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40 Visual A r t s Research Volume 35. Number 2 W i n t e r 2009
Establishing Collaborative Dialogue:The Mentor and the Apprentice
Ami Kantawala
Teachers College,
Columbia University
Usa Hochtritt
Rocky Mountain College
of Art + Design
James Haywood Rolling Jr.
Syracuse University
Dan Serig
Massachusetts
College of Art
and Design
Kryssi Staikidis
Northern Illinois
University
This essay shares observations and insights about principles of mentoring in the form of five individual recollections about our experiences with our mentor and dissertation advisor, Graeme Sullivan. Dialogue i focuses on the historical and cultural antecedents of the mentor-mentee relationship, whereas dialogue 2 highlights the rich potential of teaching and learning, and that the potential to see things from new perspectives is ever present. Dialogue } describes the mentor-mentee relationship that deepened with the idea of intellectual rigor and play risk and experiment, the practice of art making and the happenstance of serendipity within the context of the research act. Dialogue 4 offers examples of reflexivity in two forms, methodological and interpretive, and argues that it becomes the meta—modus operandi of the relationship among doctoral student!artist, dissertation advisor, and dissertation art practice/research. The concluding dialogue focuses on the language of possibility in mentoring, which shapes the research process and transforms both mentee and mentor. These reflections can also be seen within the spirit of an open dialogue and collaborations between us as our mentor continues to reach us, allowing us to seed the fields we have settled in and as we generate our own reincarnations.
In the d i s c o u r s e that s h a p e s o u r s cho la r sh ip a n d inquiry, w e d o well to inves t igate
the poss ib i l i ty for b r o a d e n i n g the range o f voices wi th wh ich w e conve r se , a n d o f
par t icu lar i m p o r t a n c e is the vo ice o f the mentor . T h e re la t ionship be tween a m e n
tor a n d a m e n t e e is specia l . Bes ides the poss ib i l i ty o f i nv igora t ing a t t en t ion a n d
e n c o u r a g e m e n t d u r i n g the doc to ra l journey, it is pe rhaps a u n i q u e o p p o r t u n i t y to
wi tness the p rog re s s ion o f th ink ing , the na tu re o f the conve r sa t ions , the m a n n e r
o f q u e s t i o n i n g , the w a y o f a p p r o a c h i n g a p r o b l e m , a n d the m e t i c u l o u s focus o f an
© 2009 by the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
Kantawala et al. Establishing Collaborative Dialogue | 41
expe r i enced col labora tor . Further , in es tab l i sh ing endeavo r s to co l l abora te ac ross
genera t ions , the m e n t o r a n d the appren t i ce teach each o ther the va lue o f interpre
ta t ion a n d synthes is (Ely, V i n z , D o w n i n g , & A n z u l , 1997).
In this spir i t , the fo l lowing five s e g m e n t s a b o u t m e n t o r i n g are narrat ive
a c c o u n t s wri t ten ind iv idua l ly a n d in conver sa t ions wi th o n e ano the r by fo rmer
doc to ra l men tees o f G r a e m e Sul l ivan . E a c h o f these five a c c o u n t s offer specif ic
perspec t ives a b o u t the m u l t i p l e c o n c e p t u a l fo rms o f m e n t o r s h i p , a n d each a c
c o u n t is charac ter ized b y our o w n schola rsh ip , m e a n i n g , a n d va lues . A s s u c h , these
narrat ive recol lec t ions m a y be j u x t a p o s e d , m u t u a l l y s u p p l e m e n t i n g o n e a n o t h e r
a n d interrela t ing dialogical ly . E ly et al. (1997) a r g u e that d i a log i c is the n e w - f r o m -
o ld c o i n a g e o f M i k h a i l Bakht in ' s theory that offers a pene t ra t ing ins ight in to the
p o w e r o f c o a u t h o r i n g . T h e au tho r s c h o s e to focus o n the m e n t o r i n g re la t ionship
as it i n fo rmed their scho la r sh ip rather than focus o n the scho la r sh ip itself, as the
t w o s e e m e d insepa rab le a n d s y m b i o t i c . H e n c e w e felt the need to co l l abora te as a
g r o u p rather than create sol i tary a c c o u n t s . Therefore , these d i a l o g u e s offer an invi
ta t ion to the readers to s tep in to a variety o f m e n t o r m e n t e e e x p e r i e n c e s — t o live
the l ived exper ience a l o n g wi th the researcher.
