The Art of Doing Ethnography with a Camera An Audiovisual Study on Contemporary Art Practices and Aesthetics in Maputo, Mozambique (original) (raw)

There is a growing interest among visual anthropologists to experiment with documentary film formats and styles. My research about contemporary art practices and aesthetics in Maputo, Mozambique contributes to this ongoing debate through two modes of scholarship—audiovisual and written. First, the film ‘Living Art’ is a sensorial approach towards visual ethnography, giving attention to the aesthetics and embodiment of contemporary art. Since both art and filmmaking are embodied practices, a sensory approach through filmmaking can communicate the embodied and aesthetic aspects of art on an experiential, rather than explanatory, level. The film challenges conventional anthropological film formats, through the near absence of the spoken word as a discursive element and through various montage techniques, such as juxtaposition, decontextualization, soundscapes and repetition. Second, this text reflects upon the creative possibilities of integrating audiovisual ethnographic practices wit...