recerca

English translation: research / exploration

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Catalan term or phrase:recerca
English translation:research / exploration
Entered by: Charles Davis

14:48 Sep 2, 2011
Catalan to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Art, Arts & Crafts, Painting / art
Catalan term or phrase: recerca
The name of an art project produced at a museum in Barcelona:
Recerca artística

I just have the title, no further context

Thanks!
Wendy Gosselin
Argentina
Local time: 23:13
exploration
Explanation:
It's Catalan; "recerca" means "reseach" ("investigación" in Spanish).

Artists do sometimes talk about their "research", but I think "exploration" is more suitable.

"Artistic Exploration

Artistry, by its very nature, is exploration: exploration into the artistic medium itself (for example, musical composition); exploration of a specific example of artistry (for example, a score); exploration of a particular work as representation, or perhaps metaphor for some aspect of the human experience; exploration of our own souls as we interact with works of art, and with other artists; and on and on . . ."
http://www.deborahsking.com/artistic_exploration

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Note added at 5 mins (2011-09-02 14:53:55 GMT)
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"CRA’P – pràctiques de creació i recerca artística, és una associació sense afany de lucre creada amb l’objectiu de generar activitats basades en la recerca i la creació entorn a les pràctiques de les arts escèniques i performatives contemporànies i la seva disseminació."
http://www.cra-p.org/

An unfortunate acronym...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 19 hrs (2011-09-03 10:34:31 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Jenni's comment has prompted me to reconsider this, and I agree that "research" could be the right word here. It depends on the nature of the project.

When translating texts in on contemporary art written in Castilian, where the word "investigación" tends to be used quite a lot, I often feel that "exploration" is more suitable, but "research" is the right word sometimes, and the term "artistic research" is certainly used by English-speaking art critics. If "recerca artística" refers here to a more or less conscious probing of the artistic medium on the part of artists during the creative process (which could be the case), I would go for "exploration", rather along the lines of the comments by Deborah S. King that I quoted above. On the other hand, if this project is concerned with theoretical speculation of a more intellectual or academic kind, "research" would be the right word. On this point, I think the following could be useful. It is the English description of a seminar held at MACBA (Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona) in April 2010, entitled "Al voltant de la recerca artística":

"On Artistic Research
Thinking and teaching art: between practice and theoretical speculation
Seminar

Over the last decade, use of the concept of “artistic research” has gained cohesion for referring not only to the nature of the artistic process but also to a new discipline between artistic practice and theoretical speculation. In the concept of “artistic research” is perceived, on one hand, the desire to associate the value of art with that of knowledge, which in the end is one of the primary currencies of our economic system. On the other hand, artistic research obeys the need to adapt artistic education to more and more homogeneous structures, also on the global level of the system of higher education, where scientific research reigns as an uncontested model. Thirdly, the idea of artistic practice as research is intimately tied to the evolution of contemporary art itself towards dematerialisation, which brings the artists work closer to theoretical speculation.

But what kind of research are we referring to when we speak of “artistic research”? What does it consist of? What is its method, and where does it take its models from? What faculties does it mobilise? In the face of those who defend the validity of artistic research that is subject to set guidelines, capable of being taught, others precisely celebrate art’s ability to confuse and defy established truths. This seminar aims to generate a productive dialogue in connection with these issues, with the objective of determining the validity of the concept of artistic research and also to explore new ways of speaking – and thinking, of course – about the complexity of artistic work."
http://www.macba.cat/controller.php?p_action=show_page&pagin...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 19 hrs (2011-09-03 10:43:34 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

The trouble is, Wendy, that you may not be able to discover what this project is about; you say you have the title and no further context. If so, in view of current trends, as reflected in the MACBA seminar I have just cited, I now tend to feel that "Artistic Research" could be a better option as a title.
Selected response from:

Charles Davis
Spain
Local time: 03:13
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +8exploration
Charles Davis


Discussion entries: 4





  

Answers


3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +8
exploration


Explanation:
It's Catalan; "recerca" means "reseach" ("investigación" in Spanish).

Artists do sometimes talk about their "research", but I think "exploration" is more suitable.

