"Self- Portrait" – A Study of the 'Self':

The 'artistic activity' in the field of research enabled me to produce 'visual images' which, for the
'hermeneutic investigation', were defined in this research as 'visual texts'. I did not research with
creative processes, but created for the purpose of research. Qualitative research values highly the use
of visual images in its research, images that aim to provide a deep understanding of human behaviour
(Prosser, 1998b). Qualitative researchers consider visual images to be a very important research tool.
Image reveals as least as much about the person who took or chose or produced it .Using images can
this facilitate or encourage a certain transparency, introducing the potential for reflexivity into research
design. By its very nature, artistic expression taps into and reveals aspects of the self and puts us in
closer touch to how we really feel and look and act. Paradoxically, such self-revelation also forces us to
take a step back and look at ourselves from a new perspective provided by the medium itself, increasing
the potential that we will better understand our own subjectivity, leading to humbler and more nuanced
knowledge claims (Weber, 2008).
From the above we can understand the importance and significance of the production of portrait
paintings in this research. Weber (ibid) even stresses that the researcher can ask the researched to
produce visual images or, alternately, create these himself.
There are researchers who are sceptical and fear that the connection between art and research will
harm the natural flow of creativity (Stewart, 2003). I, too considered this issue (see chapter 5 –
Methodology). I join those who claim that this combination does not inhibit creativity. On the contrary, it
increases the range of possibilities of creative research and researched creativity (ibid.). In my opinion
this is a synergetic combination in which the whole is larger than the sum of its components.
As an active and creative artist I agree with those who claim that art is autonomic, active inside itself,
from itself and for itself (Lorand, 1991). But in the present research I do not act as an absolute artist,
rather as an investigating artist. I lend myself, my skills and abilities to research. In this research I make
use of the advantage and personal experience that I have and use them as a tool for demonstrating and
studying the investigation of the 'self', as a bridge to the understanding of the private 'self' and the
understanding of mental process in general. This is the reason that in this case I am prepared to
expropriate art from its exclusivity and donate it to the benefit of the continuing investigation.
Hohenstein
( 2009)
calls this process "experinentum" and describes it as a form of work and research in
which praxis and practice are not for the purpose of a reproduction machine but as place where art can
be created under other conditions. This means, creating as research and for research purposes. In his
opinion this is a way to create new and different knowledge which he defines as 'art knowledge' (ibid.). I
will add to this that this kind of knowledge and the way I present it in this research also creates 'self –
knowledge'. Hence I want to combine the definition of Allen
12
( 1995)
'art is a way of knowing' and the