Research journal group: Seminar: Art, the Avant Gardes and Research Programmes, with John Roberts. 9th December 7-9pm.
We have selected some key texts as a reading list (please see blog: http://researchjournalgroup.blogspot.com/2011/11/sorry-i-did-comment-when-i-should-have.html) that might provide a shared ground for us to then discuss what could be considered a research program in art, and all the problems and contradictions that arise from these ideas.
The seminar will discuss some key aspects of John Roberts work on the dialectics of deskilling/ reskilling, as pertaining to certain key transformations in the nature of artistic labour and cognition.
In the first part we will discuss some of the points set out in Roberts recent book; The Intangibilities of Form Skill and Deskilling in Art After the Readymade. We will be concerned with discussing this work in light of its implications on avant-garde models of collaborative, interdisciplinary artistic labour. Particularly, how might we be able to think of socially extended cognition in art, through what Roberts terms a ‘research-model of practice’?
The second part will focus on Roberts recent essay: Revolutionary Pathos, Negation and the Suspensive Avant-Garde. This paper explicates further the 'research model of practice' as set out in The Intangibilities of Form. Here, it is brought into line with the concept of 'Research Programmes', derived from the philosopher of science; Imre Lakatos.
We will be concerned to discuss what a research programme is, and what it might do. What sort of truth-claims are advanced by art? Can art be thought of as advancing propositions, arguing a case, or involving knowledge-constitutive interests? Does art practice by definition, eliminate the scientific method from its procedures? What would have to occur to inaugurate a ‘community for the enquiry’ as distinct from the ‘community for the work of art’?
Reading:
Roberts, John (2011). Revolutionary Pathos, Negation and the Suspensive Avant-Garde, New Literary History, No 41. Roberts, John (2007).
The Intangibilities of Form Skill and Deskilling in Art After the Readymade. Verso, London, UK. (Chp. 4).
Further Reading:
Stathis Psillos & Martin Curd, eds. (2008). The Routledge Companion to Philosophy of Science. Routledge, London. (Chp. 7) This chapter gives a decent intro to the work of Lakatos, who is referred to in the Revolutionary Pathos essay.
We then aim to meet on the following Monday 12th December 7-9pm at Banner Repeater, to address some of the key points that develop during the seminar.
We intend to meet twice during January to further this discussion and develop our enquiry amongst the group, and again at the beginning of February. Suggested dates for these meetings are as follows: 7-9pm at Banner Repeater: Tues 3rd Jan, Tues 24th Jan, Tues 7th Feb. (This will of course depend on how available everyone is on a Tuesday night.)
Blog.
We have begun a blog that has some key points we would like to address which you can find here: http://researchjournalgroup.blogspot.com/2011/11/sorry-i-did-comment-when-i-should-have.html
The blog can be contributed to by anyone with an interest in furthering this enquiry and we welcome comments and contributions of other associated texts, you need a gmail or googlemail account to become an author which we will respond to on request, but you can already post comments without this.
Publication - imprint BR, Spring 2012.
The results of our enquiry are to be published in Spring 2012 in the first Banner Repeater research journal, and will be disseminated from the site, free, from the library trolley outside the reading room.
Banner Repeater.
Banner Repeater is driven by its location, dedicated to developing critical art in the natural interstice the platform and incidental footfall of over 4,000 passengers a day provides. This is achieved by rush-hour opening times that attract commuters, and an open door policy maintained 6 days a week. (8-11am, 4-7pm tues - thurs, 8-6pm fri, 12-6pm sat and sun)
The emphasis on multiple points of dissemination, via pamphlets and posters published from the site, and the other free material we distribute, as well as on-line activities, and the siting of the archive of artists’ printed material as a public library; a resource to be utilised by both local community and visitors in a working station environment, remain key.
Submission of texts.
There will be an open submission of material around February, that the most apt texts/visual material will be selected from, and form the content of the first journal. We are looking for texts around 1000-2000 words.
We are keen to have contributions of a visual nature that also address the problems inherent to our enquiry.
There will be 5-8 commissions of £100/£200 each, which will be selected from the submissions.
We are hoping that people will address the problems inherent to ideas of research in art and will in some way address some or all of the following: What a research programme is, and what it might do. What sort of truth-claims are advanced by art? Can art be thought of as advancing propositions, arguing a case, or involving knowledge-constitutive interests? Does art practice by definition, eliminate the scientific method from its procedures? What would have to occur to inaugurate a ‘community for the enquiry’ as distinct from the ‘community for the work of art’?
Research Journal Group
Banner Repeater
platform 1 Hackney Downs rail station
E8 1LA
London
Hackney
United Kingdom
Europe
