Towards an open methodology: Culture animation as research. The case of the activities of “Pracownia” from Olsztyn

Abstract

In the article, I describe the outline of an open methodology of culture animation as a creative study of oneself and the world. Based on the practices of the Interdisciplinary Creative Research Center “Pracownia”, I propose a typology consisting of six moves on the map. The first is the degrading downward movement, which I also call “dirt”. It has two meanings. It is openness to action in areas that are in the cycle of change at their lowest, most vulnerable or critical moment. Secondly, it is the readiness to “getting the sense dirty”, i.e. subversive, critical and political action. The next one is an upward movement: uplifting, purifying, building koinopolitical communities of local thought. Its other aspect is the movement of the probe — a journey into yourself. The last of the types of movement is moving along and across. The longitudinal research movement follows, discovers, and embodies geography. Movement across draws new multiple lines that give depth to the experience, treads new paths, produces muscular awareness and readiness to cross, modify and dismantle the map.