Session 6: Across the Visual Spectrum

Session 6: Across the Visual Spectrum
Chair: Roger Archibald

Towards Embodied Visual Literacy Praxes: Drawing within Experience
Courtney Coyne-Jensen
Architect, Copenhagen, Denmark

Within the realm of architectural education, tendencies towards solely drawing and designing digitally, situated inside computer lab environs, contributes to an increasing neglect of phenomenological (or ‘first person’) studies of the interrelationships in-between people and the built environment; specifically via visual journaling praxes. Despite computers’ countless advantages and innovations, drawing digitally also amplifies extant inclinations for ‘architecture of the eye’; to decontextualised, self-referential, iconic buildings, and architecture reduced to image alone. The predominantly disembodied nature of most conventional computer drawing software and interfaces greatly deters opportunities for pre-reflective cognition and embodied knowledge. Ocularcentrism is privileged, persuading one to ‘look at’ but not necessarily to ‘see’ (understand). Architectural design inquiry – especially within academia – must not abandon the vital practice of ‘drawing within experience’ (D.W.E.): of first-hand drawn investigations into the limits and possibilities of architecture within, and in relation to, concrete conditions in everyday situations.

This paper shall endeavour to discuss how D.W.E. can encourage architects in the critical questioning, understanding, and re-presentation of architecture as a body that is historically-situated and corporeally-grounded in the livedworld. Moreover, the attempt shall be made to illustrate the importance of D.W.E. as a method supporting dialectical movements in-between re-presenting the world and participating in it.

‘Architecture of the eye’ is a term most readily used by J. Pallasmaa. Cf. ‘Hapticity and Time: Notes on Fragile Architecture’, in Architectural Review, June 2000, pp.78-84.

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The Value of Visual Literacy Practices in the Education of the Deaf Students: The Experience of deaf teachers
Tatiana Bolivar-Lebedeff
Passo Fundo University, Brazil

This study investigates the practice of visual literacy tools in the education of the deaf students. Deafness, if understood as a linguistic difference, presents a series of singular characteristics, amongst such singularities we find the sign language, a visual language. Due to the visual aspect, education must be essentially visual. Deaf and hearing teachers as well did not have a plausible answer when asked which would the best method of visual literacy be. Both deaf and hearing teachers simply repeat teaching techniques that resemble to a phonetic-based literacy program, using oral and not visual tools. It is of extreme importance to lead teachers in deaf classes to practices and techniques that respect the visual experience of their students. The present study introduces the experiences of teaching visual practices by deaf teachers.

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Threat or Thrill in Grovedale: An Artist’s Response to the Changing Nature of Place
Jennifer Kamp
School of Education, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia

The focus of my paper is to show how the boundaries between theory and practice, narrative and analysis, word and work can be interwoven to assist creative research. I have worked extensively as an arts educator and visual artist with students and school communities across Geelong for approximately 30 years. My paper outlines how I engage with academic and social theorists’ studies, other artists’ works, newspapers and journals and utilise new media to assist my visual understanding of the transient suburban landscape. I discuss the methodologies that will assist my investigation into the lifestyle changes, living patterns and changing environment of my suburb of Grovedale.
I draw upon ethnographic narratives and explore ideas associated with a special type of understanding that is realised through the artist dealing with the materials and tools of their practice. My investigation looks at the impact of technology on everyday life and whether the equation of threat and thrill evokes the changing landscape. My paper reflects on how theories concerning the human condition relate to my study of change and demonstrates how visual artists use signs and symbols, semiotics and complex assemblages, referents to the physical world, to convey ideas.

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