2.2.3.1. Problem solving: Art context
Ridley’s statement ‘craft knows where it’s going and art does not[91]’ is affirmed by Walter Gropius[92]. Gropius, the initiator of the Bauhaus, states that art rises above all methods. It cannot be taught, so we should therefore concentrate on crafts instead. In an art and technology context, one sees that the problem solving approach is mainly used in the preparation for a production or a specific part of a production, and as such is accepted as an indicator of the feasibility. Moreover, in terms of predictability, applied art and design do indeed often use a problem solving approach. In the realm of this investigation it is relevant to note that this section deals with the collaborative aspects of problem solving in the research and development phase for specific, or sometimes even isolated, parts of an electronic art production. On these occasions the problem solving approach is connected with the practical elements or tools to realise the artwork and not necessarily with the aim or objective of the artwork. Here problem solving is merely perceived in a utilitarian or instrumental way. One can see some overlap with the ‘continued modernist practice’ mentioned by Wilson[93]. He describes artists’ attitudes to use digital techniques as tools to create new artworks (e.g. digital photography and manipulation, computer music, etc.). In these events, the artist focuses on creating digital artworks or objects and the required research is a tunnelled investigation before the development takes place.
Oliver Grau’s research focuses on parallels between the history of illusion and immersion in art, he draws parallels from contemporary telepresence and telecommunication with technology and culture in the past. In his work, Grau analyses the technical and experiential parallels between virtual reality and panorama paintings, and the construction process. In ‘Virtual Art – from Illusion to Immersion’ [94], Grau refers to an instrumental approach he observed in the building of panoramic paintings. In the late 19th century, the panorama building team realised the artwork using a problem solving approach. An artist designed the concept or the sketch for the painting, and a team of craft specialists developed the project. When zooming in on the industrial panorama model, several parallel research trajectories are determined that are simultaneously performed by different persons in the pre-production process. In small sub-research trajectories, the involved (technical) specialists in a production team try to find the best possible solutions to realise the concept according to the given artistic outline. This type of research focuses on improvements in very small, focused material or technology segments. Skills in making things, training and material knowledge play a major role in this area and there are some parallels with a range of artistic and cultural disciplines; it is manifested in the detailed research areas, in those fields where technical skilled people work. Here the problem solving approach, used for small technical problems or the material research, often leads to artistic innovations.
