A Robb Grije

FACULTY OF ART, DESIGN AND COMMUNICATION

Appendix to the Guide for Completion of the Application for Higher Degree by Research Candidature Form. Applicants should note that these are merely examples provided to assist in the preparation of the application. They are not prescriptive.

There are examples of MA by project and MA by thesis applications, as well as an example of a PhD by project application.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Example Number 1

DEGREE : PhD in the field of Fine Art by project or Master of Arts in the field of Fine Art by project

SUMMARY OF PROJECT :By referencing the images and texts of selected 19th century artists and writers, my project will investigate the ways in which representations of atmospheric phenomena have permeated the English cultural psyche and become a significant element in the definition of Englishness. The project will culminate in a body of print-media based work which will reconsider the position of printmaking in contemporary art practice. The inherent properties of printmaking, such as sameness and difference; repetition and reproduction will be investigated, properties which underpin our readings of atmospheric phenomena. The exegesis will contextualise the visual research by examining the cultural conditions of 19th Century England and their impact on the work of artists and writers of the time.

3. THE RESEARCH PROGRAM:

3.1 Title: Exposed to the Elements: Representations of atmospheric phenomena and the construction of a cultural psyche

3.2 Brief Description:

Aims and Objectives:The objective of my research project is to develop a body of work for exhibition based on an examination of the ways that atmospheric phenomena, as represented in the art and literature of 19th century England, have permeated the psyche and become an element in the definition of Englishness. By referencing selected texts and images by 19th century writers and artists, I aim to explore and elucidate connections between representations of atmospheric phenomena and the psyche. This will result in an exhibition of print-media based work engaging with and referencing these ideas.

Background:The weather has long been a topic of speculation. From the beginning of recorded history to the present, atmospheric phenomena continue to have an impact on our lives. Until the Renaissance it was a major theme for the discourse of Western Philosophy and literature and, although the topic declined during the Enlightenment, it was taken up again in a vigorous way by the Romantics when images of the weather pervaded painting and literature.

Associations between the weather and cultural distinctions began with Aristotle, who formulated one of the first example of this link in his Meteorologica, where he compared and contrasted the inhabitants of Europe, Asia, and Hellas. Samuel Johnson also made similar associations in 18th

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century England, when he referred to the weather as a subject that everyone talked about: “It is commonly observed that when two Englishmen meet, their first talk is of the weather; they are in haste to tell each other, what they already must know, that it is hot or cold, cloudy or bright, windy or calm.”

Among the burgeoning scientific discoveries in 19th century Britain were those relating to natural phenomena, such as meteorology. This scientific progress fired the imagination of the age and had a significant impact on the work of many European artists and writers, in particular, the quintessential English artists, John Constable and JMW Turner, and poets such as William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

In 1803, Luke Howard published his Essay on the Modifications of Clouds, followed in 1815 by Thomas Forster’s Researches about Atmospheric Phenomena. Both these publications had a profound effect on artists and writers of the period. Constable studied both publications in detail and responded to them with a series of cloud studies painted on the spot. On the back of each he made notations about the weather and the time of day._ A typical entry reads: “Sepr.12.1821. Noon. Wind fresh at West . . . sun very Hot. Looking southward exceedingly vivid and Glowing, very heavy showers in the Afternoon but a fine evening. High wind in the night.”

In Turner’s work no two days or dawns are alike and he too emphasised passing periods of time by giving the shifting light of twilight or sunrise an unrepeatability by effects of light.

For both these artists, the passage of time is concurrent with changing weather conditions. A linking of the momentary with subsequent developments shows a “modern” view of the weather as a sequential process.

In 1832 Ernst Lehrs wrote an essay, The Language of the Clouds, in response to Luke Howard’s 1803 essay. This was published, along with the reprint of Howard’s Essay on the Modifications of the Clouds, and it began:

Perhaps among no other people in the world is cloud-observation so widespread and so keenly pursued as among the inhabitants of the British Isles. [………….] This keenness in cloud study is, of course, stimulated by the peculiar strength and beauty of the cloud formations in this part of the world; but it is also the symptom of a definite spiritual impulse which, from ancient Celtic times, has worked through the cultural evolution of this country.


The portrayal of psychological conditions, a looking inward, inevitably borrows from the vocabulary of the outer, and the vagaries of the weather have been utilised to evoke states of mind, not only in the work of 19th century artists and writers but persistently in the present. In the paintings of 19th century artists, Casper David Friedrich, Samuel Palmer, Heinrich Fuselli etc, twilights and dusks reflect the contents of the subconsciousness. The work of contemporary “New Romantic” artists such as April Gornik, Mark Innerst and Joan Nelson is grounded in the external, visible world, yet implies the intimate and the mysterious and in Hamish Fulton’s photographs, skies and clouds become mediums to convey the feelings aroused by the text below the images.

The main emphases of this research are the elemental forces of the weather; the transitory effects of light and atmosphere and their influence on the psyche.

Studio and Technical Research:I will employ a diversity of media to investigate the potential for printmaking to enhance representations of atmospheric phenomena. This will include traditional printmaking techniques, such as relief printing and mezzotint, alongside more contemporary means of reproduction and replication such as digital imaging and photography, etc. I will encompass a range of formal vocabularies from minimalism and photography to text-based conceptualism in the production of the work.

The project will consider the position of printmaking and print-based media and its role in contemporary art practice. I will investigate and develop the possibilities of printmaking in addressing notions of sameness and difference, repetition and reproduction, etc., concepts which underpin our readings of atmospheric phenomena.

As well as referring to actual images made during the early 19th century in England, the visual research will be based on selected texts of artists and writers, in particular, incidental notations referring to specific locations and atmospheric conditions at the time of the notation.

Research Questions:What significant changes occurred in the culture of early 19th century England that inspired artists and writers to place such particular significance on the representation of atmospheric phenomena?

In what ways have representations of atmospheric phenomena and daily experiences of the weather entered the English cultural psyche?

In what ways can print media be utilised to interpret 19th century images and texts and give them a significance in contemporary art practice?

3.3 Rationale for program:

The research will build on a long tradition of curiosity about atmospheric phenomena and their impact on our daily lives. This study will contribute further to our understanding of 19th century culture, art and science, casting additional light on this topic.

As the end of this millennium approaches there is an ever-increasing emphasis on the definition and construction of personal and cultural identities. We are inevitably a part of the atmosphere or air; it surrounds us and we breathe it in. One’s air, or temperament, is the point at which the self meets the world, and it can apply to the self or the way one exists in the world. Our unconscious responses to the atmosphere are taken for granted, including simply breathing in and breathing out and the body’s ability to maintain thermal balance.