D i a l o g u e I T h e G u r u S i s h y a T r a d i t i o n , 1 by A m i K a n t a w a l a
Plac ing m y m e n t o r in b o t h an his tor ical a n d a cul tural con tex t , I con t inua l ly
m o v e d be tween the cul tures o f the O c c i d e n t a n d the O r i e n t , v i ewing m y m e n t o r
as a life mentor . His tor ica l ly in the Wes te rn cul ture , the w o r d mentor can be t raced
to G r e e k m y t h o l o g y a n d H o m e r ' s ep ic p o e m The Odyssey.1 Whereas , the roots o f
m e n t o r i n g can be t raced to the appren t i cesh ip sys t em where the o l d mas te r p a s s e d
d o w n k n o w l e d g e a n d tasks were a c c o m p l i s h e d ( D a v i d C l u t t e r b u c k 1985, q u o t e d
in M o n a g h a n & L u n t , 1992). Apprenticeship is t h o u g h t o f as learn ing a t rade unde r
the g u i d a n c e o f a mas t e r where the app ren t i c e learns skills a n d h o w to pe r fo rm
par t icu lar tasks or p rocesses , a n d the mas t e r c o m b i n e s the p rog re s s ion o f a new
d i m e n s i o n a n d learn ing o f skills in an e n v i r o n m e n t that enab les the p ro t ege to un
de r s t and the p u r p o s e a n d p lace o f those skills ( M o n a g h a n & L u n t , 1992).
Wi th in the S o u t h As ian his tor ical a n d cul tural umbre l l a , the m e n t o r - m e n t -
ee re la t ionship can be seen wi th in the con tex t o f the t radi t ional I n d i a n gu ru - s i shya
re la t ionship . T h e guru - s i shya t radi t ion is a spir i tual re la t ionship in conven t iona l
H i n d u i s m where t each ings are t r ansmi t t ed f rom a m e n t o r to an appren t i ce . S u c h
k n o w l e d g e is i m p a r t e d t h rough the d e v e l o p i n g re la t ionsh ip be tween the m e n t o r
a n d the m e n t e e . It is cons ide r ed that this re la t ionship , b a s e d o n the g e n u i n e n e s s
o f the m e n t o r a n d the respect , ded i ca t i on , a n d o b e d i e n c e o f the s tuden t , is the
u n s u r p a s s e d w a y for sub t l e o r a d v a n c e d k n o w l e d g e to be conveyed ( R a b i n d r a n a t h
T a g o r e , q u o t e d in L a i , 1984).
42 [ Visual A r t s Research W i n t e r 2009
W i t h i n this cul tura l con tex t o f m e n t o r i n g , o f par t icu lar interest f rom
m y d o c t o r a l d i s se r t a t ion w a s the re la t ionsh ip be tween A b a n i n d r a n a t h T a g o r e
(1871—1951) a n d Ernes t Binf ie ld Have l l (1861-1934), t w o s ignif icant , yet o b s c u r e ,
figures in the h i s to ry o f I n d i a n ar t e d u c a t i o n w h o b e l o n g e d b o t h to their t imes
a n d to the t imes a h e a d ( K a n r a w a l a , 2007). T h e re la t ionship be tween Have l l a n d
T a g o r e was b a s e d o n an inherent b o n d be tween an E n g l i s h m a n a n d an Ind ian ,
o n e ac t ive , the o the r reflective. It a p p e a r e d that their re la t ionsh ip fo l lowed the
spir i t o f the t rad i t iona l I n d i a n app ren t i ce sh ip m o d e l o f art e d u c a t i o n where they
w o r k e d toward rees tab l i sh ing the los t l a n g u a g e o f I n d i a n ar t (Mit ter , 1994, p .
284). F o r T a g o r e , Have l l w a s a m e n t o r w h o b rea thed life in to the ent i re Ind ian art
e d u c a t i o n s y s t e m , g i v i n g it a new d i rec t ion a n d ene rgy t h r o u g h his t each ing . Th i s
t ype o f re la t ionsh ip can b e seen in the con tex t o f the fulf i l lment o f k n o w l e d g e for
the m e n t o r himself , a n d the s t u d e n t eventual ly m a s t e r e d the k n o w l e d g e that the
m e n t o r e m b o d i e d , a rgues La i (1984). Further , the T a g o r e - H a v e l l re la t ionsh ip a l so
d e m o n s t r a t e d co l l abo ra t i on , nur tu r ing , e n t h u s i a s m , e m o t i o n a l c o m m i t m e n t , a n d
sensitivity, w h i c h are c o n s i d e r e d to be several o f the m a n y effective character is t ics
o f m e n t o r i n g ( W i l d m a n , M a g l i a r o , & N i l e s , 1992).
After e x a m i n i n g this re la t ionship be tween Have l l a n d T a g o r e , I realized
that m y o w n re la t ionsh ip wi th m y m e n t o r w a s s imilar , as w e con t inua l ly m o v e d
be tween our different cu l tura l b a c k g r o u n d s , fo l lowing the historical O c c i d e n t a l
app ren t i ce sh ip b a s e d u p o n role m o d e l i n g a n d the Or i en t a l gu ru - s i shya t rad i t ion .
M y men to r , G r a e m e Su l l ivan , de t ec t ed the pos s ib l e , a powerfu l p rope l l an t for m y
research, w h i c h requi red w o r k i n g in the o b s c u r e archives o f I nd i a a n d the s o p h i s
t ica ted archives o f E n g l a n d to reach o u t ac ross t i m e pe r iods a n d loca t ions to u n
cover h i d d e n c o n n e c t i o n s in the h i s to ry o f Ind ian art e d u c a t i o n . M y mento r ' s a s
s e s s m e n t o f the poss ib i l i ty o f d o c u m e n t i n g the u n d o c u m e n t e d has in f luenced m e
for a l i fe t ime a n d repea ted ly inf luences the ways in w h i c h I m e n t o r m y s tuden t s .
