A Framework for Contextualized Art Practice as Social Inquiry

Thesis Abstract

This study addresses the gap between contemporary art practice and its function as a form of social inquiry by articulating a contextualized framework that situates artistic production within local sociocultural dynamics, power relations, and community-defined meanings. The aim is to develop a robust framework that enables artists and researchers to design, execute, and evaluate art practices as embodied inquiry into social processes, with explicit attention to place, memory, and ethical engagement. Specific objectives include (1) synthesizing relevant theories of participatory art, dialogic aesthetics, and social practice to articulate a multi-level framework; (2) mapping contextual variables—cultural, political, economic, and infrastructural—that shape artistic inquiry in diverse urban and peri-urban communities; (3) operationalizing methods for co-creative process design, data collection, and reflective documentation that align with ethical standards and community ownership; (4) translating qualitative insights into an analytic rubric that integrates thematic analysis, narrative inquiry, and reflexive evaluation; and (5) validating the framework through iterative case-study applications across three distinct project contexts over an 18-month period. The research adopts a mixed-methods design, combining qualitative case studies with iterative reflexive cycles and a comparative meta-analysis. The population includes twenty practicing artists, five community partners, and six curatorial or institutional stakeholders across three cities with distinct sociocultural profiles. A purposive sampling approach targets artists who foreground social themes and community collaboration, complemented by snowball sampling to identify influential community interlocutors. Data collection instruments comprise semi-structured interviews, participant observation, project documentation, and reflective journals maintained by artists and partners, complemented by photographic and video ethnography. Validity and reliability are addressed through triangulation of multiple data sources, member checking, and audit trails. The data analysis employs thematic analysis for interview and observational data, narrative analysis to capture personal and collective meaning-making, and a framework-based coding scheme aligned with the proposed contextualized art-inquiry model. A cross-case synthesis uses pattern matching and constellations to identify how contextual factors influence inquiry trajectories. Theoretical grounding draws on Bakhtin’s dialogism, Dewey’s experiential learning, and Peter Osborne’s conceptual art ethics, with explicit integration of theories of social practice (C. Dea and T. Graeber-inspired frameworks) to articulate the interaction between artworks, communities, and knowledge production. Key expected findings include (1) a delineated set of contextual variables that predict the efficacy of art-based social inquiry; (2) a procedural model for co-creation that foregrounds ethical engagement, power-sharing, and ownership of knowledge; (3) a validated analytic rubric that enables evaluators to assess social impact, process transparency, and cultural relevance; (4) evidenced-based indicators of transformative learning and community resilience linked to participatory art projects; and (5) a transferable framework detailing decision points, reflexive practices, and documentation strategies that support replication in varied settings. The study anticipates identifying tensions between artistic autonomy and community governance, and proposes principled approaches to navigate such tensions without compromising ethical commitments. Contributions to knowledge include the formalization of a contextualized art practice framework that bridges aesthetics, social inquiry, and community engagement, providing a methodological toolkit for researchers, artists, and partners seeking to produce art-led knowledge about social processes. The framework advances methodological pluralism by integrating qualitative rigor with performative and ethical dimensions of practice, and it offers a concrete, transferable model for evaluating social impact in art projects. The main conclusion posits that contextualized art practice functions most effectively as social inquiry when co-designed with communities, anchored in place-based epistemologies, and governed by transparent reflexivity and shared authorship. Recommendations emphasize capacity-building for artists in survey design and ethics, institutional support for collaborative governance structures, and the inclusion of long-term community tracing to capture sustained impact beyond project lifespans.