Attempts to control the weather persist without the possibilities to succeed and our helplessness in this is seen periodically on television and in newspapers. Climate control is on the international /tt/file_convert/577cc9cc1a28aba711a4a760/document.doc Date: 02/05/23 Originator: Anna Solomun Page: 3 of 26

agenda and responsibility for dealing with it is viewed as a cultural issue. This project will examine the role of the cultural psyche in response to a quotidian experience over which we have no control.

The research will expand awareness of new interpretations of cultural identity through an investigation of the impact of the varying manifestations of atmospheric phenomena on the individual psyche.

3.4 Methods:

The literature research will be twofold:An examination of the work of 19th century English artists and writers, such as Constable, Turner and Wordsworth, with particular emphasis on their work which references atmospheric phenomenaExamining contemporary references to atmospheric phenomena such as daily weather forecasts, weather by fax and on the Internet.

The visual research will be undertaken in my studio in the City of Melbourne and at RMIT in the Printmaking Studio and Digital Imaging Research lab. The work will utilise material collected from books in libraries in Melbourne and England and material downloaded from the Internet, from newspapers and faxes. Research for the exegesis will take place in libraries and major art collections in Melbourne and London.

The visual research will result in an exhibition of print-based media. The exegesis will examine the cultural conditions of early 19th century England and their resultant impact on the work of artists and writers and their implications in the present. It will also contextualise the visual research by linking the studio investigation to the written work.

Stage 1 (18 months) April 1998 – October 1999Preliminary library-based research to locate texts and identify the work of artists and writers to be investigated.Initial experiments with the possibilities of print-media including traditional approaches and more contemporary means of productionJune 1998, exhibition of first stage of experiments, Galerie Düsseldorf in Perth.July 1999, smaller exploratory exhibition in artist-run-space, Temple StudioDevelop bibliography

Stage 2 (18 months) November 1999 - May 2000Continue research into appropriate images and texts in libraries and museums in Melbourne. The NGV has one of John Constables cloud studies from 1822.Continuation of research into techniques and materials with a particular emphasis on the incorporation of contemporary means of transmitting information relating to atmospheric phenomena.Examination of the ideas and issues raised in the research leading to the production of experimental works.Digital Imaging project connecting Melbourne to London.Further exploratory exhibitions in experimental spaces.

Stage 3 (12 months) June 2000 - July 2001Year-long, daily documentation of the weather using photography and textPossible trip to London to access primary research material in major collections such as the British Library, the Tate Gallery, the Victoria and Albert Museum. Make contact with and view Sainsbury Gallery in Norwich for possible exhibition of final work.Participation in selected group exhibition which will open in London Institute Gallery, London.Preliminary outline of exegesis and the form it will take./tt/file_convert/577cc9cc1a28aba711a4a760/document.doc Date: 02/05/23 Originator: Anna Solomun Page: 4 of 26

Continuation of further technical research.

Stage 4 (12 months) August 2001 - September 2002Analysis of primary research material collected on trip and its incorporation into the visual projectEvaluation of work to dateWork on the final format of the exegesis. First draftFurther exploratory exhibitions in experimental spaces.

Stage 5 (6 months) October 2002 - April 2003Consolidation of work to date along with documentationDevelopment and consolidation of format for the final presentation of the workCommence work for final exhibitionFinal draft of exegesis

Stage 6 (6 months) May 2003 - October 2003Finalise exhibition details such as presentation and installation of the finished projectComplete documentation of visual research inform of durable visual recordComplete exegesis and forward to supervisorsFinal presentation of selected work for examination

BibliographyNot reproduced here.

Example Number 2

PhD in the field of Fine Art by project Master of Arts in the field of Fine Art by project

3.1 Title The image of ‘the boat’ in contemporary Australian painting.

3.2 Brief Description:The objective of this research is to examine the place of boat iconography in current Australian painting, as evidenced in the work of selected artists, and to embody studio investigation of this area in the form of an exhibition of works which experiment with and extend the application of symbolic boat images. The working hypothesis is that nautical motifs, of so much significance in the art of previous Australian epochs, are again both relevant and functionally useful in the context of Australian art.

Specific Research Questions:In what ways do boat images function successfully as meaningful symbols in contemporary Australian painting and how is this related to their historical use?

Do contemporary artists differentiate between the ‘public’ and ‘personal’ usages of nautical images in their paintings?

Are there viable ways to extend the employment of boat iconography in paintings?

Formal investigation will commence with a focussed survey of Australian painting, principally using published material and museum collections, both to define terms and to frame the preamble of the proposed thesis document. Such a survey will inevitably lead to consideration of the contemporary examples to be used. Once the artists have been selected, a process of personal interviews and close analysis of paintings will follow. It is initially proposed that approximately six representative case studies be examined. The identified artists would be chosen from those who have recently used boat images in their paintings in


either stereotypical or innovative ways. One example of a potential subject is the Victorian artist Ian Parry, who in the 1970’s gave up teaching to supplement his artistic income with professional fishing and who subsequently produced a series of powerful ocean/boat paintings.

Studio inquiry will commence with an extended consideration of the studio problems and possibilities of investigation in this area, the collection of source material, and with drawing. Of primary initial importance will be the identification of those elements that will enable the completed series of works, wide-ranging in theme and emerging over a lengthy time-frame, to clearly comprise an orderly and interconnected series. It will also be necessary to consciously identify the range of personal experiences and influences that I would inevitably bring to bear on this work and to propose the range and general specifications of pieces.

A process of trial fabrications would then begin, leading to the construction of approximately 16 mixed media paintings. Such a set would then edit down to 10 - 12 for exhibition.

3.3 Rationale for Program:The boat has long been a potent symbol in Australian painting. Meaningful representations of vessels have appeared since the first days of European presence but, also figure significantly in indigenous arts.

It should not surprise us that images of boats have continued to play an important role over a long period of time because it is apparent that such a symbol is capable of carrying wide-ranging messages concerning immigration, settlement, trade, war, exploration and popular myth. Most Australians have lived on the seaboard and relate immediately and intimately to boat images. Such references as Bernard Smith’s three works European Vision and the South Pacific (Harper & Row, 1989), Australian Painting 1788-1990 (Oxford University Press, 1991) and Imagining the Pacific in the Wake of the Cook Voyages (Melbourne University Press, 1992) serve as an introduction to this area.

During the decades following the 1960’s the role of such symbols was diminished somewhat. Much abstract art was produced and the national consciousness became much more multi-faceted. With the decline of passenger travel by sea and the increasing popular fascination with new technology, boats appeared for the most part in formalist paintings by artists such as Whiteley, Rees and Firth-Smith. Boats seemed reduced to the realms of beauty and sport. While an argument may be mounted that there are parallels between the idylls of Australian impressionist paintings and certain Australian paintings of the 1970’s, it is hard to argue for any major, long-standing significance of the latter and boats played, in any case, a minor role.

