A Framework for Cultural Narrative Identity in Contemporary Visual Art Practice

Thesis Abstract

The study investigates how cultural narratives shape identity construction within contemporary visual art practice by examining the dynamic interplay between artist intentions, audience reception, and sociocultural discourses. It addresses the problem of fragmented understandings of cultural identity in modern praxis where globalized production often dilutes localized meanings, proposing a framework that accounts for multiplicities of narrative voices, material choices, and contextual resonances. The aim is to develop a coherent framework that articulates how cultural narrative identities are produced, negotiated, and interpreted across diverse audiences and media, and to test the framework through empirical inquiry. Specific objectives include (1) to delineate the key elements of cultural narrative identity as expressed in contemporary visual artworks across painting, installation, and digital media; (2) to identify the sociocultural conditions that enable or constrain narrative agency for artists from varied cultural backgrounds; (3) to explore audience interpretation processes and the role of viewer context in meaning-making; (4) to integrate insights from cultural identity theory, postcolonial theory, and reception theory to formulate a practical framework; (5) to validate the framework through an empirical study combining artist interviews, curatorial analyses, and audience surveys; and (6) to propose actionable implications for pedagogy, curatorial practice, and policy. The methodology employs a mixed-methods sequential design. In the qualitative strand, 40 in-depth semi-structured interviews are conducted with contemporary artists (20 from diasporic backgrounds and 20 from indigenous communities) and 15 curators across three major metropolitan art scenes to capture narratives of identity formation, media choices, and professional constraints. The quantitative strand collects survey data from 600 museum and gallery visitors to quantify interpretive variability and factors influencing perceived authenticity, using Likert-scale items and open-ended prompts. The study adopts a pragmatic epistemology and a constructivist-interpretivist stance, drawing on theories of cultural identity (Hall’s representation and gaze theory), postcolonial theory (Bhabha’s hybridity and interstitial space), and reception theory (Iser’s reader-response) to frame data analysis. Data collection instruments include a semi-structured interview guide validated through expert pilot testing (n=6) and a standardized visitor survey instrument pre-tested with 80 respondents for reliability. Data analysis combines thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke) for interview transcripts and structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine relationships among artist identity cues, narrative strategies, and audience interpretation, using AMOS with robust maximum likelihood estimation. The conceptual model integrates cultural capital, narrative agency, media affordances, and audience context as interlocking determinants of cultural narrative identity in visual practice. Anticipated findings indicate that artists deploy layered narrative strategies—embodying memory, myth, and migration stories—through material choices, symbolic repertoires, and site-specific exhibition formats, which, in turn, generate diverse viewer readings moderated by age, education, and cultural proximity. It is expected that curatorial mediation and institutional frameworks significantly shape the visibility and reception of these narratives, with higher congruence between artist intention and audience interpretation when curatorial practices foreground dialogic interpretation and participatory formats. The study aims to demonstrate that a robust framework can accommodate heterogeneity across media while preserving interpretive coherence, and that audience engagement mediates the ethical and political dimensions of cultural representation. The contribution to knowledge lies in operationalizing a replicable framework for analyzing cultural narrative identity within contemporary visual art, bridging theoretical perspectives with empirical evidence, and offering a practical tool for artists, curators, and educators to articulate and evaluate identity-driven narratives. The findings are expected to inform pedagogy in fine arts education by emphasizing narrative literacy, media-aware practice, and intercultural dialogue; to guide curatorial decision-making toward more inclusive and contextually resonant programming; and to influence policy discussions on representation, access, and diversity in cultural institutions. The study concludes with recommendations for framework refinement, longitudinal tracking of narrative evolution in artist practice, and further cross-cultural, cross-institutional replications to enhance generalizability.