Arguab ly , a c c o r d i n g to M o n a g h a n a n d L u n t (1992), a m e n t o r is n o t o u t
there awa i t ing d iscovery ; rather, these re la t ionships are cons t ruc t ed . Further , the
re la t ionships are a l so seen as t r ans format ive a n d can c h a n g e the c o u r s e o f one's
life. T h u s m e n t o r i n g roles are i n d e e d o p e n to nego t i a t ions p l ac ing the m e n t o r a t
the far thest e n d o f the sca le , in tegra t ing app ren t i ce sh ip , f r iendship , peer s u p p o r t ,
a n d travel, w h i c h enab le us to g o b e y o n d these a s soc i a t i ons .
D i a l o g u e 2 : S u r r o u n d i n g a n d S m o t h e r i n g D a t a , by L isa H o c h t r i t t
Keep at it and let the stories emerge as they want to. (e-mail excerpt from my
mentor, G r a e m e Sullivan, M a r c h 17, 2004)
G r a e m e Sul l ivan o n c e to ld m e I w a s a collector . I a d m i t t e d l y col lect ob jec t s , in
fo rma t ion , friends, exper iences , a n d have difficulty in de le t ing or d i s p o s i n g o f
Kantawala et al. Establishing Collaborative Dialogue
any th ing . In p repa ra t ion for this essay, I reviewed e-mai l c o r r e s p o n d e n c e w e ex
c h a n g e d d u r i n g the c o u r s e o f m y d i sse r ta t ion wr i t ing a n d so r t ed t h e m by c a t e g o
ries. D u r i n g m y research, I co l lec ted a n d saved these c o m m u n i c a t i o n s a n d reread
t h e m w h e n I go t s tuck . In essence , m v advisor ' s wri t ten adv ice b e c a m e a vi r tual
ex tens ion o f the m e n t o r i n g p rocess .
Thoughts About Research
Unless you d ig in and nail the concept / i ssue /problem, then you will end up
continually responding to how others see it for you. G o for it—it is your re
search, but you must focus. Use the c o m m e n t s by the students you are currently
interviewing to help confirm your thesis—i.e. , your a rgument abou t the per
ceived set o f relationships you see operat ing, and about what you want to know
more about . (Graeme Sullivan, personal communica t ion , November 10, 2001)
A l t h o u g h wri t ing a b o u t differentiated instruct ion a n d P-12 s tudents , T o m l i n s o n
(2008) identifies m e n t o r i n g qual i t ies that can be ex tended to higher educa t ion . S h e
sugges ts four e lements that cont r ibute to the success o f learners, inc lud ing the bu i ld
ing o f trust between par tners , ensur ing the fit o f a topic , s t rengthening the focus
a n d voice o f the s tudent , and awareness o f the process . M y o w n diverse col lect ion
o f ideas of tent imes led m e astray in m y research, bu t m y advisor 's e n c o u r a g e m e n t to
focus a n d a s s u m e ownersh ip o f m y topic was critical to m y success as a researcher.
Collecting Data
You're not as lost as you probably feel. I think the trick is to still think abou t the
big picture (i.e., one o f your shaping) , but to concentrate on do ing some little
b i t s—get t ing there in steps rather than leaps is the g o at the m o m e n t . . . . Be ing
armed with ideas that are shown to be doable is the best way to gather strength.
(Graeme Sullivan, personal communica t ion , J u n e 26, 2001)
O f course the b ig task now is just to hitch up your skirt and d ig in to the heavy-
d u n ' data co l lec t ion—so you have to breathe deep and just g o for it. . . . O n c e
the content takes over, you will be uns toppable , as it is in the words , ideas, and
images o f the y o u n g folks you are working with that will drive you forward. As
vou know, this is the exciting bit. (Graeme Sullivan, personal communica t i on ,
J u n e 27, 2003)
C o n t i n u e to dig in. The analysis part is more or less just a cont inual search-
and-retrieve process as you are using the codes / themes that emerge as a way to
reduce the mass o f data to s o m e interpretable scheme. Obvious ly the category-
structure may have future benefit for a later study, but as the data collection
for the current task is finite it is its interpretive value that you are interested in.
Think o f it as an exercise in trying to figure how to ask better quest ions next
t ime a round . . . . The more you move back and forth through the data, the
44 Visual A r t s Research W i n t e r 2009
better you will be able to get a sense o f what's in it. (Graeme Sullivan, personal
communica t ion , N o v e m b e r 23, 2001)
T o m l i n s o n (2008) s ta tes that the s t r eng then ing o f v o i c e " is an ex tens ion a n d re
finement o f t h o u g h t that gives s t uden t s p o w e r over their o w n des t in ies as learners"
(p . 29). M y advisor , G r a e m e Su l l ivan , t rus ted in m y abil i t ies a n d his e n c o u r a g e
m e n t t o d i g deepe r a n d s u r r o u n d the research p r o b l e m e n c o u r a g e d m e to d e v e l o p
fully m y u n d e r s t a n d i n g s o f the d a t a .