However, during the 1980’s and 90’s the boat symbol has had a substantial renaissance. Images of boats are well-fitted to reflect the personal, narrative, philosophical themes that have been typical of Australian art in this period. The boat appears again as a seemingly ageless and substantial image which can be used for a multiplicity of contemporary purposes. For example, a survey of works chosen for inclusion in the Moet & Chandon touring exhibitions since the mid 1980’s reveals a number of successful and highly individualistic works which employ boat symbols. One useful reference in this area is Memory Holloway’s catalogue for Shipwrecked, an exhibition at the 200 Gertrude Street Gallery in 1986.


Literary and academic texts which bear on aspects of this subject are numerous. Relevant examples would include the works of Louis Becke, such as South Seas Supercargo (Jacaranda Press, 1967), Hector Holthouse’s Ships in the Coral: Explorers, Wrecks and Traders of the Northern Australian Coast (Angus & Robertson 1986), and Robert Langdon’s The Lost Caravel (Pacific Publications, 1975).

Given the longstanding relevance of ‘the boat’ to painting to Australia and its current topicality it seems worthwhile to examine aspects of its current usage. Art practice is informed both by the ongoing physical output of artists and the critical debate which surrounds this. Discussion of contemporary boat icons would prove valuable to both artists and theorists.

3.4 Methods:

RESEARCH SCHEDULEInitial Year - July 1995 - June 1996- Preliminary museum and library-based inquiry (including literature search), leading to provisional identification of artists and works for close analysis. Initial documentation of these.- Consideration of studio parameters for works, materials, dimensions, installation possibilities.- Initial drawings.

Second Year - July 1996 - June 1997- Refinement of personal perspective relating to boat imagery.- Analysis and documentation of selected works.- Further museum and archival investigations.- Initial interviews with selected artists.- Production of working drawings and studies.

Third Year - July 1997 - June 1998- Further analysis and documentation of selected works.- Further interviews with selected artists.- Production of maquettes and trial fabrication, further drawing.

Fourth Year - July 1998 - June 1999- Commencement of major studio construction phase.- Preliminary draft of sections of thesis document other than those relating to my own work.

Fifth Year - July 1999 - June 2000- Final analyses of selected works.- Final interviews, if necessary.- Final documentation of selected works.- Continuation of major studio construction phase.

Sixth Year - July 2000 - June 2001- Completion and selection of works for exhibition. Documentation, crating and dispatch of these to Melbourne.- Draft of entire thesis document by May, allowing for revision by end of year.- Final calculation of installation details for exhibition.

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Collections utilised would include the major museums and archives on the East Coast, to which I have good access. Data searches and inter-library loan requests would be processed via the library of my employing institution, Southern Cross University. SCU has a library ‘cuckoo’ based at the University of Queensland for express data delivery.

Throughout the period of research there will be cross-fertilisation between formal academic inquiry and studio investigation. Formal research will inform and steer studio experimentation. Studio inquiry will highlight concerns to be addressed in discussion with artists and identify topics for further consideration.

My intention is to visit Melbourne regularly during the period of my research but to undertake most of the artistic work at home in Northern NSW where I have excellent studio facilities. I will be able to utilise over four months long service as required and could take leave from my institution for an additional semester were it to prove necessary. As I exhibit in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth and Brisbane and also travel fairly frequently for my employing university I will be able to take advantage of opportunities to undertake research tasks nationally.

I propose a document of the required 20-40,000 words which firstly introduces the theme of boat imagery in Australian painting and places this in cultural context, and then goes on to discuss at some length a series of works by the selected contemporary artists. It will also contain reports of my own studio experimentation and discuss the works presented for examination. I will not attempt to produce a full account of historical and contemporary boat iconography because this would be a very substantial task requiring a lengthy written thesis. My focus will clearly be on contemporary possibilities and pertinent contemporary studio experimentation. I therefore see the culminating exhibition as the principal demonstration of results and the documentation as an important, supporting, record of observations, proceedings and results.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Example Number 3Master of Arts in the field of Fine Art by project

Title of Program: Imaging Nature in the Context of Contemporary Australian Culture

Brief Description:Art and nature have been linked since pre-history. As consciousness has changed so has the way we see and depict our environment. This depiction, in turn, helps us to define how we see ourselves.

Examples of this can be found throughout the history of art, for example in the High Renaissance. After the invention of perspective, nature began to be portrayed and to be thought of, as something rational and ordered, whereas in the 18th Century it was portrayed as an arena of fantasy and romance. In the early 20th Century the beginnings of abstraction marked a major shift in our self perception and view of the world. Traditionally we have defined what we believe to be reality from our environment and artists have shaped and reshaped this belief for generations.

Now in the 20th Century the relationship of people to nature is of necessity being re-evaluated. The re-evaluation is happening in Australia, as well as internationally.

Many contemporary artists are involved in re-assessing ideas of depicting nature and environment. I believe this area is of particular relevance to an artist in Australia where our identity has been for so long tied to an image of our natural environment.

Briefly, my aims are as follows:/tt/file_convert/577cc9cc1a28aba711a4a760/document.doc Date: 02/05/23 Originator: Anna Solomun Page: 8 of 26

To investigate the exploration of environment and nature in contemporary international and Australian art, as well as an analysis of how my own work relates to these ideas.

Based on my research, I will create a series of paintings and drawings. These works will be an ongoing record of my investigations, and I will exhibit several times throughout the course. I aim to produce a resolved body of works on canvas as well as numerous support drawings.

Rationale:I believe that my research is in an area of great relevance to an artist in Australia where the image of our natural environment has had a particularly profound impact on our identity.

It is an area of particular relevance to women, and especially to me as a woman artist, because women's identity has for so long been linked to our images of nature. As these images change the identity of women, it enables me to participate in the reconstruction of my own identity.

I will aim to produce a major and significant body of work which I will exhibit in public galleries with a wide audience including experts, students and the general public. Hopefully this will generate both debate and analysis.

Methods:The paintings I will do will be grouped into various series and will include the following:

"Nature Reserves"A series of small works on canvas approximately 25 x 25 cm, to be shown on one wall as an installation. These will be individual works, yet part of a related series.

Each work will be in mixed media incorporating oil-paint, natural elements (such as different types of earth and sand) and collaged photographic or photocopied images.

Each individual panel will have a metal frame (probably aluminium) which will be a significant part of the painting conceptually. Each interior area will have a wire mesh embedded into the surface to indicate a sieve-like construction.

