20/01/2017 - PARTICIPATION - CLARE BISHOP

In my feedback from my first assessment my tutor suggested I read a book called 'Participation', a collection of books and essays on particpatory aspects and influences within art, such as Relational Aesthetics, and the Death of the Author, edited together by Clare Bishop. This book was one of a large series named Documents of Contemporary Art which covers a wide range of contemporary art concepts. 

I found the language of this book, and the extended formulations of it's sentences difficult to grasp, and often had to reread paragraphs multiple times to fully absorb the meaning. I always find this frustrating as it seriously affects the accessibility of the art world, making it difficult for many to fully understand and get involved, particularly as often a simpler explanation is possible yet still long and complex words are still used. This, in my opinion, only reinforces the elitism which grips much of the 'official' art world. However as time went on I began highlighting more and more points which actually struck a deep resonance with either my own practice, or observations I had made of the art world, it just felt like a shame to me that these gems of knowledge were hidden in pages and pages of overcomplication.

Reading this book also made me very aware of art's place culturally in the wider world, and how profoundly unrelated happenings in the politics of life affected the kind of art people were producing, and the aims they had for their work. This was very interesting and really expanded my cultural awareness, not only for how participatory art and the avant garde came at the end of a very long journey of collective artistic analysis and growth, but also for how much of an impact relational aesthetics can have when used effectively. 

LINK TO QUOTES AND ANALYSIS