Interpreting Data
I think the next best thing is that you keep u p on the data smother ing (now
that it's not data gather ing) . . . . I expect all this will b e c o m e clearer as you tease
ou t ideas from the data and then we can connect them to the material on hand .
(Graeme Sull ivan, personal communica t ion , N o v e m b e r 15, 2003)
T h e m e s s a g e to surround the problem a n d smother the data g u i d e s us to e x a m i n e the q u e s t i o n s f r o m all s i d e s . I u s e this p h i l o s o p h y in w o r k i n g w i th m y s t u d e n t s
at the c o l l e g e level . I he lp t h e m u n d e r s t a n d w h a t a l r eady s u r r o u n d s t h e m a n d
realize tha t e n e r g y in the sea rch s h o u l d b e d i r ec t ed at w h a t they are d o i n g , n o t
w h a t they are n o t . I e n c o u r a g e t h e m , as m y m e n t o r o n c e a d v i s e d m e , tha t t he
s to r i e s will e m e r g e i f they persevere , l i s ten to the s u g g e s t i o n s in the d a t a , a n d
t rus t thei r o w n v o i c e s .
D i a l o g u e 3: C a r n a t i o n s a n d R e i n c a r n a t i o n s in O p e n F i e l d s o f Play,
by J a m e s H a y w o o d R o l l i n g J r .
I first m e t G r a e m e S u l l i v a n , a s cho l a r f r o m D o w n U n d e r , in the s u m m e r o f
1999, s o o n after I b e g a n m y d o c t o r a l s t u d i e s in a s u m m e r c o u r s e h e t a u g h t ca l l ed
" W r i t i n g for P u b l i c a t i o n . " W h a t he m o d e l e d for m e d u r i n g that c o u r s e w o r k a n d
in the r e l a t i onsh ip tha t d e e p e n e d thereaf ter was the idea o f in te l lec tua l r igor a n d
play, r i sk a n d e x p e r i m e n t , the p rac t i ce o f ar t m a k i n g a n d the h a p p e n s t a n c e o f
se rendip i ty , all w i th in the f r a m e w o r k o f the research act; e a c h o f these d i a l ec t i
cal r e l a t i o n s h i p s were in t h e m s e l v e s i l lus t ra t ive o f the d y n a m i c tha t t ransfers
expe r t i s e , in f luence , a n d l e a d e r s h i p f r o m m e n t o r t o n o v i c e in a c o m p l e x cyc le
o f r e l ea rn ing a n d r e e m b o d i m e n t that has been l i kened to the m e t a p h o r o f re in
c a r n a t i o n ( I rwin , 1998). L i k e t he y o u n g T e l e m a c h u s in H o m e r ' s Odyssey, I w a s
s t a r t i ng o u t o n a j o u r n e y o f d i scovery . T h e wi se o l d m a n in m y s to ry was wi l l i ng
to a c c o m p a n y m e o n p a r t s o f th is j ou rney , fully a w a r e o f the diff icult ies I w o u l d
face , ye t w i l l i ng to s h o w m e a m p l e e v i d e n c e o f h i s t rus t tha t I w o u l d thr ive in
the w i d e - o p e n field be fore m e . A l o n g s i d e m e in tha t field, h e o n c e h a n d e d m e a
c a r n a t i o n , o f fe r ing to sha re w i t h m e a rare m a n t l e o f t rus t as his ed i to r i a l a s s i s -
Kantawala et al. Establishing Collaborative Dialogue
tant d u r i n g the t e rm o f his se rv ice to the research c o m m u n i t y as s en io r e d i t o r o f
Studies in Art Education. In her re th ink ing o f the m e t a p h o r s for d e s c r i b i n g t r ans fo rmat ive leadersh ip ,
art educa to r R i t a L . I rwin (1998) presents an e tymo log i ca l a r g u m e n t for under
s t a n d i n g ca rna t ions as a concre te i m a g e o f h u m a n be ings in "all their s t rength
a n d fragility," a f r amework wi th in which a m e n t o r shares his or her exper iences
wi th a novice , whi le e m b o d y i n g certain "values , beliefs , a n d a t t i tudes" central to
their ident i ty as a leader a n d m e n t o r in their field (p . 47). T h u s , I w a s t reated as a
h u m a n be ing , no t mere ly a s t uden t ; I wasn' t cul t iva ted or h a n d l e d wi th a pair o f
gardener 's g loves . Rather , I was given the space to shoo t o u t m y o w n roo t s , p l an t
myself, a n d grow. I was given the space to d r a w m y o w n sun l igh t a n d s u s t e n a n c e
t h r o u g h pe r iods o f strength (successful ly nav iga t ing m y s tud ies whi le w o r k i n g
fu l l - t ime as a h ighe r -educa t ion admin i s t ra to r , a n d ad junc t professor , a n d a re
search ass is tant ) a n d fragility ( be ing hosp i ta l i zed wi th an anxie ty d i so rde r after
the p r o l o n g e d a n d u n e x p e c t e d dea th o f m y father 1 year before I w a s e x p e c t e d to
c o m p l e t e a n d de fend m y d i s se r t a t ion) . Ul t imate ly , I d i d i n d e e d finish as p ro jec ted
(Ro l l i ng , 2003) a n d was re incarna ted as G r a e m e ' s p ro t ege .
