Spaces of experience - Participatory practice In Irish contemporary art

Abstract

This dissertation is concerned with participatory art within Irish contemporary art. I identify and investigate the key issues surrounding this topic, namely how this participatory art deals with audience, how curation has changed with the emergence of this practice, participatory art as public art and the nature of collaboration within this kind of work. I investigate these issues with reference to the philosophical concepts of emancipated spectatorship and the distribution of the sensible by Jacques Ranciere and the idea of the being singular plural of Jean-Luc Nancy. The works explored, in all bar the first chapter have been personally experienced, and the empirical research gathered from these experiences form a large part of my analysis of the topic. The research was also carried out through a series of interviews with artists, curators, philosophers and gallery and studio owners. This dissertation investigates what participatory art is in the context of Irish art practice, what the consequences of this practice are and the fundamental issues within it. It raises questions about the nature and purpose of the art object, the role of curation and the curatorial in participatory art practice. It also investigates the impermanent nature of participatory art, and what this means for the practice. Above all, this thesis analyses the collaborative aspect of participatory art, and proposes the idea of a practice based on collaboration and exchange.