"Experiments"A series of works which will establish the idea of an experiment being carried out. I will produce a group of paintings which relate to my research and actually illustrate the idea of "research". I would like to use materials that react chemically to produce different surfaces and textures, as well as mixing together paints which react chemically. To this aim I intend to do many rough works in this area.

"Re-appraisals"To create a series of paintings and drawings which refer to our previous images of nature through the use of appropriated imagery from earlier painting. To do this I will use both colour and black and white photocopies and collage of other surfaces that I make.

"Collections"A series of works to do with those things which we "isolate" from the natural world in order to make art. I envisage using collage of actual objects as well as painted objects, to create "collections".-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Example Number 4Master of Arts in the field of Animation/Interactive Multimedia by Project:

SUMMARY OF PROJECT :The aim of the project is to investigate how gender specific influences can inform content design for networked interactive multimedia products with the objective of developing a new content and interactive network model that is more inclusive and enabling for women.

3. THE RESEARCH PROGRAM:

3.1 Title : Gender specific issues in networked interactive multimedia design.

3.2 Brief Description:Aim:The aim of this project is to investigate how gender specific influences can inform content design for networked interactive multimedia products.

Research questions:The research will determine what factors affect women’s use of computers in relation to networked interactive multimedia and the extent to which women and men differ in their use of computer-based information and communications technology. It will identify what content and environments for networked interactive multimedia are specifically relevant to women's desires, needs and values.

Background research:A literature review of related research (information technology, cognitive psychology, ergonomics, theatre studies, communications theory) will be analysed to inform new networked interactive multimedia content and design.

Production:This analysis will then focus the design and development of new networked interactive multimedia content and environments specifically for women. This will involve the production of a major interactive multimedia program.

The success of this program (in addressing women’s desires, needs and expectations) will be evaluated using infrastructure facilities available through such networks as VicNet and involving appropriate subject groups such as a woman's group, single sex high schools of both genders and a mixed sex high school.

Objective:The objective of this research project is to develop a new content and interactive network model that is more inclusive and enabling for women.

Location and resources:The project is located in Melbourne and will utilise the research and multimedia production facilities of the Department of Visual Communication.


3.3 Rationale for program: Describe below why it is important to undertake this program, in terms of the field of study involved and anticipated benefits to the community. What is the potential of the program to produce knowledge for some useful application?

At a recent high level OECD conference on "Women in the City: Housing, Services and the Urban Environment" it was stated that:

"New information and communication technologies certainly hold out promising prospects. They can be put to good use in promoting women and their role in cities, particularly through the provision of special services delivered direct to the home....we should be aware of the perverse effects; because a certain amount of skill and training is needed to operate these technologies, they may - if no conscious, deliberate policy is put in place - merely broaden the existing divisions and heighten discrimination against women."

Studies have shown that people with restricted access to resources are usually those who are most disadvantaged, the majority of those with restricted access to resources tend to be females of all ages. Initiatives currently proposed in Australia1 and many other countries in the world intend to provide infrastructures and content for the "information superhighway" which could have the potential to further marginalise women as a disadvantaged, urban sub-group.

My research intends to contribute to a networked, interactive multimedia environment which will ensure that women do not become disadvantaged in an important era of technological and social change.

3.4 Methods: Describe below the envisaged process for undertaking the program, including bibliographic, laboratory, fieldwork and any other major components and how these relate to the critical question(s). Where appropriate, major references should be cited, to situate the research proposal within the current body of knowledge. Include details of the proposed program sequence and time schedule.

(If the research program involves organisation(s) other than RMIT, a letter from the other organisation(s) should be attached, stating support with respect to staff time and reasonable access to facilities.)

This research project will be undertaken in the following seven stages: Stage 1. 6 monthsLiterature review and bibliographic research on:

(a) Gender differences in utilisation of computer based technology.(b) Computer interface design.(c) Interactive multimedia content design.(d) Gender differences in communication and networking strategies.

Stage 2. 3 monthsAnalysis of the factors which affect women’s use of computers and their involvement with

interactive multimedia systems.

Stage 3. 9 monthsDevelopment of a new networked interactive multimedia design strategy incorporating hypotheses derived from stages 1 and 2.

1


Stage 4. 18 monthsProduction of major networked interactive multimedia program. Establish test sites Concept design Select software & platform Creation of storyboard or concept prototype Test and evaluate prototype concept with selection of trial audience Consolidate prototype results into design Record relevant video/audio Establish network links Author/program and edit content Test program functionality Modify if necessary

Stage 5. 6 monthsDeveloping criteria for evaluation.Trials and evaluation of new interactive multimedia program on networked sites.

Stage 6. 3 monthsFinal production of the revised networked interactive multimedia program.

Stage 7. 3 monthsPreparation for assessment, which will include full written documentation detailing the history of the project.

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Example Number 5Master of Arts in the field of Fine Art by Thesis:

Title of Program: Criticism in the visual arts: judgement and the idea of quality.

Brief Description:To distinguish art criticism from art history on the one hand and art theory on the other, and to seek to establish the perimeters of each.

To determine the extent to which critical issues, discriminations and judgements are ultimately moral and/or political.

To analyse the criteria which underlie notions of individual achievement, and to examine the extent to which they are, of necessity, subjective and temporal.

To consider the context (social, economic, political, cultural) within which appropriate analysis can take place.

To address the problem contained in the fact that the (verbal) 'Language' in which we examine and discuss the visual arts is fundamentally different from the (visual) 'Language' through which they actually communicate. Thus, to consider the questions of a vocabulary for visual and critical analysis, critical language and terminology (practical considerations, technical terms, professional and popular vocabulary, description versus analysis, bias, hidden agendas, preconceptions, assumptions and loaded terms).


To examine the manner whereby qualities inherent in a particular medium and/or style constitute a fundamental part of the content of the communication process.

(The research will be based on the close examination of a range of printed sources in the field of art and literature, reproductions and my long experience of the scrutiny of original material; accordingly, I can undertake the program locally).

Rationale:As an undergraduate in the fields of Art History and English literature, I was repeatedly struck by the disparities in the way the two disciplines dealt with their material. Compared with literary criticism, it seems to me art criticism is a relatively undeveloped discipline. To some extent this has to be predicated on the fact of the 'Language' problem outlined under 6.2. Traditional art historical scholarship fulfils a valuable and necessary function, in so far as it illuminates questions of context, influence, historical development and the interpretation of specific subject matter. However, I believe it frequently fails to address the more intractable problem of the way in which, and the means by which, a work 'speaks' to its audience enduringly: the ultimate measure, I maintain, of creative achievement, if a work is not to have a merely historical interest. It is towards the resolution of some of these issues that I wish to work.