S u c h re incarna t ions are theor ized as a "col labora t ive activity," a p rocess o f
re learning a i m e d at " f inding , c rea t ing , a n d b u i l d i n g power a m o n g ind iv idua l s a n d
the col lect ive g r o u p " (I rwin, 1998, p . 49), the g r o u p in this case b e i n g the c o h o r t
cowr i t ing this essay. I c o n c l u d e wi th a n a c c o u n t o f m y first p u b l i c p resen ta t ion o f
m y o w n research at the 2001 N a t i o n a l Ar t E d u c a t i o n A s s o c i a t i o n c o n v e n t i o n in
N e w York Ci ty . I was o n e d g e . I w a s late . G r a e m e rode wi th m e in the cab I t o o k
to the H i l t o n . W e ta lked a b o u t hot-a i r b a l l o o n s in Aust ra l ia to set t le m e d o w n .
T h e p resen ta t ion i tself was a bit o f a j u g g l i n g act invo lv ing a v i d e o excerpt in t ro
d u c t i o n taken f rom Jazz, the K e n B u r n s d o c u m e n t a r y series, s o m e ove rhead t rans
parenc ies , a n d a sn ippe t f rom a C D record ing o f D i z z y Gi l lesp ie ' s " M a n t e c a " as a
s e g u e to m y c o n c l u d i n g remarks . There in the T r i a n o n B a l l r o o m , s w i m m i n g in a
sea o f chande l i e red s p a c e as a first-time presenter inexp l icab ly a l lo t ted the largest
r o o m o n the c o n v e n t i o n g u i d e m a p for the smal les t a u d i e n c e , o n e b y o n e , o n m y
cue , he tu rned the pages o f m y PowerPoin t t ransparenc ies .
I o n c e a s k e d w h y G r a e m e s o m e t i m e s wears b a n d s a r o u n d his u p p e r a r m s
or a t the cuffs o f his sh i r t s leeves . H e e x p l a i n e d tha t the s leeve l eng th s o f the
shir ts he is fa ted to wea r u sua l ly c o n s p i r e a g a i n s t h i m , g iven the s h o r t l eng th o f
his a r m s a n d the na tura l l i m i t a t i o n s o f his reach. A n d yet in the T r i a n o n B a l l
r o o m , d e s p i t e the b i n d i n g s at his cuffs, G r a e m e d e m o n s t r a t e d that his reach
w a s , in fact, ex t rao rd ina ry . A n d he still reaches u s , no t to p l u c k a n y o f t h o s e h e
has m e n t o r e d as his o w n pe r sona l b o u q u e t , b u t to run his fingers a c ro s s the pe t
als w e have flowered, a l l o w i n g us to seed the fields w e have se t t led in a n d gene r
a te o u r o w n r e inca rna t i ons .
46 | Visual A r t s Research W i n t e r 2009
D i a l o g u e 4: C u l t i v a t i n g R e f l e x i v i t y , by D a n S e r i g
In a s impl i f ied fo rm, reflexivity is a f eedback l o o p o f reflection a n d ac t ion . Inher
ent ly p r a g m a t i c , reflexivity in the d i sse r ta t ion p rocess resists this s impl i f i ed f o r m .
Parts o f the cycle m a y over lap , d iverge , a n d defy classif icat ion w h e n c o n s i d e r e d as
par t o f the doc to ra l s tuden t s ' exper ience . G i v e n its centra l i ty in m y re la t ionsh ip
wi th m y d isse r ta t ion adv i so r a n d in m y d isse r ta t ion research, reflexivity deserves
par t icu la r a t t en t ion . B y offer ing e x a m p l e s o f reflexivity in two fo rms , m e t h o d
o log ica l a n d interpret ive, I a r g u e that it b e c o m e s the m e t a - m o d u s o p e r a n d i o f the
re la t ionsh ip a m o n g doc to ra l s tuden t / a r t i s t , d i s se r ta t ion advisor , a n d d i sse r ta t ion
art p rac t ice / research .
M i c h a e l L y n c h (2000) asser ted that reflexivity is not a pr iv i leged abi l i ty
reserved for the scholar . Reflexivi ty pe rvades everyday ac t ion . T h e d i sse r ta t ion
p roces s , ins tead o f c rea t ing the ability, cul t ivates it. Reflexivi ty m a y d e v e l o p in the
ar t is t / researcher d i sse r ta t ion p rocess m o r e t ransparent ly, g iven its in tegral i ty to
the art prac t ice . G r a e m e Sul l ivan (2005) charac te r ized reflexivity in Art Practice as
Research as o n e o f the a t t r ibutes o f art p rac t ice wi th in a f r a m e w o r k for v isual arts
research. A s s u c h , reflexivity paral le ls its u se wi th in the doc to ra l adv i so r - s tuden t
re la t ionship . T o b u i l d a cons te l l a t ion o f c o n c e p t s that character ize reflexivity in the
d isser ta t ion p roces s , I tu rn to t w o c o n c e p t i o n s s u m m a r i z e d b y L y n c h a n d Su l l ivan
wi th in the f r a m e w o r k o f art p rac t i ce . Th i s cons te l la t ion then orb i t s ano the r o f
Lynch 's s u m m a r i e s : Meta—theoretical reflexivity (wha t I have t e r m e d meta—modus
o p e r a n d i ) .
