The aims and outline

Orkney and Odda A collaborative research initiative between The Bergen National Academy of Art (khIb) Glasgow School of Art (GSA) and Creative Scotland (CS). 

Research Aims 
To establish an artistic research programme to promote and examine particular ‘Place Identities’ and the role of how art can play a significant part in constructing, questioning and negotiating particular ideas of social memory, modes of understanding and the representation of place identity. In doing so, condition or propose a wider questioning of art practice, educational utility and the notion of place for others. Also, to question the accepted mode of the artist ‘residency’ and to use the concept of journeying between centres and margins as a means of arriving at series of understandings about the readings of different place(s); and to use the journey to prompt further research into the role of art in relation to landscape, and the impact of both on our understanding of place. The overall objective of the research is to open a space for dialogue between historical fact, rational thought, embodied knowledge, and the poetic space of language and imagining. 

Research Context 
In this context artistic research, practice-based and practice-led inquiry is undertaken 'in' and 'through' art practice. Art practice in this sense is both a means and an end. This suggests that any quest for change has both personal and public relevance and therefore there is a dual focus. On the one hand there is an aesthetic interest as the outcomes of any imaginative inquiry can lead to self-realisation and understanding, and on the other hand there is an educational purpose that has a social utility. As a site for the embodiment of the social imagination, artefacts created within critical contexts respond to meaningful cultural issues. A questioning attitude that is socially and culturally directed readily corresponds with methods of inquiry and research protocols that are responsive and exploratory. Yet the most crucial element within this inquiry process is the need to be able to create artefacts from which critical options can be more clearly assessed and addressed. Consequently it is the creation of new opportunities to see beyond what is known that has the potential to lead to the creation of new knowledge both personally and culturally. 

Rather than looking for ‘like for like’ relationships between Bergen and Glasgow it was felt that a third space/place could provide a challenging and stimulating meeting point to prompt the production of new artworks. · Places away from the city, places with strong social or historical narratives or more marginal rural places was a common theme. · It was suggested that two places, would provide the context for both a reflective and productive meeting point e.g Orkney and Odda on the Hardanger fjord in Norway. 

Built into the discussions was a strong sense of how artistic practice leads directly into research-led teaching for both institutions. This was a central theme in having good ‘critical friends’ for each institution in the process. 
The discussions opened up the possibility for small working groups of 4 (2 artists from each institution). The purpose of the working groups was to stimulate critical reflection and prompting the production of artworks. · Participating artists would then take the dialogue into their own or collaborative practices to explore the production of artworks. 
A framework for exhibition/event/seminar/publication was discussed for the future. Bergen and Glasgow hosting an event each, or the work and critical reflection produced would be submitted to existing contexts in each City. e.g. Gallery programmes, publications, Sensuous Knowledge conference in Bergen 2014, Creative Scotland’s ‘think tanks’ e.g. Kaunas in 2013 etc. 

Phase 1 – research visit between Odda and Orkney - funded by Creative Scotland. Research Question: Can art play a significant part in questioning modes of understanding and the representation of place identity? Methodology: A journey - by air, train and boat - made over the course of 7 days by four artists between Bergen, Odda, Orkney, Glasgow, returning to Bergen. Each artist will bring academic text(s) to the trip to frame discussions and their physical experience of each place. 
Research material will be gathered in the form of text, sound and image, and a set of questions identified for discussion at future seminars/symposia. Residency – Taking the form of a journey with three other artists between Bergen, Odda, Orkney and Glasgow (Spring 2013 - funded by Creative Scotland). 

Timetable: 21-29 June 2014 Residency – Journey by artists Susan Brind, Duncan Higgins and Shauna McMullan  between Bergen, Odda, Orkney, Birsay and Glasgow. 

Duncan Higgins & Susan Brind May 2014