Definition of a Field Study

A field study is a method of collecting data that takes place in the field rather than the classroom, laboratory, zoo or in the case of this body of work, the studio. The role may range from a passive observer to a full, active participant and this will depend on the objective of the research. The passive observer will not interfere or change the setting but may not have such a high degree of insight as the active participant. The active participant could alter the setting, though, resulting in an adjusted observation and study.

A study of a field becomes a Field Study

The work began in January 2022, and initially the role was concerned solely with notions of the passive observer. Using a camera to record a field from a specific perspective, positioned from the edge and therefore not altering the setting, the study of a field became a field study. The intention was to document the field daily with an image, the date, time, and the weather. In a clinical manner and as a passive observer, the objective was to notice how the work unfolded, to let the documentation form the work by its nature of accumulation.

Examples

5 January 2022 07:30:06 2ºC A clear sky and a gentle breeze

23 June 2022 08:27:01 17ºC Light cloud and light winds

Blank pages

As the work progressed it became apparent that there were days where no documentation was taken. For a variety of reasons blank pages infiltrated the order of accumulated data and was perceived that to be essential that these pages be included in the gathering observation.