditions are also about the passing on of knowledge and skills for contemporary usages, leading to adaptation and change. Similarly, the relationship between cultural expression and new technology tends to be portrayed in terms of cause and effect and associated with marked discontinuities in the tradition. This may led to important continuities in cultural practices and conceptions being overlooked. On this background, the project seeks new insights into the dynamic relationship between tradition as process and technological practices.

We adopt a broad definition of technology/technological practice, including the technological and material environments of traditional art, as well as the techniques/practices that mediate between ideas, expressions and representations (playing-/ singing techniques, languages and disseminative media). Learning is an important aspect here and is understood both as practice, pedagogy and epistemological premise in the study of technological and aesthetic processes.

Disciplines

The research group is interdisciplinary in its approaches and comprises two main pillars:

  1. Musicological research focusing on the relationship between technology, learning/practice and tradition as process.
  2. Folk art research with an emphasis on design, materiality and didactics in a technological perspective.

Productive synergies between these areas are anticipated and the research adopts a wide range of methodologies and approaches, including artistic research, ethnography, historiography, discourse analysis, rhythm-/sound analysis and performance analysis.

Partners and network

  • Moholy-Nagy University of Arts and Design, Budapest
  • McGill University, Montreal
  • Oldenburg University
  • Dundalk Institute of Technology
  • International network within rhythm research
  • NOTAM
  • Telemark research institute

Ongoing and planned research

Ongoing PhD projects:

Group leader

Members

PhD candidates