TWO VALUES AND A VARIABLE (collaborative exhibition in Fundació Cultural Coll Bardolet, Valldemossa, Mallorca, Spain)
According to Nicolas Bourriaud, the art critic who coined the concept of relational aesthetic, the history of art can be defined according to a society’s concerns towards the political, social and philosophical framework of the time. This can be seen in Caravaggio’s paintings (15711610) where light/shadow and death/life were seen as crucial themes; or in the works of Jackson Pollock (19121956) whose selfexpression and rupture of established art norms represented a more liberal America.
Two values and a variable explores the process of adaptation in a world where roots and customs coexist with globalisation. We live in a moment of great technical development, with the freedom of information, the privatisation of natural resources and a new perception of time and space. However, we are also surrounded by social inequality and massive migrations, with their consequent cultural clash. The coexistence of new and old, of yours and mine, has become part of our daily life. Where is this taking us? Should we carry all our baggage or let it go?
The study of social interactions is an exciting new field of investigation. Not only are we constantly projecting an image of ourselves though profiles in the social media, but we are also interacting through them. It makes sense, therefore, for contemporary art to explore this new medium of communication through participatory art. Despite this artistic discipline having emerged in the ’60s, it seems that it is now more relevant than ever, either as therapy to our recent alienation or as opposition to this new regime. The response from the public and critics is ambiguous and for years has lacked support. Bourriaud recognises this fact and argues that “Anything that cannot be sold will inevitably vanish” (1998).
What happens when art coexists with an era captivated by change? Should its role be to reflect or to leave a mark? Should it look forward or backwards? Forget or remember? Could it even be both?
1998, BOURRIAUD N. Relational Aesthetics, Les Presses De Reel edition.
2013, BONNIN N. Where do Participatory Art Practices Stand within today’s society?