(A fruitful outcome would be for my conclusions to stimulate debate on the way we talk about art, and, therefore, to lead to a more informed discussion concerning the role of art in community life, thus improving the accessibility of art to the public).

Methods:

(1) 1992:Preliminary reading and analysis of seminal texts in the areas of literary criticism, art criticism and theory.

(2) First half of 1993:Establish criteria for analysis, as outlined under the description.

(3) Second half of 1993 and first half of 1994:Develop these criteria with reference to particular case studies representative of the historical development of art in the period dominated in the West by the idea of the individual vision of the artist. (At this stage I envisage restricting myself to two-dimensional works, so as to keep the undertaking within manageable proportions).

(4) Second half of 1994:Draw conclusions and establish critical position on the criteria outlined in the program.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Example Number 6Master of Arts in the field of Fashion by Thesis:

Title: An Investigation into the Viability of the Independent Fashion Market in Melbourne

Brief Description:The program will research and analyse the innovative target market area known as 'Independent Fashion', in consultation with labels and retailers affiliated with the ' Fashion Design Council of Australia' and assess potential for growth or development within this market.


Objectives: To understand and define the market segment applicable to Independent Fashion and to assess its requirements;

To develop, test and evaluate effective market research techniques appropriate to the Independent Fashion market;

To research, analyse and evaluate the style trends of the Independent Fashion market;

To evaluate the flexibility of Independent Fashion labels (at a wholesale level) to market demands (at a retail level);

To evaluate the commercial viability of retailing Independent Fashion and the most effective systems required to attain profitability;

To provide a detailed comparative study of the Independent Fashion markets in Melbourne and Sydney;

To research and provide reference comparisons of the Independent Fashion markets that exist in:(i) Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane(ii) London, New York

To provide information for course development relative to research techniques and opportunities for this sector of the fashion industry.

Problems to be investigated:Defining the viability of Independent Fashion in terms of:

. fulfilling a social need;

. fulfilling a fashion need;

. financial profitability

The relationship of Independent Fashion to:. economic trends;. social trends;. political trends

The life cycle of Independent Fashion. If a label or retail outlet becomes successful/popular does it become absorbed into the mainstream category of Fashion?

Rationale:By virtue of its dynamic nature, the Independent Fashion sector of the Industry requires specialised studies to understand its potential for wholesalers and retailers. This program intends to determine the positive and negative aspects of this market in the present climate and also to initiate and evaluate effective market research techniques that can help realise its potential in the future.

To date no systematic or detailed research or analysis has been done on the needs of the Independent Fashion market. Extensive information is available* on the volume and mainstream segments of the fashion industry but with little reference or relevance to the more innovative fashion areas.

Whom will the program benefit:The Fashion industry:


The report will define the sector of Independent Fashion and will provide reference to other sectors for Fashion innovation;

Retailers/Wholesalers:The research and its findings will assist those working in the area of Independent Fashion to

position themselves in the market in the most effective way to achieve profitable results;

Fashion Consumer:By analysing the needs of the independent fashion customer the industry, hopefully will

respond to these requirements in a positive way that will satisfy consumer needs in improved product and service;

RMIT:The research will assist the RMIT Fashion course in relation to the education required to

train students in the understanding of Independent Fashion and testing of appropriate methods of market research.

Fashion Journals:The database developed regarding consumer needs and style trends will assist fashion

publications in reflecting an image appropriate to this market sector.

The Researcher:On a more personal level, the research will provide the candidate with detailed and

extensive information in establishing herself as an expert in the field of Independent Fashion and improve her career potential within the Industry;

* Available through: - Australian Chamber of Manufactures;- Textile, Clothing and Footwear Union;- Ragtrader - Industry Trade publication


Methods:

1. Evaluate existing data:

1.1 Evaluate existing F.D.C. data on previous sales and trend performance.1.2 Utilising F.D.C. database of existing clientele:-

- prepare and issue general questionnaires to all existing customers- establish pilot investigation with random group- study behavioural patterns of random groups

1.3 Utilise available data on mainstream fashion and compare it to Independent Fashion.1.4 Utilise data available through international trade sources to establish

comparative studies.

2. Establish new data:2.1 Interview representatives from Independent Fashion labels.2.2 Interview selected retailers of Independent Fashion.2.3 Interview industry professionals where their area of expertise has relevance to

Independent Fashion.2.4 Survey potential customers:

- questionnaire format (broad group)- series of interviews (random group)

3. Fieldwork:3.1 Work for approximately one day per week with appropriate retail concerns:-

- Option 1 Company name- Option 2 Company name

3.2 Investigate consumer behaviour by observation within different retail areas.

4. Liaison at RMIT:4.1 Work in liaison with existing Honours Student Program to evaluate thecapsule

collection and response within the market4.2 Work in liaison with students in the fashion design with merchandising stream at RMIT

to develop and test new, non- traditional methods of research.

5. Analyse and evaluate all data.

6. Final presentation will be in the form of a thesis supported by all relevant documentation.

Schedule:Stage 1 (1 year duration)

Study of Melbourne Independent Fashion. Prepare interim report for F.D.C.

Stage 2 (1 year duration)Utilising criteria from Stage 1, compare with national and international markets of

Independent Fashion.Outline:

- Study of Market: Menswear/Womenswear Income level and spending power Age groupings - demographic study Lifestyle - psychographic study - Style Trends: Life cycle of a style


Price points Image/Occasion dressing Quality requirements Viability of market testing prior to collection release Past trends and links to present trends Degree of product differentiation - Flexibility to Market: (quick response) Present market coverage by wholesalers Production requirements - manufacturing facilities, fabrics and trims - availability and requirements Budget planning Costing - procedures and workable mark-ups Collection planning - size/structure/timetable Distribution - Retailing: Number of accessible retail outlets to suit market Validity of vertical operations (attached to wholesale) Buying trends - indent / consignment / open to buy Marketing and promotional requirements Determining sales programs / markdown strategies Seasonal calendar compared to mainstream trends Budgeting - terms and conditions Purchasing trends - Multiple / single sales / follow up

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Example Number 7

DEGREE : Doctor of Philosophy (Media Arts) by Research

SUMMARY OF PROJECT :Research into the models and typologies of spatial narratology in film and architecture and its application in multi-media environments. The research will be submitted as a thesis establishing the discourse of spatial narratology and the production of visual models in CD ROM examining their application in multi-media design.

3. THE RESEARCH PROGRAM:3.1 Title : Spatial Narratology in Film and Architecture and its Application in Hypertext and Multi-Media

3.2 Brief Description: Background:

Spatial Narratology is derived from my Masters research in narrative structures in architecture. By aligning different types of spaces and by analysing spatial meaning in film and architecture, spatial montage and spatial narrative becomes apparent.

