There are hundreds of possibilities for initiating an aesthetic and artistic research process from the point of departure of things, such as, for example, a piece of paper or stones. This allows cascades of questions about things to be kicked off, (alternative) strategies for action to be researched in laboratories and for contexts and histories to be developed with empirical methods such as field research or interviews. The idea of artistic research examines the boundaries between art and science, theory and practice and can be described as “undisciplined research”. In doing so, a “universal research” is intended that questions power-critical knowledge systems and expertise in our society, recognizes implied forms of knowledge and also gives more attention to the material things for their influence on the production of knowledge. The presentation will provide insight into the discourse regarding and terms used in the field of artistic research and examine how things can be the point of departure for research-based theater projects.

Melanie Hinz is a cultural scholar (University of Hildesheim), a founding member of Frl. Wunder AG and has developed research-based theater projects since 2006 with collectives, everyday experts and with students. She has been a professor of theater education at the Berlin University of the Arts since 2020. She is the co-publisher of the collected volume Forschendes Theater in Sozialen Feldern (Researching Theater in Social Fields, kopaed 2018) and a member of the network Forschung im Kinder- und Jugendtheater (Research in Children’s and Youth Theater). She is currently conducting research together with Frl. Wunder AG at FELD Theater about stones with and for children who attend daycare facilities.

The presentation is part of Researching With Art? Professional Exchange and Community Meeting.

Note on barrier-free access: You can find information on the structural accessibility of the venue here.