Searching for Art's New Publics (Book)

Edited by Jeni Walwin

Drawing on contributions from practicing artists, writers, curators and academics, this book explores the ways in which artists seek to involve, create and engage with new and diverse audiences. It bridges the gap between practice and theory, touches on issues of relational aesthetics and offers an illustrated artist-based approach.

Edition

Drawing on contributions from practicing artists, writers, curators, and academics, Searching for Art’s New Publics explores the ways in which artists seek to involve, create and engage with new and diverse audiences—from passers-by encountering and participating in the work unexpectedly, to professionals from other disciplines and members of particular communities who bring their own agendas to the work. Bridging the gap between practice and theory, this exciting book touches on issues of relational aesthetics, but also offers an illustrated artist-based approach. Searching for Art’s New Publics will appeal to students studying fine art (especially those with an interest in cross-disciplinary work and public art) and those studying curating.

Jeni Walwin is an independent curator and writer. Among current projects, she is the director of the public art programme Artists in the City and for many years has worked for the Contemporary Art Society.

Preface – Tammy Bedford

Introduction – Jeni Walwin

Keynote Essay: Don’t Look Now! Art after the Viewer and beyond Participation – Dave Beech

PART I: Participation: Open or Closed 

Chapter 1: The Anatomy of a Participatory Project – Sally O’Reilly

Chapter 2: Interview with Artist Chris Evans – Will Bradley

Chapter 3: Case Study One: Adam Dant’s Operation Owl Club – Helen Sumpter

Chapter 4: Who Speaks? Who Listens? Het Reservaat and Critical Friends –Sophie Hope

Chapter 5: Tell Me Your Story: An Interview with Artist Harrell Fletcher – Marisa Sánchez

Part II: Sonic Openness 

Chapter 6: Open Sounds: On the Track of the Dissolving Audience – David Briers

Chapter 7: Eagles are the Best: Juneau Projects in Conversation – Ben Sadler and Phil Duckworth

Chapter 8: Case Study Two: Melanie Pappenheim in Reading – Helen Sumpter

Part III: The Emancipation of the Spectator: The Viewer Completes the Circuit

Chapter 9: Headless in Hirschhorn’s Classroom – Jonathan Lahey Dronsfield

Chapter 10: Linked – Graeme Miller

Chapter 11: London Fieldworks: Polaria and Little Earth – Bruce Gilchrist and Jo Joelson

Part IV: The Art Object Reaches Out: Dissolves, Embraces

Chapter 12: A Fair Event: Considering an Action by Nina Beier – Vincent Honoré

Chapter 13: Case Study Three: Gillian Wearing – Family History – Helen Sumpter

Chapter 14: An Audience with… – Adam Sutherland

Chapter 15: Bata-ville: We Are Not Afraid of the Future – Nina Pope with contributions from Mike Ostler

Chapter 16: Co-productive Exhibition-making – Paul O’Neill

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