Aim:The aim of the research is to establish the discourse of Spatial Narratology and to test the existence of sequences of spaces as having narrative and therefore navigational meaning to the user.

Research:


The Doctorate involves both a strong theoretical component and the production of visual and spatial models in a CD ROM format. I will be developing spatial models based on a classical narrative structure, derived from Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Marble Faun”, and a Nouveau Roman structure, developed from Robbe-Grillet’s precepts of “the new novel” which will have design applications in the structure of multi-media programmes, the design development of architecture, and add to the theoretical knowledge of cinema.

In particular the research will address the following questions:

- Are three dimensional literary structures appropriate design models for multi-media ?

- Are classical narrative models or Nouveau Roman models more appropriate as designing models in multi-media ?

- How is time structured in cinema and how are these temporal elements transposed into multi-media ?

- Does time equal space in multi-media ?- How can complex theoretical models be explained through the visual models of

multi-media ?- How does hypertext develop the structure of the narrative ?- How can the navigational design systems in architecture contribute to the

navigational systems of multi-media ?- How are movements and objects represented in architecture and multi-media ?- What are the spatial relationships in architecture and film which can be coherently if

subliminally read by the user ?- How do these relationships construct a spatial narratology ?

Objective:The objective is to produce a thesis on the discourse of Spatial Narratology, a constructed 3D model, and its translation into multi-media typologies as a CD ROM.

Location and Resources:The research is based in the Media Arts course area of the Department of Visual Communication working with their computer systems and within my own studio. The research will include liaison with M.I.T., the Canadian Museum, the Key Centre for Design Computing at the University of Sydney, and the Duke University in Chicago. The research also includes developmental design projects with the Department of Architecture at R.M.I.T.

3.3 Rationale for program:In entering the computer environment the common navigational means is via the flipping of screens; the electronic equivalent of turning the pages of a book. In architectural design the model of the building is often navigated by a simulated “walk through”, or more precisely, a “glide through”. When space appears three dimensional in the computer environment it brings with it the conventions of camera compositions and movements, and also adds the possibilities of infinitely extended focus, morphing, the revealing of fractal geometries, and of simulating space in a non-euclidean environment.

By identifying, analysing and using the spatial narratives in literature, film, installation art, architecture and urban design, we can discover a more profound way to design for and navigate within multi-media.

This research will propose a number of spatial navigational models which can be used to design multi-media programs, to suggest structures for three dimensional narratives, to advance architectural design knowledge in the experiential meaning of space, and to add significant knowledge to the theory and practice of cinema. This research will also assist us to more easily /tt/file_convert/577cc9cc1a28aba711a4a760/document.doc Date: 02/05/23 Originator: Anna Solomun Page: 18 of 26

conceive of new visual understandings of space and time in the development of multi-media content.


3.4 Methods: Describe below the envisaged process for undertaking the program, including bibliographic, laboratory, fieldwork and any other major components and how these relate to the critical question(s). Where appropriate, major references should be cited, to situate the research proposal within the current body of knowledge. Include details of the proposed program sequence and time schedule.(If the research program involves organisation(s) other than RMIT, a letter from the other organisation(s) should be attached, stating support with respect to staff time and reasonable access to facilities.)

The research will be completed over three years.

February to June 1995Bibliographic research including: Overview of theoretical discourse on “Spatial Narratology”. Survey of structural Narratology including Barthes, Segare, Chatham, Gremias. Definition of Narratology / Definition of Spatial Narratology. Spatial Structure in the films of Hitchcock, Kubrick, Ozu, Antonioni, Tarkovsky. Non-Classical Structure in the films and novels of Robbe-Grillet. Spatial Montage in Frank Lloyd Wright’s and Rem Koolhaus’s architecture. Spatial Structure in the Chinese city.

July to December 1995Spatial analysis of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Marble Faun”.Completion of companion screenplay titled “The Tender City”.Construction of 3D spatial model.

January to July 1996Familiarisation with multi-media authorware including MacroMedia Director, 3D Studio, Strata, Aldus Sketch, Adobe Premier, Adobe Photoshop.Completion of storyboard. Public presentation of theoretical paper.

August to December 1996CD ROM pre-production including: Translation of spatial model into multi-media environment. Building image libraries Scanning and rendering reference material. Preliminary image compositing.

January to June 1997CD ROM production.Complete final draft of thesis.

July to December 1997 CD ROM post production including: Non-linear editing and sequencing of images and texts Music and sound construction. Compilation of CD ROM master.

Preparation for submission.

Example Number 8


DEGREE : Master of Arts by research in Communication Studies by thesis

TITLE OF PROGRAM : The relationship between business press publications and their host industries in Australia with particular attention to the travel industry.

SUMMARY OF PROJECT : A study is to be undertaken of the interaction between business press publications and their host industries with a view to reaching an understanding of how the publications have shaped the industries and vice versa. Attention will focus on the travel industry and those industries with which it is interdependent, such as the hotel and ski industries.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION: The aim of the research program is to investigate and analyse the development and relationship of Australia’s business press publications with their host industries giving particular attention to the travel industry. This will also entail some consideration of the interaction between those industries and the broader historical context.

Business press refers to publications which circulate within a specific business, profession or industry. The publications are produced in either magazine or newspaper format.

Business press publications target specific publics and as such are not directed to the general public. This distinguishes business press publications from the other forms of print media. An information brochure entitled `Facts About Australian Business Press’ published by the Australian Association of Business and Specialist Publishers ( the Association which represents business press publishers) states that 99 per cent of all trade publications are mailed to those on subscription lists. A few titles are sold in newsagents.

The Australian Advertising Rates Data Survey, which provides a major listing of business press publications in Australia, currently lists 736 business press publications which are produced by 476 publishing houses.

My thesis will concentrate on the development of the business press and on its relationship with its host industries. As a result of the diverse range of publications available the thesis will concentrate on one specific area, the travel industry as this industry has, over the years, undergone many changes and thus provides a good case study.

The object of the thesis will be to define and explore the relationship between business publications and the industries they serve.

The research questions to be answered include: How, when and why were the first travel business press publications established in Australia? How has the growth, nature and prosperity of travel business press publications been affected

by the development and prosperity of the travel industry? Why does the travel industry produce the publications it does? How and why have the different travel industry publications evolved to their current formats? How has the travel industry been influenced by its business press publications? How well does the travel industry consider itself to be served by its business press publications? Given the nature of the project the greater part of the work will be undertaken in Australia.

