Coordinators:

Sophie Berrebi and Marie Aude Baronian

Participants:

Marie­‐Aude Baronian, Sophie Berrebi, Catherine Lord, Camiel van Winkel

Description of the research programme of the Research group

This research project brings together scholars and writers that engage in dialogue with objects of visual culture, which they construe as "theoretical acts". This involves working with objects that inspire and challenge theory while remaining intimately engaged with them. The object in visual culture is a privileged site that allows artists and designers to explore the dialectical relationship between artistic autonomy and political, social and cultural engagement. Foregrounding the role of designers and artists, we wish to elaborate critical perspectives on a diversity of contemporary design and artistic practices including the creative industries. The focus of the research rests upon objects that simultaneously emerge from specific creative practices (e.g. photography, film, architecture, fashion) and open up viewpoints on our today visual culture. We will question the world views developed by artists and designers and confront creative/artistic objects and their modes of presentation and production.

Envisaged results

Books and articles, thematic exhibitions, expert meetings, workshops, funding applications, lecture series. Several of these will be developed in close collaborations with cultural institutions in the Netherlands and abroad.

Work plan and time schedule

While each member of the group is individually engaged in specific projects (including exhibitions and publications) we will meet on a regular basis to share results and develop collective discursive projects.

Societal relevance

Recently the government has invited certain cultural institutions (most notably the New Institute in Rotterdam) to focus their attention to the creative industries. Our project wishes to accompany this focus by providing a critical reflection that problematizes the nature, the role and the practices of the creative industries in the here and now.

This group belongs to the following constellations: