A/r/tography Beyond Boundaries: A Critical Understanding and Expansion of A/r/tography for Exploring Art Teacher Identity

This study aims to theoretically reexamine and practically expand a/r/tography, a methodology that has gained increasing attention for exploring art teacher identity. The research critically investigates the internal philosophical tensions and limitations inherent in a/r/tography, while also proposing alternative perspectives and approaches to transcend these constraints. In particular, drawing on Gilles Deleuze’s philosophy of becoming and the concept of the ‘fold,’ this study explores how multiple identities unfold their potentialities through the affective foldings and rhythmic processes of becoming. By doing so, it seeks to deepen and extend a/r/tography as both theory and practice. Based on this philosophical framework, the study introduces ‘fold a/r/tography’ as an alternative form of inquiry that overcomes the paradox of identity fixation, the linearity of narrative, and the formalization of sensory-based inquiry through generative folds of being, nonlinear montage, and the relational ethics of affect and practice. This research contributes to the ontological foundation of a/r/tography and diversifies its practical applications, offering methodological expansion for investigating the identity of art teachers.