RATIONALE FOR PROGRAM: Preliminary discussions held with the Australian Association of Business and Specialist Publishers suggests the only academic research which has been undertaken on Australia’s Business Press is a paper written by Organ T.R. Plant 2 . Given the size of the business press there is an urgent need for some further academic study on this form of media. It is an area that has been ignored by Government and other bodies. While other media have been studied for their power, development and influence the business press has not.2 O.T.R. Plant. 'The Role of Australia’s Business Press’ in Journal of Travel Studies Vol 5 No2 June 1972./tt/file_convert/577cc9cc1a28aba711a4a760/document.doc Date: 02/05/23 Originator: Anna Solomun Page: 21 of 26

During interview sessions Australian Association of Business and Specialist Publishers president Alvin Smith and national secretary William Shakespeare expressed a desire for further study to be undertaken on their industry.

I have also held discussions with the publishers of five leading travel industry publications, John Keats -Travel Monthly; Henry Lawson -Travel Tips; Elizabeth Windsor -Travel Nows; Bill Clinton-Travel Yesterday; and Alfred Tennyson -Inside Travel. All have indicated support for this thesis and will provide as much assistance as possible. (see attached letters) To date they have assisted in helping to locate the early founders of Australia’s travel business press publications.

In addition, the thesis will provide information on the history and development of Australia’s travel industry, an area which also has attracted scant attention. Given the increased interest in tourism and travel industries by Government such a study is timely and relevant.

METHODS: Work has already started on a bibliographical search for information on the relationship between business press and host publications which may have been published internationally. This work will continue. The only literature found on the business press has been written by those directly involved within the industry, that is the Australian Association of Business and Specialist Publishers3 and the American Business Press Inc. 4

An historical literature search will be undertaken to identify the changes which have occurred within the travel industry during the 20th century and the causes thereof. Historical texts by, for example, John Gunn5, Mike Sebey6, Susan Priestly 7 and occasional papers produced by the Bureau of Economic Transport Economics8 and other Government departments should assist in providing information.

Research will also be undertaken to chart the changes in and development of Australia’s travel industry business press. Most of this information is likely to come from the press itself and from interviews with the founders, publishers and editors of travel industry publications.

Attention will be paid to avoiding the pitfalls of oral history pointed out by John Murphy,9 Vicki Cowden 10 and Paul Thompson 11as well as to acknowledging and exploring its metaphorical content. Use will be made of the Oral History Association of Australia’s Oral History Guide in devising interview procedures.

Currently there are six major travel industry publications, Travel Week, Travel Trade, Inside Tourism, Travel Talk, Travel Reporter and Travel News. The editors of five of these publications (the Travel Reporter has recently been sold) have all expressed a willingness to be interviewed (see attached letters).

Another major industry player, who established Travel Trade in Australia, is living in Australia and attempts will be made to interview him. Past editors of Travel Week, Travel Trade and Inside Tourism will also be contacted. Inquiries are under way to locate the original founders of travel industry publications in Australia. In total around 15 interviews are likely to be conducted. These interviews are expected to answer the primary research questions- how, when and where were the

3The Facts About Australian Business Press,, Australian Association of Business Press Publications, 1988. Business Press is Bread and Butter Press, Food for Thought, Australian Association of Business Press Publications (undated)4Harkaway H, The Unique Role of Business Press, American Business Press Publications, 19885Gunn J, Challenging Horizons, Qantas 1939-1954, University of Queensland Press, 19906Sebum I, Challenge in the founding of TAA, Hyland House, Melbourne 19797Priestly S, The Crown of the Road, the Story of the RACV, Macmillian, 19938Publications such as Factors Affecting Demand for International Travel to and from Australia, Occasional Paper No 11, Bureau of Transport Economics, 1978, will provide very useful data.9Murphy J, “Voices of Memory: History, Autobiography and Oral Memories” Historical Studies, Volume 22, No 87, October 1986, pp157-175.10Cowden V, “Historical and Oral History: A plea for Reconciliation “ Oral History Association of Australia Journal, No 5, 1982-198311Thompson P, “Oral History and Historians “ Oral History Association of Australia Journal, No 5, 1982-1983/tt/file_convert/577cc9cc1a28aba711a4a760/document.doc Date: 02/05/23 Originator: Anna Solomun Page: 22 of 26

first travel business press publications established in Australia, how has the growth, nature and prosperity of the business publications been affected by the development and prosperity of the travel industry, how and why have the different travel publications developed, what changes have they made and why, the difference between the travel trade publications and consumer publications and the effects of the consumer media on the travel business press.

A study will also be undertaken of the different travel industry publications with particular emphasis on changes in style, formats, content and size. This will help answer the research questions why does the travel industry produce the publications it does, what are the differences between travel industry publications and how have the different travel industry publications developed. This research, by acting as a check, will also help overcome some of the pitfalls associated with oral history methodology.

Interviews will also be conducted with major travel industry players to help ascertain how the travel industry has changed, their views of the travel business publications, how they believe the publications have changed, the influence they believe travel publications have had on their industries, how the travel industry has been affected by trade publications and how well the travel industry considers it has been served by its business press publications. Around 15 interviews will be conducted with representatives of the airline industry, the travel agency network, the hospitality industry and travel wholesalers as these are the major groups serviced by travel industry publications. Those interviewed will have been involved in the industry for a number of years.

While most interviews will be undertaken once research has been completed to identify major changes in Australia’s travel industry, given the failing health of several potential interviewees it may be necessary to do some interviews earlier.

In total the thesis is expected to take four years. One year will be spent conducting a literature review, another year interviewing travel business press and industry personnel, one year analysing travel industry publications and one year writing the thesis.

February 1996 - October 1996 has been spent on the research methods subject SS705 and on commencing a literature review which will be completed by February 1997. From February 1997 - February 1998 the majority of my interviews will be conducted with travel industry personnel even though given the health status of some personnel, interviews will also be conducted before this date.

February 1998 - February 1999 will be spent analysing travel industry publications, while from February 1999- February 2000 will be spent writing the thesis.

Example Number 9

DEGREE : Doctor of Philosophy (Fashion) by Research - Thesis

3.1 Title The Significance of the Private Dressmaker to the New Zealand Apparel Industry from 1945 to the late 1970’s

SUMMARY OF THESIS:This thesis researches the proliferation of private ‘home’ dressmakers in New Zealand following the Second World War, with a view to analysing the impact that these practitioners may have on the New Zealand apparel industry from this time to the 1970’s, and their contribution to the socio economic culture of the period. The study will benefit future students, educators, historians and practitioners of fashion and textiles by adding to the body of knowledge of the industry in New Zealand./tt/file_convert/577cc9cc1a28aba711a4a760/document.doc Date: 02/05/23 Originator: Anna Solomun Page: 23 of 26

Brief Description:The aim of the research program is to investigate and analyse the significance of the private ‘home’ dressmaker to the New Zealand apparel industry from 1945 to the 1970’s. This will entail some consideration of the broader historical context that allowed dressmaking, as an occupation or a business, to flourish in New Zealand. Ebbett (1977) and Pearce (1982) suggest that the skills of tailors, seamstresses and dressmakers were in great demand in colonial New Zealand in the 1850’s and 1860’s. Skilled needlewomen were recruited for the colony from Britain and “although many seamstresses were busily employed, the demand for their services was such that there never seemed to be enough of them” (Pearce, 1982).

