When Science Meets Art: A/r/tography As a Potential Research Approach

Abstract

The article is situated in the area of contemporary qualitative research, presenting a qualitative methodology with a hermeneutic-phenomenological profile, supplemented by abduction and creative practice. It explores the intersections of science and art in qualitative inquiry through the lens of Art-Based Research (ABR) and the a/r/tographic method, which integrates the roles of artist, researcher, and teacher. The main research problem seems to be expressed in the question: What functions do artistic activities perform in scientific research? The paper discusses the functions of artistic activity in research, such as deepening understanding, multimodality, diversity, katharsis, fictionalisation, reflexivity, evocativeness, densening, curiosity, emancipation, and openness. These functions show how art serves not only as a cognitive and expressive medium but also as a means of social participation and personal growth. The author draws on an interdisciplinary theoretical framework, combining academic research with art and art therapy practices. A key element of the theoretical discussion is the reference to the phenomenon of narrative and theories that treat narrative as a cultural text, a social phenomenon, and a means of understanding the world and humanity, including the (auto)narrative shaping of identity, thus combining a narratological and biographical approach with the phenomenological-hermeneutic research tradition. Using a/r/tography as a methodological and epistemological frame-work, the author reflects on the fluid, performative, and dialogical nature of knowledge creation.