Reading group
One Place after Another: Site-Specific Art and Locational Identity
Miwon Kwon's book is a short and lucid exploration of site-specific practices in contemporary art, which revisits and reinterprets the themes that she first discussed in her influential journal articles, "One Place after Another" (October 80, Spring 1997) and "The Wrong Place" (Art Journal, Spring 2000). Her clear writing and well-researched case studies make this a enjoyable and informative read.
The book may not satisfy the readers who are more curious about the origins and meanings of site-specificity in the art of the sixties, as it focuses more on the issues of identity politics and community based art projects in the eighties and nineties. Kwon provides a brief but useful history of site-specificity in Chapter 1, but this is mainly an introduction to her main argument, which is how various public projects have dealt with the question of identity construction in relation to community and location.
Kwon makes a timely and important point that 'community' is a word that is often misused, under-theorised and problematic in contemporary art practices. Her approach here is in line with Rosalyn Deutsche's critique of the term 'public space' in Evictions, Art and Spatial Politics. However, Kwon's reference to Jean-Luc Nancy's concept of an 'inoperative' society seems unconvincing, or at least insufficiently developed, if it is supposed to offer the "different model of collectivity and belonging" that she promises in the introduction.
The most engaging part of the book, however, is Kwon's last chapter, which engages more with urban sociology and globalisation. She ends her book by rejecting a partisan stance on art practices that favour either perpetual nomadism or exclusive localism - which is a common tendency in contemporary art writing. Instead, Kwon calls for an art that addresses the relation between these two conflicting desires: the desire to be constantly moving, elsewhere, travelling, and the desire to have roots, and to belong to a specific place. She also points out how these experiences are mediated by the unequal distribution of wealth in globalisation. And without further comment, she closes her text with an image of Gabril Orozco's 'Isla dentro de la isla'. No other image in this book has such impact and elegance.
The book may not satisfy the readers who are more curious about the origins and meanings of site-specificity in the art of the sixties, as it focuses more on the issues of identity politics and community based art projects in the eighties and nineties. Kwon provides a brief but useful history of site-specificity in Chapter 1, but this is mainly an introduction to her main argument, which is how various public projects have dealt with the question of identity construction in relation to community and location.
Kwon makes a timely and important point that 'community' is a word that is often misused, under-theorised and problematic in contemporary art practices. Her approach here is in line with Rosalyn Deutsche's critique of the term 'public space' in Evictions, Art and Spatial Politics. However, Kwon's reference to Jean-Luc Nancy's concept of an 'inoperative' society seems unconvincing, or at least insufficiently developed, if it is supposed to offer the "different model of collectivity and belonging" that she promises in the introduction.
The most engaging part of the book, however, is Kwon's last chapter, which engages more with urban sociology and globalisation. She ends her book by rejecting a partisan stance on art practices that favour either perpetual nomadism or exclusive localism - which is a common tendency in contemporary art writing. Instead, Kwon calls for an art that addresses the relation between these two conflicting desires: the desire to be constantly moving, elsewhere, travelling, and the desire to have roots, and to belong to a specific place. She also points out how these experiences are mediated by the unequal distribution of wealth in globalisation. And without further comment, she closes her text with an image of Gabril Orozco's 'Isla dentro de la isla'. No other image in this book has such impact and elegance.
I am very interested in the embodiment of elitism in contemporary consciousness or other aspects of the field, before I started to come into contact with contemporary art, I was very disgusted with the heavy and trivial work itself, and then I was for a layman, the identity of the artist may be embodied in some kind of elitist language, but at that time I had not yet thought about this article, for the artist how to put their own position and the relationship with the audience and the hard work behind it had a very interesting discussion. The position and relationship between the artist and the audience, as well as the hard work behind it was a very interesting discussion, in addition, in yesterday's chat with a friend, I received Ai Weiwei is the first contemporary artist I know, so before I think contemporary artists should be capitalists.
Contemporary art is a broad concept that encompasses a wide range of art forms from the 1960s to the present, such as installation, performance, video, sound, and the internet. Contemporary artists use different media and languages to express their views and emotions, sometimes challenging traditional aesthetics and social norms. Contemporary art often requires a certain level of knowledge and background to create and appreciate, so some people believe that contemporary art is an elitist culture that only a few people can understand and appreciate.
Elitism is a social ideology that believes that society should be led and managed by a few capable, talented, and well-established people, rather than by the will and interests of the majority. Supporters of elitism believe that the elite are the cream of society and that they have the power and responsibility to contribute to the development and progress of society. Opponents of elitism believe that elites are the parasites of society who use their advantages to exploit and oppress the majority of the population, resulting in social injustice and inequality.
Contemporary art is a broad concept that encompasses a wide range of art forms from the 1960s to the present, such as installation, performance, video, sound, and the internet. Contemporary artists use different media and languages to express their views and emotions, sometimes challenging traditional aesthetics and social norms. Contemporary art often requires a certain level of knowledge and background to create and appreciate, so some people believe that contemporary art is an elitist culture that only a few people can understand and appreciate.
Elitism is a social ideology that believes that society should be led and managed by a few capable, talented, and well-established people, rather than by the will and interests of the majority. Supporters of elitism believe that the elite are the cream of society and that they have the power and responsibility to contribute to the development and progress of society. Opponents of elitism believe that elites are the parasites of society who use their advantages to exploit and oppress the majority of the population, resulting in social injustice and inequality.