Methodological reflexivity refers to a b r o a d r ange o f s tances toward d o i n g re
search assoc ia ted wi th qual i ta t ive fo rms . T h e s e focus o n the se l f ( individual or col
lective) t h rough reflection, consc iousness , a n d cr i t ic ism. F o r ar t is ts / researchers , this
often occur s in the par t i c ipan t -observer role. M e t h o d o l o g i c a l ins t ruc t ion in this
area calls for "s tudents to be consc ious o f their o w n a s s u m p t i o n s a n d pre judices a n d
to focus u p o n uncer ta in t ies , poss ib le sources a n d b ias , a n d p r o b l e m s o f access a n d
reactivity" (Lynch , 2000, p . 29). T h e central event in m y disser ta t ion was an exhib i
t ion o f art ists . In interviews with the art ists , I c o n s t a n d y ran in to m y o w n a s s u m p
t ions be ing q u e s t i o n e d (by the artists a n d m y s e l f ) . U n k n o w i n g l y at the t ime , I h a d
enac ted like m y men to r : Ins tead o f solving a p r o b l e m , I was surrounding it.
Interpretive reflexivity finds its m e t h o d o l o g i c a l h o m e in he rmeneu t i c s , yet
resides in m a n y o ther a p p r o a c h e s , s u c h as s t a n d p o i n t e p i s t e m o l o g i e s . W h i l e this
f o r m o f reflexivity m a y b e par t o f cer ta in m e t h o d o l o g i c a l c a m p s , it is s a n d - t o -
the -beach in the arts: "Above all, it is ident i f ied w i th a style o f in terpre ta t ion that
i m a g i n e s a n d identifies n o n - o b v i o u s a l ternat ives to hab i tua l ways o f t h ink ing a n d
ac t ing" (Lynch , 2000, p . 32). In d o i n g s o , the ar t i s t / researcher b e c o m e s c o n s c i o u s
o f m e a n s a n d con tex t s o f representa t ion b u i l d i n g interrela ted, u n s t a b l e ne tworks
o f m e a n i n g . In m y d isse r ta t ion , this fo rm o f reflexivity f o m e n t e d d u r i n g a review
Kantawala et al. Establishing Collaborative Dialogue | 47
o f l i terature o n m e t a p h o r f rom a variety o f d i sc ip l ines . G u i d e d by m y mentor ' s d i
a g r a m m a t i c w a y o f m a k i n g t h i n k i n g vis ib le , I c rea ted a ne twork o f theor ies . T h e n ,
I asser ted that art ists m i g h t p rov ide an a l ternat ive c o n c e p t i o n .
B l e n d i n g me th odo log i ca l a n d interpretive s tances , Sul l ivan (2005) s i tua ted
reflexivity wi th in the art pract ice . Reflexivity wi thin a f ramework for visual arts
research takes the interpretive s tance f rom the m a r g i n s whi le me thodo log i ca l l y
o p e n i n g d i a logues f rom critical s t andpo in t s . This b l end ing d e p e n d s o n a cons t an t
c u r i o s i t y — a q u e s t i o n i n g f rame o f m i n d . In d o i n g so , the ar t is t / researcher sur
r o u n d s p r o b l e m s th rough an analy t ic r esponse that begins to mi r ror Lynch's idea o f
me ta - theore t i ca l reflexivity. A n e x a m p l e o f Sullivan's no t ion o f reflexivity in the art
wor ld is that o f the curator . For ins tance , bes ides be ing an art ist in m y disser ta t ion
exhibi t ion event, I was the cu ra to r—cons t an t l y m o v i n g a m o n g analyt ic , interpre
tive, a n d critical roles wi thin the par t ic ipant-observer , art ist-researcher con tex ts .