The ensuing economic and social environment that led to the support of the occupation of dressmaker from New Zealand’s first days as a colony into the twentieth century will be investigated. For the purposes of this study, “dressmaker” refers to a “woman who makes women’s clothes” (Oxford Mini Dictionary, 1991), generally to order and from her own home or small business premises.

The study will focus on the work of these women, from 1945 to the 1970’s. From preliminary research, it would seem that many women in New Zealand during this period added to the family income, or supported the family, by working at home making clothes for private clients. The focus will begin with the period from the end of World War II, when rationing of clothing materials ceased, when servicemen did or did not return from the war, and when, possibly, women had the time and resources to be interested in fashion and clothing again. The focus will end either during the 1970’s, when a proliferation of fashion boutiques offered fashion garments to the youth market and fashion definitely differed for the generations or, during the 1980’s, when the introduction of the removal of tariffs on imported clothing led to the increase in availability of cheap clothing from retail outlets. It is hoped that the investigation will determine the appropriate end point.

The thesis will concentrate on the environment in which the dressmakers worked, both social and economic. It will discuss how and why they established their businesses, the skills and knowledge that they acquired and utilised, the extent of their production, and the significance of their contribution to the New Zealand apparel industry.

The research questions to be answered include:1. What caused the establishment of private dressmaking businesses in New Zealand and why did

clients utilise their services during the period from 1945 to the 1970’s?2. How were these businesses established, promoted, resourced and operated?3. What specialist skills and knowledge did the dressmakers have and how did they acquire their

skills and knowledge?4. What was the retail and wholesale apparel environment of the period and what impact did

private dressmakers have on the retail and wholesale apparel trade?5. Is the tradition of dressmaking being carried forward to today?

Rationale for program:To my knowledge no investigation has been made of the significance of the contribution of New Zealand’s private dressmakers to the history of fashion and apparel in New Zealand during this period. It is important to determine the extent of the impact of their contribution, in the historical and economic context, within New Zealand culture at that time.

Initial identification of practitioners suggests that there were many women all over New Zealand who operated small dressmaking businesses. Prizes were awarded for excellence in dressmaking in competitions such as at Agricultural and Pastoral Shows. A brief search of the literature reveals that private colleges offered dressmaking courses (NZWW 1939 to 1951) and the New Zealand


Woman’s Weekly offered a free pattern service to its subscription readers from at least 1939 to 1955.

“The service has been specially designed to meet the requirements of this Dominion. Its aim is to make possible for New Zealand women to be smartly dressed” (NZWW 4 December 1941).

All these factors suggest that dressmaking was a popular and respected occupation.

It is important that material related to dressmaking during this period is recorded and that the contribution made by these women is not overlooked. It is also important that the experience and knowledge that they gained is not lost to future generations, bearing in mind that they are an ageing population. New Zealand museums do not have the personnel or monetary resources to pursue investigations of this nature and there are, as yet, no post graduate degrees by research in this field of fashion in New Zealand, that could lead to a resource of student researchers pursuing historical research in the field.

The study will benefit:Fashion and Textile Historians - by documenting new knowledge and adding to the body of knowledge in regard to New Zealand’s social history in general and apparel and textile history in particular.

The Apparel Industry - by providing a context within which to view the contribution of a specific category of practitioner, ie. the private dressmaker, to the history of the industry over the defined period.

Fashion educators - by providing a resource that can be referenced for the teaching of twentieth century fashion, particularly from a local perspective.

Fashion students - by providing further information on recent fashion history to inform the context in which they are studying.

Social History and Fashion Journals - by providing material for discussion and potential articles.

Methods:The research will be undertaken in three stages:Stage 1 Literature research and personal investigationStage 2 Analysis, evaluation and organisation of dataStage 3 Initial draft of thesis, evaluation and revision and final draft of thesis

Schedule

Stage 1 July 1999 - July 2001 approx.1.1 Conduct information search in relevant literature, texts and journals. Conduct internet search. It is anticipated that a high proportion of the written information will be found in women’s journals of the period.1.2 Research public and private collections, in particular original garments and accompanying documentation housed in the Auckland Museum. (The Museum have expressed a particular interest in the project).1.3 Interviews and site visits Research primary sources of information and conduct interviews with dressmakers who

operated businesses during the period of the investigation. Research and interview leading manufacturers and retailers of apparel from the period. Other related research; visits to dressmakers, manufacturers, retailers and wholesale supply

houses connected to the apparel industry./tt/file_convert/577cc9cc1a28aba711a4a760/document.doc Date: 02/05/23 Originator: Anna Solomun Page: 25 of 26

1.4 Collate and index all information

Stage 2 July 2001 - 2003 approx.Of necessity there will be some overlap between stages. Analyse, evaluate and continue to organise all information Conduct further research as required Prepare outline of chapters.

Stage 3 July 2003 - 2005 Write initial draft of thesis Further analysis and evaluation Revise and modify work to date Write final thesis and conclusions

Bibliography:Coney, S. (1993), Standing in the Sunshine, Penguin Books, New Zealand.Coney, S. (1998), Stroppy Sheilas and Gusty Girls, Tandem Press, New Zealand.Dept. of Statistics (1990), Women in New Zealand, Ministry of Women’s Affairs, New Zealand.Ebbett, E. (1977), In True Colonial Fashion, A.H & A.W Reed, New Zealand.Holcroft, M.H. (1990), The Village Transformed: Aspects of Change in New Zealand 1900-1990, Victoria University Press, New Zealand.Kedgley, S. & Varnham, M. (1993), Heading Nowhere in a Navy Blue Suit, Daphne Brasell Associates, New Zealand.King, M. (1988), After the War: New Zealand Since 1945, Hodder & Stoughton, New Zealand.Malthus, J. (1993), Dress for Greater Freedom, Hawkes Bay Museum, New Zealand.New Zealand Woman’s Weekly, New Zealand Magazines, New Zealand.Pearce, G.L. (1982), The Pioneer Craftsmen of New Zealand, William Collins, New Zealand.


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