The Wisdom of Images: Image-Led and Material Thought in Practice and Theory

In this talk, aimed at artists and art students, I presented perspectives that I described myself as wishing I'd been aware when I was an art student myself! I began with the idea of ‘material thought’ - a liberating understanding of thought that first took shape for me during the 1990's, partly in the context of studying Merleau-Pontean phenomenology with its focus on embodied thought, and very much in the context of encountering specific works of art such as those included in Cornelia Parker's exhibition The Maybe. Alongside this, I foregrounded the importance that image-led processes have had for me, in the investigation, development and presentation of arguments. Finally, I introduced a phenomenological methodology I developed between 2018-2020 named ‘Interviewing’ Images’ and invited the audience to finally take part in a practical ‘Extreme List-making’ Exercise (the first step in the above methodology) followed by feedback and discussion.