"Artistic Exploration

Artistry, by its very nature, is exploration: exploration into the artistic medium itself (for example, musical composition); exploration of a specific example of artistry (for example, a score); exploration of a particular work as representation, or perhaps metaphor for some aspect of the human experience; exploration of our own souls as we interact with works of art, and with other artists; and on and on . . ."
http://www.deborahsking.com/artistic_exploration

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 mins (2011-09-02 14:53:55 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

"CRA’P – pràctiques de creació i recerca artística, és una associació sense afany de lucre creada amb l’objectiu de generar activitats basades en la recerca i la creació entorn a les pràctiques de les arts escèniques i performatives contemporànies i la seva disseminació."
http://www.cra-p.org/

An unfortunate acronym...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 19 hrs (2011-09-03 10:34:31 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Jenni's comment has prompted me to reconsider this, and I agree that "research" could be the right word here. It depends on the nature of the project.

When translating texts in on contemporary art written in Castilian, where the word "investigación" tends to be used quite a lot, I often feel that "exploration" is more suitable, but "research" is the right word sometimes, and the term "artistic research" is certainly used by English-speaking art critics. If "recerca artística" refers here to a more or less conscious probing of the artistic medium on the part of artists during the creative process (which could be the case), I would go for "exploration", rather along the lines of the comments by Deborah S. King that I quoted above. On the other hand, if this project is concerned with theoretical speculation of a more intellectual or academic kind, "research" would be the right word. On this point, I think the following could be useful. It is the English description of a seminar held at MACBA (Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona) in April 2010, entitled "Al voltant de la recerca artística":

"On Artistic Research
Thinking and teaching art: between practice and theoretical speculation
Seminar

Over the last decade, use of the concept of “artistic research” has gained cohesion for referring not only to the nature of the artistic process but also to a new discipline between artistic practice and theoretical speculation. In the concept of “artistic research” is perceived, on one hand, the desire to associate the value of art with that of knowledge, which in the end is one of the primary currencies of our economic system. On the other hand, artistic research obeys the need to adapt artistic education to more and more homogeneous structures, also on the global level of the system of higher education, where scientific research reigns as an uncontested model. Thirdly, the idea of artistic practice as research is intimately tied to the evolution of contemporary art itself towards dematerialisation, which brings the artists work closer to theoretical speculation.

But what kind of research are we referring to when we speak of “artistic research”? What does it consist of? What is its method, and where does it take its models from? What faculties does it mobilise? In the face of those who defend the validity of artistic research that is subject to set guidelines, capable of being taught, others precisely celebrate art’s ability to confuse and defy established truths. This seminar aims to generate a productive dialogue in connection with these issues, with the objective of determining the validity of the concept of artistic research and also to explore new ways of speaking – and thinking, of course – about the complexity of artistic work."
http://www.macba.cat/controller.php?p_action=show_page&pagin...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 19 hrs (2011-09-03 10:43:34 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

The trouble is, Wendy, that you may not be able to discover what this project is about; you say you have the title and no further context. If so, in view of current trends, as reflected in the MACBA seminar I have just cited, I now tend to feel that "Artistic Research" could be a better option as a title.

Charles Davis
Spain
Local time: 03:13
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  philgoddard
1 min
  -> Thanks, Phil

agree  Lindsay Spratt
5 mins
  -> Thanks, Lindsay

agree  Lourdes Sanchez: ingles research, frances recherche, italiano ricercare. En italiano ricerca es un preludio musical que explora el tema principal de una pieza o composición por medio de pequeñas alteraciones, o una exploracion de algun genero (musicalmente hablando)
40 mins
  -> Gracias, Lourdes :)

agree  anademahomar
1 hr
  -> Thanks, Ana :)

agree  Alistair Ian Spearing Ortiz
2 hrs
  -> Gràcies, Alistair!

agree  Sheila Hardie
16 hrs
  -> Thanks, Sheila :)

agree  Isamar: Yes, though more context would help to confirm it!
19 hrs
  -> Indeed; I agree and have now addressed this point in a note. Thanks, Isamar :)

agree  Jenni Lukac (X): Without more context, it's difficult to speculate about this instance. Bon cap de setmana!
20 hrs
  -> Thanks, Jenni, and many thanks also for your comment in the discussion area. I have pondered many times on how best to handle "investigación" in art texts. It's quite true that "research" is increasingly in favour, though it sometimes jars, I feel.
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