Sociopolitical Aesthetics: Art, Crisis and Neoliberalism (Radical Aesthetics-Radical Art)

Since the turn of the millennium, protests, meetings, schoolrooms, reading groups and many other social forms have been proposed as artworks or, more ambiguously, as interventions that critique arts autonomy. The historical origins of these practices can be traced back to the avant-gardes of the early 20th century, which hoped to revolutionise both art and life. It is clear, however, that the social and political turbulence of the present requires a different framework of analysis than any of those that have been developed to interpret the artistic developments of a century ago. This book will survey the resurgence of sociopolitical aesthetics, tracing key currents of theory and practice, and mapping them against the dominant motif of the last decade: crisis. Drawing upon key artists and theorists within this field including Gregory Sholette, John Roberts, Dave Beech, Gail Day, Martha Rosler, Kirstin Stakemieir and Marina Vishmidt this book will locate the configurations of sociopolitical aesthetics that might energize struggles that are emerging within a radically altered political terrain. Since the turn of the millennium, protests, meeƟngs, schoolrooms, reading groups and many other social forms have been proposed as artworks or, more ambiguously, as intervenƟons that criƟque art’s autonomy. The historical origins of these pracƟces can be traced back to the avant-gardes of the early 20th century, which hoped to revoluƟonise both art and life. It is clear, however, that the social and poliƟcal turbulence of the present requires a different framework of analysis than any of those that have been developed to interpret the arƟsƟc developments of a century ago. This book will survey the resurgence of sociopoliƟcal aestheƟcs, tracing key currents of theory and pracƟce, and mapping them against the dominant moƟf of the last decade: crisis. Drawing upon key arƟsts and theorists within this field – including Gregory SholeƩe, John Roberts, Dave Beech, Gail Day, Martha Rosler, KirsƟn Stakemieir and Marina Vishmidt – this book will locate the configuraƟons of sociopoliƟcal aestheƟcs that might energize struggles that are emerging within a radically altered poliƟcal terrain. Since the turn of the millennium, protests, meetings, schoolrooms, reading groups and many other social forms have been proposed as artworks or, more ambiguously, as interventions that are somewhere between art and politics. This book surveys the resurgence of politicized art, tracing key currents of theory and practice, and mapping them against the dominant experience of the last decade: crisis. Drawing upon leading artists and theorists within this field – including Hito Steyerl, Marina Vishmidt, Art & Language, Gregory Sholette, John Roberts and Dave Beech – this book argues for a new interpretation of the relationship between socially-engaged art and neoliberalism. Kim Charnley explores the possibility that neoliberalism has destabilized the art system so that it is no longer able to absorb and neutralize dissent. As a result, the relationship between aesthetics and politics is experienced with fresh urgency and militancy. "The social and political turbulence of the present requires a different framework to interpret artistic developments than was used a century ago. This book surveys the resurgence of sociopolitical aesthetics, tracing key currents of theory and practice, and mapping them against the dominant motif of the last decade: crisis. Drawing upon key artists and theorists within this field - including Gregory Sholette, John Roberts, Dave Beech, Gail Day, Martha Rosler, Kirstin Stakemieir and Marina Vishmidt - this book locates the configurations of sociopolitical aesthetics that might energize struggles that are emerging within a radically altered political terrain"-- Provided by publisher Title Page Copyright Page Contents Figures Series Editors' Preface Acknowledgements Introduction: Crisis and the social turn Chapter 1: The art collective as impurity Chapter 2: The temporality of institutional critique Chapter 3: Relational aesthetics and collectivity Chapter 4: Social practice Chapter 5: Slogans and militancy Conclusion: The uses of crises Notes Bibliography Index