Theory of Knowledge - Course Companion for Students Marija Uzunova Dang Arvin Singh Uzunov Dang

ayodelepearce1
from ayodelepearce1 More from this publisher
21.11.2022 Views

artists, and art institutions, define asselectThe philosopher George Dickie expandedart.this idea by defining supplementaryuponroles such as critic, teacher, directorartworldcurator, among others. But, as Dr Sarahandargues, Dickie and Danto failed toHegenbartfor the massive influence that the artaccountand wealth, was asserting onthe artmarket,Increasingly, key artworks are beingworld.as investments, raising eye-wateringseenin specialist sales and sitting in thepricesand bank vaults of the super-rich. Thishomesof “art as investment” has the potentialviewredefine what art is and what it is for.todo we decide on the “value” of anHowwhen art institutions and expertsartworkit differently from the market? Whatvalueit mean to label those art institutionswouldare trying to resist higher valuationsthat“conservative”? What would it mean toaseconomic theory, the free market, in theInof state intervention and marketabsencearrives at the “right” price for a givenfailures,If the art market appears to be failing ingood.What are some of the tensions between1.members in the art worlddifferentartists, art critics, curators, art(audiences,art teachers and students, arthistorians,art uniquely well placed to express theIsand unspeakable? Can it be thoughtunspokenas a language that does what other languagesofcannot?function, why might this be, and whatthatfor valuing art exist? Somealternativeshave cautioned, for example, thatobserversart is used to transfer money out ofexpensivewithout paying tax, a practicecountriesas money laundering. This is greatlyknownby the anonymity of art workfacilitatedand the inherent difficulties oftransactionsart as opposed to, for example, avaluingFollow the link for one analysis by thehouse.terms: Has art marketSearchpartner in crimeunwitting(2019) suggests that curators, beingHegenbartremoved from the “capitalist spectacle”morehigh art (as opposed to artists, dealers andofinstitutions), function as more neutral orartgatekeepers, ensuring that works areobjectivefor artistic, rather than monetary,displayedBy virtue of their position as curatorsvalue.may also be better placed to influence,theythan merely reflect, the financial andrathervalues of their time.artisticart communities and so on) withdigitalto access to art?regardsWhose perspective has weight and should2.on the value of art? How would youmatterWhat are the different responsibilities of3.members of the art world withdifferenthave an abundance of artworks produced inWecontext of a problematic past. The painterthesculptor Titus Kaphar works at theandof art and history, reclaimingintersectioninto new narratives. In the linkedartworkstalk, Kaphar paints over a replica of aTEDII. PerspectivesII. PerspectivesNew York TimesNYTimesdescribe the art market as “commodified”?For ref lectionThe art world as a knowledgecommunitydecide?dealers, gallery owners, art magazines,respect to knowledge?II.3 Art as unspoken and unspeakabletruths17th-century painting that invokes the racial295

II. Perspectivesof the time, to draw attention todynamicsthat it intentionally downplays.elementsart is an amendment to history; he doesKaphar’serase or replace problematic historicalnotand representations, but invites us tonarrativesat them anew, paying attention to thelookthe overlooked characters, as a way ofmargins,to terms with the unspoken truths of acomingterms: Can art amendSearchKaphar TEDhistory?about how this reframing and shifting ofThinkin art could be done in your context.attentionshould art speak to history, and whatHowit say? Below, we consider how art todayshouldhelping to lift the shadows cast by colonialismiscenturies of African history, includingover2019 exhibition Caravans of Gold, FragmentsTheTime: Art, Culture and Exchange AcrossinSaharan Africa sought to reinstateMedievalAfrica’s global legacy. West Africa was notWestby colonists, as is frequently heard,“discovered”rather was a thriving, globally significantbutcentre in the medieval period,commercialthe 8th and 16th centuries, connectedbetweentrade networks with other regions as farthroughChina and the Alps.asis a very different legacy from the oneThisin most art and history museums evenpresentedThe arts of Africa are usually “positionedtoday.having been discovered … and folded intoasWestern art movements for the first timemajorthe late 19th and early 20th centuries” (SandyinBut the Caravans of Gold exhibition uses2019).history to shed light on “the story of theartAfrican cities and empires that werethrivingto the global medieval world”foundationalquoted in Sandy 2019). Fragments(Berzockthese ancient art works include Chineseoffound in Mali and a lost-wax cast madeporcelainAlpine copper found in Nigeria.of10past of slavery and racism.art history.Tada seated gure, Nigeria, late 13th–14th century,Figure 10.8a Virgin and child, France, circa 1275–1300,Figure 10.8bmade of coppermade of African ivory296

artists, and art institutions, define as

select

The philosopher George Dickie expanded

art.

this idea by defining supplementary

upon

roles such as critic, teacher, director

artworld

curator, among others. But, as Dr Sarah

and

argues, Dickie and Danto failed to

Hegenbart

for the massive influence that the art

account

and wealth, was asserting onthe art

market,

Increasingly, key artworks are being

world.

as investments, raising eye-watering

seen

in specialist sales and sitting in the

prices

and bank vaults of the super-rich. This

homes

of “art as investment” has the potential

view

redefine what art is and what it is for.

to

do we decide on the “value” of an

How

when art institutions and experts

artwork

it differently from the market? What

value

it mean to label those art institutions

would

are trying to resist higher valuations

that

“conservative”? What would it mean to

as

economic theory, the free market, in the

In

of state intervention and market

absence

arrives at the “right” price for a given

failures,

If the art market appears to be failing in

good.

What are some of the tensions between

1.

members in the art world

different

artists, art critics, curators, art

(audiences,

art teachers and students, art

historians,

art uniquely well placed to express the

Is

and unspeakable? Can it be thought

unspoken

as a language that does what other languages

of

cannot?

function, why might this be, and what

that

for valuing art exist? Some

alternatives

have cautioned, for example, that

observers

art is used to transfer money out of

expensive

without paying tax, a practice

countries

as money laundering. This is greatly

known

by the anonymity of art work

facilitated

and the inherent difficulties of

transactions

art as opposed to, for example, a

valuing

Follow the link for one analysis by the

house.

terms: Has art market

Search

partner in crime

unwitting

(2019) suggests that curators, being

Hegenbart

removed from the “capitalist spectacle”

more

high art (as opposed to artists, dealers and

of

institutions), function as more neutral or

art

gatekeepers, ensuring that works are

objective

for artistic, rather than monetary,

displayed

By virtue of their position as curators

value.

may also be better placed to influence,

they

than merely reflect, the financial and

rather

values of their time.

artistic

art communities and so on) with

digital

to access to art?

regards

Whose perspective has weight and should

2.

on the value of art? How would you

matter

What are the different responsibilities of

3.

members of the art world with

different

have an abundance of artworks produced in

We

context of a problematic past. The painter

the

sculptor Titus Kaphar works at the

and

of art and history, reclaiming

intersection

into new narratives. In the linked

artworks

talk, Kaphar paints over a replica of a

TED

II. Perspectives

II. Perspectives

New York Times

NYTimes

describe the art market as “commodified”?

For ref lection

The art world as a knowledge

community

decide?

dealers, gallery owners, art magazines,

respect to knowledge?

II.3 Art as unspoken and unspeakable

truths

17th-century painting that invokes the racial

295

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!