These three c o n c e p t i o n s o f reflexivity serve a general a t t i tude cu l t iva ted in
the a r t i s t / researcher / s tudent o f me ta - t heo re t i c a l reflexivity, exempl i f i ed in the
d i sser ta t ion p rocess as the m e t a - m o d u s o p e r a n d i . Th i s a t t i tude is charac te r ized
by a cer tain d e t a c h m e n t , a l ook ing- in f rom the m a r g i n s . It w o r k s d i l igent ly to
resist t r ibal ized a c c o u n t s o f reality, as well as g r a n d na r r a t i ve s—ins t ead t ak ing a
ques t ion ing /c r i t i ca l s t ance . Th is s t ance inc ludes the pa r t i c ipan t -obse rve r (e .g . , se l f )
as a sub jec t for c o n s t a n t c r i t ique . M y exper ience sugges t s that d u r i n g cu l t iva t ion
this a t t i tude breaks f rom encu l tu ra t ed d i c h o t o m i e s such as i n w a r d / o u t w a r d a n d
s i m p l e / c o m p l e x into m o r e representat ive , d y n a m i c m o d e l s o f s imul tanei ty . Th i s
desc r ip t ion o f reflexivity s h o u l d resona te wi th artists a n d can b e the bas is for a
t r ans format ive re la t ionsh ip be tween doc to ra l s t u d e n t a n d d i sse r ta t ion advisor . T h e
abil i ty o f a d i s se r ta t ion adv isor to cul t ivate this m e t a - m o d u s o p e r a n d i o f reflexiv
ity wi th in the doc to ra l s tuden t b e c o m e s a d i s t i ngu i sh ing feature o f qua l i ty m e n
to r ing a n d adv i s ing .
D i a l o g u e 5: L a n g u a g e o f Poss ib i l i t y , by K r y s s i S t a i k i d i s
T h e e m o t i o n a l aspec t s o f the m e n t o r i n g re la t ionship , e n g e n d e r i n g trust , g r a n t i n g
space for s t u d e n t views a n d vo ice , a w o r k i n g pa r tne r sh ip a n d h igh expec t a t i ons
( D a l o z , 1999), f o r m e d the basis o f s cho la r sh ip for m y doc to ra l w o r k wi th G r a e m e
Sul l ivan , m y mentor . A l t h o u g h m y fellow s t u d e n t co l l eagues h a d r e m a r k a b l y
d iverse d i sse r ta t ion t op i c s , we expe r i enced a sense o f e m p o w e r m e n t a n d agency
as w e were g u i d e d t h rough the in tense enterpr ise o f c rea t ing an or ig ina l schola r ly
d o c u m e n t that eventual ly b e c a m e whol ly o u r o w n .
T o seek o u t a n d appren t i ce m y s e l f to C e n t r a l A m e r i c a n i n d i g e n o u s pa in t
ers requi red c o u r a g e , a n d I was e n c o u r a g e d to bel ieve that I ac tua l ly c o u l d w o r k
o u t o f M a y a art is ts ' s t u d i o s whi le u s i n g m y p a i n t i n g prac t ice as a tool for inquiry.
48 | Visual A r t s Research W i n t e r 2009
Thi s e l e m e n t o f m e n t o r i n g e m p l o y s a " l a n g u a g e o f poss ib i l i ty" (Barake t t & S a c c i ,
2002, p . 41). D u r i n g h o u r s o f conve r sa t ion , G r a e m e a n d I inves t iga ted po ten t i a l s
for m a k i n g c o n n e c t i o n s be tween fo rmal t each ing con tex t s a n d in formal s i tua ted
sites for l ea rn ing—ar t i s t ' s s t u d i o s . It was t h r o u g h these d i a l o g u e s that the s teps in
the research p rocess e m e r g e d .
D a l o z (1999) de sc r ibed specif ic cri teria, such as e n g e n d e r i n g t rus t a n d s tar t
ing wi th the learner, as i m p o r t a n t character is t ics o f a successful m e n t o r i n g exper i
ence . H e v i ewed these as m e n t o r i n g capac i t i es t h r o u g h w h i c h the m e n t o r s u s
p e n d s h i s /her a g e n d a for the m o m e n t a n d a t t e m p t s to enter the s tuden t ' s w o r l d .
H a v i n g s o m e o n e w h o u n c o n d i t i o n a l l y be l ieved in m y ideas d o e s n o t m e a n they
were n o t q u e s t i o n e d a n d in te r roga ted , b u t w e s ta r ted wi th w h a t m a t t e r e d to m e . I
had init ial ly t h o u g h t to w o r k wi th Aus t ra l i an A b o r i g i n a l ar t is ts . After cons ide rab le
d i s c u s s i o n , however , w e realized tha t I w o u l d be bet ter o f f g o i n g to cu l tures where
I k n e w the l a n g u a g e a n d was a b i t m o r e famil iar wi th the terrain. B e c a u s e there
was t rust in m y des i re , I felt conf iden t in m y o w n ideas . A s D a l o z (1999) no ted ,
" T h e n o t i o n o f support refers to those ac ts t h r o u g h which the m e n t o r affirms the
val id i ty o f the s tudent ' s present exper ience . . . . W i t h o u t a r easonab le we l l -es tab
l i shed sense o f bas ic t rust , it is difficult to m o v e a h e a d " (p . 206). F u r t h e r m o r e , as
w e f o r m u l a t e d q u e s t i o n s for f r a m i n g the research, w e kept revis i t ing m y interests:
pa in t i ng , c o m m u n i t y , a n d i n d i g e n o u s ar t is t ic l iv ing t rad i t ions . T h e capac i ty to
start wi th the learner a n d inspi re a d v a n c e m e n t w a s a n i nd i spensab l e feature o f the
m e n t o r i n g p rocess that a l lowed m e to feel exc i t emen t a b o u t the t o p i c that I c h o s e .
