Central to much analysis and research within the artistic field is the artwork itself, as an object, a product, experience or situation that has been made or created by an artist; therefore,...Show moreCentral to much analysis and research within the artistic field is the artwork itself, as an object, a product, experience or situation that has been made or created by an artist; therefore, discourse often revolves around the reception of art and the intentionality or mastery of the artworks creator – i.e. how the work is received and why it was created. Artworks can be exhibited, the reception of them can be studied, often classified and interpreted in such a way that evaluations can be made according to the criteria of the established discipline of Art History, and although this type of formal and critical analysis can sometimes extend to considering the reception of the artists themselves, often in relation to their creative intentions, choices or use of materials and techniques, discourse marginally elaborates upon or questions how art emerges or what takes place during the artistic process when maker meets matter, or vice versa. The lack of discussion and focus upon the material engagement involved throughout the creative process is what this thesis aims to emphasise, by questioning our contemporary understanding of what takes place when maker meets matter and proposing how a material view on art can allow for and encourage a new understanding to be put forth regarding this dynamic interaction within contemporary art discourse.Show less
This thesis explores the position the artwork Autonomy Cube (2014) by Trevor Paglen and Jacob Appelbaum takes in what Gilles Deleuze has termed the “Society of Control”. Deleuze specifically...Show moreThis thesis explores the position the artwork Autonomy Cube (2014) by Trevor Paglen and Jacob Appelbaum takes in what Gilles Deleuze has termed the “Society of Control”. Deleuze specifically discusses this society by outlining a development from a disciplined society, constituted by enclosed spaces, to a control society characterized by a more fragmented sense of space. Departing from this spatial theorization of the society of control by Deleuze, this thesis takes the spatial tension between the bordered territory of the nation-state and the borderless realm of the internet as a starting point for thinking about the (public) space that this society provides. Autonomy Cube’s position within this space is analysed by looking at how the artwork, through the online Tor network it gives access to, engages with the complex spatiality that forms the core of the society of control. From there on it is argued that this artwork does not limit itself to a (critical) representation of the control society, but that it positions itself at the center of its logic in order to rebuild and modulate it from within. As such, this thesis aims to shed light on the extent to which art can be consequential for real life in times of the increasing digitalization of society and, more specifically, of the modes of surveillance and control that structure it.Show less
Since entering the international fine arts market in the 1970s, Indigenous Australian art has long contended with its positioning within a system that — until very recently — was ascribed to an...Show moreSince entering the international fine arts market in the 1970s, Indigenous Australian art has long contended with its positioning within a system that — until very recently — was ascribed to an exhibitionary method based on Western epistemology only. Debates surrounding the display of so-called ‘non-Western’ art and its place in modernity and the fine arts institution have produced several responses in the form of curatorial strategies. These strategies have emerged both in light of an increasing public awareness of the role of the curator in the representation of culture, and in the context of the museum as an inherently contentious space of knowledge construction. This thesis centres on the identification of these strategies, and its usage in four case studies. These case studies include the exhibitions fluent (1997), held at the 47th Venice Biennale, Theme Park (2008) at the Museum of Contemporary Aboriginal Art (AAMU), Indigenous Australia: Enduring Civilisation (2015), held at the British Museum and Frontier Imaginaries (2015 - ongoing), a travelling exhibition. By evaluating the applications of these strategies, this thesis sheds light on the manner in which curatorial strategies have formed the display of contemporary Indigenous art, and further highlights potentially impactful developments in the field of contemporary curation.Show less
This thesis examines the role and function of art collections in corporations such as banks. The study focuses on the Icelandic banks, Arion Banki, Landsbanki and Íslandsbanki using ABN AMRO Bank...Show moreThis thesis examines the role and function of art collections in corporations such as banks. The study focuses on the Icelandic banks, Arion Banki, Landsbanki and Íslandsbanki using ABN AMRO Bank in the Netherlands as a comparison. For this examination the three main reasons corporations give for collecting art are discussed; employee well-being, corporate image and corporate social responsibility. By using available research and interviews conducted with the case studies, it became evident, that if a company is serious about its art collection and would like to utilize it further than simply as mere wall decoration, it could be fruitful to employ an in-house curator with an art degree who can communicate with employees and other stakeholders about the art. By utilizing the art in a professional manner, it can have positive effect on employees moral and productivity, portray a positive corporate image and help to fulfill a corporation´s social responsibility by making their art collection (which often includes heritage artworks) available for the public and by contributing to the arts economy.Show less
Recently, a change has been noticeable in the artworks of Thai artists. Appropriations from Japanese, European and American cultures have become more common and Thai artists seem to be more...Show moreRecently, a change has been noticeable in the artworks of Thai artists. Appropriations from Japanese, European and American cultures have become more common and Thai artists seem to be more critical about their cultural identity. Thai cultural symbols and elements, as large standing Buddha's or characters from the Ramakien, are placed next to Disney figures and Batman, and artists are singing the Thai national anthem in other countries. Much is happening which has not been possible in the last decades. In this thesis an attempt was made to understand this current development. The Thai cultural identity, or the alleged 'Thainess', has been investigated and several possibilities of understanding Thainess were created. This concept is based on the effects of the nation-state, identity and the sense of belonging which all proved to be highly influential for Thai artists and their sense of Thainess. The contemporary artists Kata Sangkhae, Jirapat Tatsanasomboon and Rirkrit Tiravanija have shown that there are various ways to represent a sense of Thainess in artworks. However, not Thainess seemed to be the most important factor for Thai artists and the creation of their artworks, rather the individual positioning of the artists themselves. Cultural identities are fluid constructs and open to changes. The positioning and the context of the artist are most probably much more influential than their sense of Thainess. The three artists have therefore all different positions concerning Thainess and are also fundamentally different from each other, from critical to protective. But all three artists prove that the tension between the local and the global is something that they are aware of.Show less
As we are living in a globalizing world, the local is defined by the global and the global by the local. There is a constant fluid connection between these paradoxes and artists from all over the...Show moreAs we are living in a globalizing world, the local is defined by the global and the global by the local. There is a constant fluid connection between these paradoxes and artists from all over the world are responding to this interplay. A lot of contemporary photographers deal with issues that arise around the visualization of cultural identity. Photography appears in many different forms, for instance true to life or arranged on forehand or afterwards, though photography is by many still seen as pre-eminent a medium that shows the viewer a reproduction of reality. This research focuses on the visualization of cultural identity through arranged photography as photography is becoming more and more a construction, and these constructions provide other angles towards this visualization. This study aims to contribute to the recent debates, concerning contemporary photography, cultural identity and the portrayal of the contemporary human being by investigating the different ways in which cultural identity is being visualized in the works of Hans Eijkelboom, Jimmy Nelson and Shadi Ghadirian.Show less
