Curating contemporary art in the framework of the planetary commons
Within the expanded field of contemporary art, there is an increasing sense of urgency to engage with the politics of ecology in the face of successive and accelerating environmental crises and widening social inequality. In recent years, much of contemporary art’s response to socioecological issues...
| Published in: | The Polar Journal |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Text |
| Language: | unknown |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis
2017
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| Online Access: | https://westminsterresearch.westminster.ac.uk/item/q3266/curating-contemporary-art-in-the-framework-of-the-planetary-commons https://westminsterresearch.westminster.ac.uk/download/39fded7c18a0f5b4f01703524af7b0b99ebce60bafa46f7ce1ddfea3c60acee8/347349/ArtAntarcticOuterSpace_Final.pdf https://doi.org/10.1080/2154896X.2017.1373916 |
| Summary: | Within the expanded field of contemporary art, there is an increasing sense of urgency to engage with the politics of ecology in the face of successive and accelerating environmental crises and widening social inequality. In recent years, much of contemporary art’s response to socioecological issues has been framed by the concept of the Anthropocene. However, the notion of the Anthropocene has been criticised for its limited political agency and direction. This indicates that there is a need for alternative interpretative frameworks, both for ecopolitical themes and geopolitical ones. This paper proposes the notion of planetary commons as a tactical and interpretative framework for curating art-led projects in the realm of eco- and geopolitical concerns. It discusses my curatorial interests and role in several interdisciplinary art projects that have engaged with the Polar Regions and Outer Space. It outlines artistic strategies, including critique, inquiry, representation and sociopolitical intervention, and how the projects address issues of spatial politics, environmental stewardship, and local-global governance structures. I argue that the perspective provided by this framework enables meaningful knowledge crossing different disciplines and reveals insights into the complexity of governance in the global system, highlighting the roles that art and cultural practices can play in shaping our understanding of complex societal-environmental-technological assemblages. |
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