Effect ive m e n t o r i n g m e a n s b e i n g con t inua l ly cha l l enged , t e s p o n d i n g to
the h igh expec ta t ions a n d the c o n s t a n t n e e d to in te r rogate o u r perspec t ives s o as
to uncove r m u l t i p l e poss ib i l i t ies : "a s u r r o u n d i n g o f the p r o b l e m , " as it was p u t
by m y mento r , wi th m o r e q u e s t i o n s at the end o f the r o a d t han at its b e g i n n i n g .
E n d i n g wi th q u e s t i o n s w a s m a d e to s e e m truly r easonab le . I was a l so h e l p e d to
th ink a b o u t r ea son ing in new ways : I b e g a n wi th m y ideas , cons t an t ly m o v i n g
forward , clarifying, reclarifying, research ing , a n d r e shap ing the or ig ina l c o n c e p t s .
Th is p rocess is o n e that I have s ince u sed as a p rofessor in m y o w n endeavo r s wi th
s t uden t s . A respect for t w o - w a y d i s c o u r s e creates an in te rchange that cons i s ten t ly
raises the bar. Interest ingly, these aspec t s o f m e n t o r i n g a lso b e c a m e the f o u n d a t i o n
for m y doc to ra l w o r k w i th M a y a art is ts . Therefore , I exper ienced relat ional aspec t s
o f m e n t o r i n g wi th in the d i sse r ta t ion that I s i m u l t a n e o u s l y expe r i enced wi th m y
mentor . D a l o z (1999) s ta ted ,
W h e n we no longer consider learning to be acquisi t ion o f knowledge, we can
no longer view teaching as merely the bestowal o f it. I f learning is about growth
and growth requires both trust and agency, then teaching is about recognizing
and nourishing the condi t ions in which trust and agency can flourish. (Parker J .
Palmer, 1998, quo ted in D a l o z , 1999, p . 244)
Kantawala et al Establishing Collaborative Dialogue
N o t surpr is ingly, the m e n t o r i n g p rocess e m b o d i e s Sull ivan's (2006) a p p r o a c h to
cons t ruc t i ng theory. In this p rocess , we are e n c o u r a g e d to b e c o m e a par t o f the
p roces s , wh ich , like s t u d i o prac t ice , is a m e a n s o f b o t h creat ive a n d crit ical inves
t iga t ion (Sul l ivan , 2006). Ul t imate ly , Su l l ivan p r o p o s e d that art p rac t ice can b e
concep tua l i zed as research d i rec ted toward bo th persona l a n d p u b l i c ends . S t u d i o
prac t ice as a si te for research b e c o m e s a "transformative ac t that has an i m p a c t o n
the researcher a n d the researched" (p . 22). L ikewise , the m e n t o r i n g d y n a m i c fos
tered b e c o m e s , l ike the art ist ic si tes a l l uded to earlier, a crit ical a n d creat ive place
where the ac t o f m e n t o r i n g shapes the research p rocess a n d t r ans fo rms the m e n t e e ,
as well as the mentor .
C o n c l u s i o n
These narrative recollections a n d insights a b o u t the m e n t o r - m e n t e e relat ionship can
be seen within the spirit o f an o p e n d i a logue a n d the power o f c o a u t h o r i n g to art ic
ulate ou r experiences in wri t ing, which Ely et al. (1997) call "dialogic o f invention."
These d ia logues further o p e n e d u p the conversa t ions a m o n g s t us , dep loy ing the
power o f possibi l i ty as we now take o n the role o f men to r s . Wi th in this context , the
abili ty o f men to r s to cult ivate a d y n a m i c o f reflexivity with their s tudents b e c o m e s a
d i s t inguish ing feature o f qual i ty m e n t o r i n g a n d advis ing . In the case o f men to r ing ,
d ia logic fo rums between men to r a n d s tudent , m u c h like artistic sites, b e c o m e invis
ible spaces where unders tand ings are bo th t ransformed a n d ac ted u p o n in the fo rm
o f shap ing doctora l works . T h e signif icance o f the m e n t o r - m e n t e e co l labora t ion be
c o m e s discernible in the conceptua l s tages o f the dissertat ion process where s t imu la
t ion, cr i t ic ism, a n d e n h a n c e m e n t o f ideas bear a resemblance to a fabric woven f rom
the warp and weft o f each one's pa r t i c ipa t i on—a fabric o f col laborat ive d ia logues .
N o t e s
1. Mentor-mentee.
2. W h i l e Odysseus goes off to fight the Trojan wars, he entrusts the care of his son to his friend Mentor who advises him and takes care of him.These origins point to a mentor as a sort of a foster parent, though this doesn't take us very far in contemporary analysis in understanding the term mentor (Monaghan, 1992).
R e f e r e n c e s
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Ely, M.,Vinz, R , Downing, M., & Anzul, M. (1997). On writing qualitative research: Living by words. N e w York Routledge Falmer
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TITLE: Establishing Collaborative Dialogue: The Mentor and theApprentice
SOURCE: Visual Arts Research 35 no2 Wint 2009PAGE(S): 40-50
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