Process

“But not knowing, waiting and finding - though they may happen accidentally - aren’t accidents. They involve work and research. Not knowing isn’t ignorance (fear springs from ignorance). Not knowing is a permissive and rigorous willingness to trust, leaving knowing in suspension, trusting in possibility without result, regarding as possible all manner of response” (Hamilton, 68-69).

The quote above is written by Ann Hamilton, from her essay Making Not Knowing, where she describes the need for space to be left for meaning-making processes and reflexivity. I came across Hamilton’s work and writing in 2019, and it has inspired me to think about process more expansively ever since.

Sketch-booking and brainstorming play a significant role in my process; it is a way I am able to work through a concept actively and visualize how the work can be made. Although I rely on rigorous brainstorming and pre-planning, I find that it is important for me to leave room for vulnerable spaces of ‘not knowing’. I find that intentional uncertainty allows for unexpected ideas, connections, answers, and breakthroughs.

Brainstorming techniques I like to use include visual mind-mapping, word clouds, stream of consciousness writing, and ‘reverse brainstorming’ (a problem solving technique).