Multidisciplinary, pluridisciplinary, interdisciplinary and non-disciplinary

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This article is a traduction from this French article : Art multidisciplinaire, pluridisciplinaire, interdisciplinaire et non disciplinaire.

It’s sometimes difficult to navigate. Different authorities in the field of arts define these terms differently. And that’s when they offert a definition…

Here is how the “Le Petit Robert 2021” dictionary difines the following terms :

Multidisciplinary : Which concerns several disciplines and specialities;

Pluridisciplinary : Which concerns several disciplines or areas of research, synonym : multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary;

Interdisciplinary : Which concerns several disciplines, several sciences at the same time.

Brief! We get caught up in the nonsense that doesn’t exist to say roughly the same thing, but with different words.

Multidisciplinairy art

According to the Canada Council for the arts, practicing multidisciplinary activities includes at least 2 distinct artistic disciplines without one being predominant. For its part, the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec affirms that multidisciplinary arts bring together forms of expression that use various :

  • Disciplinary languages,
  • Knowledge,
  • Techniques;

In the same work. The creative process of each point above, as well as the artistic discourse, is autonomous and distinct from each other. This type of art can also offer different relationships to the public.

Interdisciplinary art

Regarding interdisciplinary art, the Regroupement des arts interdisciplinaire du Québec (RAIQ) defines this form of art are “an artistic practice that integrates the knowledge, skilss ans modes of thought of two or more artistic disciplines and non-artistic whose languages and lexicons are interrelated.” It comes down to pretty much the same definition as that given by the 2 Councils.

Pluridisciplinary art

I haven’t found any clear definition of pluridisciplinary art. But, the term is used on different sites that talk about the artistic world. Generally, we refer to the misture of performing arts, music, direction, etc.

Inter-art

As if we didn’t have enough with all this confusion, the Canada Council for Arts also talks about inter-art. This category, like multidisciplinary art, explores and integrates several traditional or contemporary artistic disciplines merged or brought together in such a way that no one discipline predominates in the final result. The Canada Council for the Arts separates inter-art into 2 categories :

  • Not linked to a discipline: Experimentation. New form of art which does not refer to existing disciplines;
  • Transdisciplinary : Crossing between non-artistic disciplines which aims to explore a theme or question using artistic methods.

Non-disciplinary art

The Conseil des arts de Montréal solved the problem. Obviously, since 2021, this organization has recognized new artistic practices under the term non-disciplinary artistic practices.

BAM! We go from a cacophony of nebulus terms to “there is no more discipline.”

According to the Conseil des arts de Montréal, new artistic practices and multidisciplinary arts have evolved significantly, which explains the change in designation. Here is the definition of non-disciplinary artistic practices according to this Council : Generally characterized by :

  • The exploration of new research, creation or production processes;
  • Experimenting with new collaborations and/or innvative dissemination methods.

Non-disciplinary art has a desire to free itself from traditionally accepted disciplines. He juxtaposes or merges them. The artistic approach questions existing framworks.

Independent art

Fanally, the RAIQ defends independent art, because they require practices in which the artist holds full artistic and editorial power over his worf from its conception to its finality. The independent artist is the first rights holder and receives the majority of royalties related to :

  • Diffusion,
  • Distribution,
  • Sale;

Of this works. Howerver, it may entrust these aspects to an independent third party under license.

“Le Temps d’une dinde” : a multidisciplinary, pluridisciplinary, non-disciplinary and media work

« Le Temps d’une dinde » is the very first video I produced. First, by definition, video is a media art… Good! That’s settled for that. Second, I can categorize this video into all the disciplines mentioned because it mixes and algamates techniques and mediums from completely different fields.

You can see the video on Youtube.

Inconsistent art

Personally, I find that the definitions of independent art, as well as non-disciplinary art, correspond in a certain point of view to the vision of the inconsistent artists and other artistic genres. These artists wanted to break out of the academic mold that was imposed on them. They freed themselves from conventions and challenged them. So we haven’t invented anything… We just changing vocabulary to say the same thing.

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