Changing the System?: Discussion topics

SUGGESTED TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION


WHAT DO CONCEPTS LIKE THESE MEAN FOR INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS? TO WHAT EXTENT ARE THEY CHANGING TODAY?

Artistic practice. How and to what extent can artists control their creative process? What new needs for production, exhibiting and communication facilities do artists have today?

The author. How do artists see their own functions? Are artists becoming more autonomous or more anonymous? What does collaboration mean for artists?

Networks. In what ways are they meaningful for artists and their practice? How do artists make active use of networks?

The production of meaning. How and to what extent do artists influence the reception of their work?

The art world. How does it succeed in mediating between artists and their audience? How is the work of artists conditioned by other players? Who sets the pace for development and change?

The art context. What kind of professionalism do artists need today? What are the possibilities for artists to work in other professional contexts, and still be part of the art context?

Artists' careers. What is the attention span of the art world? Is being an artist a life's work? What do different kinds of recognition and success mean for artists?

Visibility. To what extent is the artist visible in the art world? To what extent does this visibility depend on fluctuations in the art world? To what extent can artists influence the visibility of art in society?

WHAT IS YOUR ASSESSMENT OF THESE ELEMENTS IN THE CONTEMPORARY ART SYSTEM AND HOW THEY FUNCTION TODAY? HOW AND TO WHAT EXTENT ARE ARTISTS DEPENDENT ON THEM? ARE THEY OPEN TO CHANGE?

The studio. What is the artist's workplace today? What are the needs?

The curator. How active do artists want curators to be? The curator as a producer and assistant for the artist or the artist as an on-site producer for curators and institutions?

The exhibition. What are the effects of international group exhibitions? What new developments in exhibition making do artists want?

The institution. How do museums, kunsthallen and residency programmes interact with artists? How do institutions respond to change?

The market. To what extent does the selling of objects condition the economy of artists today?

The critic. How important is critical distance for artists?

The school. How are artists educated and how do they educate others? Should artists' work be considered analogous to other kinds of research?

WHAT ARE YOUR SUGGESTIONS FOR CHANGE IN THE CONTEMPORARY ART SYSTEM? WHAT NEW POSSIBILITIES DO YOU SEE?

Text by Anders Kreuger, Director at NIFCA in 1999