E-Book Overview
In art theory, as in cultural life generally, there has a long been tension between theory and artistic practice. The desire to resolve these tensions has been a principal impulse shaping artistic work and criticism over the last century. The last decade has seen the emergence of a broad, interdisciplinary body of theoretical work with a distinctive relationship to artistic practice, providing a common reference in artworks to the principles and vocabularies of theory.
The sixteen essays in this collection were originally presented at an international conference entitled `Art as Theory / Theory and Art,' held at the University of Ottawa in late 1991. The contributors - critics, curators, and practising artists from Canada, the United States, Europe, and Australia, look at the current relationships between theory and practice in the fields of art, communication, and cultural studies from a wide range of viewpoints. Areas of interest include the institutionalization of theory, theories of vision, gender theory and feminist positions, and theory in a post-colonial context. This volume answers some important new questions about the points of intersection between theory and visual art.
E-Book Content
THEORY RULES
THEORY RULES ART AS THEORY / THEORY AND ART EDITED BY JODY BERLAND, WILL STRAW AND DAVID TOMAS YYZ BOOKS AND
UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO PRESS TORONTO BUFFALO LONDON
THEORY
RULES
© Y Y Z Books 1996 Toronto A co-publication with University of Toronto Press Incorporated Toronto Buffalo London Canadian Cataloguing in Publication Data Main entry under title: Theory Rules: art as theory/theory and art Papers printed at a conference Art as Theory/theory and art held at the University of Ottawa, Nov. 29-30, Dec. 1, 1991. ISBN 0-8020-0707-4 (hardcover) ISBN 0-8020-7657-2 (paperback) 1. Arts - Philosophy - Congresses 2. Art criticism - Congresses. I. Berland, Jody. II. Straw, Will. III. Tomas, David G. (David Georges), 1950BH39.T54 1995
700M
C95 931750-3
YYZ Books acknowledges the generous assistance of the Canada Council, Special Projects, Visual Arts to this publication. YYZ Books also receives operational funding from the Canada Council, Ontario Arts Council, the City of Toronto through the Toronto Arts Council, and the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto, Cultural Affairs Division. University of Toronto Press acknowledges the financial assistance to its publishing program of the Canada Council and the Ontario Arts Council.
CONTENTS
3
Introduction: The Art as Theory / Theory and Art Conference Jody Berlandy Will Straw, David Tomas
PART 1: C O N T E X T
23
Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered Will Straw
33
Back to the Future: The Sequel Thierry de Duve
57
Theorizing Culturalism: From Cultural Policies to Identity Politics and Back Virginia R. Dominguez
79
In Defence of the Realm: Public Controversy and the Apologetics of Art Kevin Dowler
101
What Counts as Culture? Jamelie Hassan
115
The Writing on the Wall Barbara Harlow
PART 2: I D E N T I T I E S
133 Bodies of Theory, Bodies of Pain: Some Silences Jody Berland
157
Imitating Authorities: Theory, Gender, and Photographic Discourse Elizabeth Seaton
177
The Exclusions of Theory: Feminist Ambivalence in Art Practice and Criticism Janet Wolff
PART 3: V I S I O N S
195
An Identity in Crisis: The Artist and New Technologies David Tomas
223
Spectatorship in Cyberspace: The Global Embrace Janine Marchessault
243
The Sublime: The Limits of Vision and the Inflation of Commentary Olivier Asselin
257
Introduction, Dissemination, and Education: