The artist as social worker vs. the artist as social wanker

Abstract

This paper briefly explores the problematic notion of the 'artist as a social worker' and aims to develop an (ethical) counterpoint to this position via Mouffe's concept of agonism. It begins by tracing some conceptual frameworks that have posited art as an ameliorative force within the public realm, discusses the complications of 'intention' embedded in language, as well as draws attention to the difference between these terms that are often interchangeably. It ends with an exploration of three agonistic artworks, the last being the author's own. It hopes to present a productive counterpoint to the notion of the 'artist as social worker, as well as provide insight to these discussions from a practitioners point of view.

The Power of Convening: Towards an Understanding of Artist-Led Collective Practice as a Convener of Place

“…At the crux of this matter, the act of convening opens a form of commons with those involved, a shared space that is not predicated on individual ownership or profit-making but on ideas and even sharing of resources that has potentially deep socio-cultural and even political value. Of course, artist-led collectives are not the only conveners in society, nor are they unique in developing socially engaged projects, which is attested to by growing discourse on the plethora of individuals, groups, organizations, and institutions working with these methods (Belfiore 2022;Bishop 2005;Hope 2017;Kester 2004;Schrag 2018). Yet, their particular socio-political positionality, which is place-interdependent, differentiates the method of convening, and this plays out in vastly different contexts.…”