‘Enabling Periphereality’: Artistic Trajectories in a Peripheral City

Abstract

The common perspective on centre–periphery power relations views central cities as the source of cultural authority and legitimacy, the influence of which peripheral cities passively accept. By following theatre artists’ trajectories in the peripheral Israeli city of Acre, the article challenges this perception of the periphery as fundamentally inferior to the centre and focuses on how its environment enables artistic creativity. This perspective is developed through Bourdieu’s definition of trajectory alongside everyday practices, in the spirit of de Certeau. By adapting super-positioning from architectural practice the research combines urban spatial analysis with ethnography. The article first identifies the macro-social structures that define Acre and its theatre field as ‘peripheral’, it then exposes the everyday micro-practices of artistic trajectories that erode these larger, top-down social structures and juxtapose both social structures. This leads to the article’s main argument, that ascent within the peripheral cultural field proceeds according to different rules than in the centre, and to developing the notion of Enabling Periphereality to articulate those different conditions and rules.

Structure, Strategy and Self in Cultural Peripheries: Theorizing the Periphery in the Polish and Dutch Fashion Fields

“…We investigate what sorts of value and success peripheral cultural producers pursue, and what strategies they employ to achieve them. This approach resonates with previous critiques of field theory that have challenged the assumption of aspiration and consecration as a driving force in cultural fields, pointing to other motives like uncertainty reduction [Bielby and Bielby 1994], moral worth and dignity [Lamont 2000], avoiding failure [Baker and Hesmondhalgh 2013], good work [Ezzy 1997], creative freedom [Yavo-Ayalon 2019], or even love [Friedland 2013].…”

“…Moreover, informants lauded the greater freedom enjoyed in a field not defined by strict high-end standards––an insight that echoes network studies stressing the peripheral potential for innovation and creativity [Dahlander and Freriksen 2012; Yavo-Ayalon 2019]. A high-end photographer commuting between Warsaw and Berlin preferred Warsaw because “the potential for experimentation and innovation is higher here.” Another Warsaw designer experienced the focus on––modest–commercial success as liberating: “I can do what I like.…”

“…Our studies found that Polish and Dutch fashion fields had much in common, despite great differences in prosperity, politics, culture and transnational integration. We argue that these similarities are the result of “periphereality” [Yavo-Ayalon 2019]. Semi-peripheral cultural fields constrain and shape possibilities for workers for creating material value (income, profits, stable careers, thriving businesses) and symbolic value (awards, jobs with prestigious designers, magazines, or photographers, engagements with high-end brands).…”

Contextualizing the Artistic Repertoire in Museums

“…Additionally, Tel Aviv has the largest concentration of leading actors in the art world (e.g., critics, curators, gallery owners, museum managers, collectors) (Littman-Cohen 2001;Yogev 2004). While this may create an impression that art in the geographic periphery is marginalized, some authors have challenged the perception that the periphery is fundamentally inferior; rather, they propose a view of the Israeli periphery as a boundless environment which enables one to create art without the pressures of the center's norms and affords greater opportunities for artists (Bar-Or 1998;Yavo-Ayalon 2019). Given these structural aspects, both economic and cultural, we may conclude that the location of art museums affects both the number of exhibitions and characteristics of the art on display.…”

“…The center is usually comprised of a significant portion of cultural institutions, and it is where stakeholders reside, knowledge is shared and accumulated, and large audiences can be found. On the other hand, the periphery tends to be associated with social and cultural marginalization (Yavo-Ayalon 2019;Yogev 2004). The third approach relates to the sociology of art, and specifically to the social dimensions of art evaluation.…”