Alys Longley

Alys Longley Reflections on Smudge Skittlean inventory of resources entangling artistic practice and writing

In artistic research, the value of intuitive, playful and unpredictable studio methods is well accepted (Ellis 2016, Melrose 2007). In some circumstances, traditional academic forms of writing and the values underpinning them – of proof, explanation, analysis and rational linear argument, may constrain, rather than enable, creative research. This resource reflects on writing practices that could be particularly suited to practice-led researchers, emphasizing the vitality of language and interdisciplinary approaches merging writing with drawing, photography or page design which offer playful alternatives to the pre-set rules of thesis structure.

Smudge Skittle (Longley 2018), explores methods of writing that support studio practice through a series of writing tasks, based around 10 provocations for artist-researchers. In 2018, it has been published as 1) A deck of cards 2) A digital website/game 3) the present text in which I discuss this resource in relation to its critical context in the field of artistic research.