Abstract

Though generally much maligned in recent years, the idea of learning about art through copying pre-existing works was the principal method of art education for centuries. The debate concerning its use in an educational context continues, however, especially as the artist/teacher phenomenon has brought practicing artists into the field. Though copying may be dismissed by many art education theorists, artists themselves attest to its usefulness in their own creative process.
How, then, does one learn from copying? What can, in practical terms, be learnt from it and what does it in fact entail?
In this thesis, I use a hybrid research methodology based on self-reflective studio practice, art history and qualitative analysis to explore the working method of Swiss artist Alberto Giacometti (1901-1966). At its core, this project demonstrates that it is the process of art, not its product, that holds the greatest potential for knowledge.
Furthermore, I make the argument that this multi-faceted approach to studio-based research can function as a template for a holistic method of teaching art within the classroom, allowing for both analytic and creative thought, and thus introducing students to a practical and transformative experience that mirrors the act of artistic creation itself.