Conflict Transformation Art, Booklet 2, Volume 2, PhD 2015 (original) (raw)
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Conflict Transformation Art, Booklet 1, Volume 2, PhD, 2015
Public Works Project, Documenting Practice Conflict Transformation Art Practice Led Research examining the role of socially engaged art in resisting urban segregation, using Nicosia Cyprus as a case study Evanthia Tselika, Birkbeck College, University of London Through this practice led research I argue the emergence of conflict transformation art as a practice that was developed through the applied exploration of the role of socially engaged art in segregated urban environments, using Nicosia, Cyprus as a case study. The emerging method was enabled through three projects which demonstrated that in Nicosia social art practice in relation to urban segregation is shaped by conflict resolution art due to the condition of Nicosia as an ethno-nationally divided city. Conflict transformation art is distinct to conflict resolution art as it moves beyond the element of peace-building and ethno-national divisions. As a method of practice it highlights elements of conflict, difference, citizenship, and representation and it addresses these through an arts practice which focuses on dialogical, pedagogical and situational structures. This practice led research project reflects through the conflict transformation art model on how difference is handled within the urban environment and argues that if we are to resist segregation, conflict must be accepted as an inherent part of human relations, and contexts must be created so that differences and antagonisms are addressed. This critical method of working was built from the bottom up through the organic nature of the practice led research process and it resists imposed orders that destroy the complexity of the city and which try to impose a structure of segregation, be that ethnic, racial, cultural, economic, religious or ideological. I chose to conduct my research through a place where the models of what has prevailed as a socially engaged art methodology are largely absent. Due to this I hope that it provides an alternative narrative to the prevailing Northern European and Northern American debates of how social publics become involved through the arts.
Conflict Transformation Art, Booklet 3, Volume 2, PhD, 2015
Sinikismoi Project, Documenting Practice Conflict Transformation Art Practice Led Research examining the role of socially engaged art in resisting urban segregation, using Nicosia Cyprus as a case study Evanthia Tselika, Birkbeck College, University of London Through this practice led research I argue the emergence of conflict transformation art as a practice that was developed through the applied exploration of the role of socially engaged art in segregated urban environments, using Nicosia, Cyprus as a case study. The emerging method was enabled through three projects which demonstrated that in Nicosia social art practice in relation to urban segregation is shaped by conflict resolution art due to the condition of Nicosia as an ethno-nationally divided city. Conflict transformation art is distinct to conflict resolution art as it moves beyond the element of peace-building and ethno-national divisions. As a method of practice it highlights elements of conflict, difference, citizenship, and representation and it addresses these through an arts practice which focuses on dialogical, pedagogical and situational structures. This practice led research project reflects through the conflict transformation art model on how difference is handled within the urban environment and argues that if we are to resist segregation, conflict must be accepted as an inherent part of human relations, and contexts must be created so that differences and antagonisms are addressed. This critical method of working was built from the bottom up through the organic nature of the practice led research process and it resists imposed orders that destroy the complexity of the city and which try to impose a structure of segregation, be that ethnic, racial, cultural, economic, religious or ideological. I chose to conduct my research through a place where the models of what has prevailed as a socially engaged art methodology are largely absent. Due to this I hope that it provides an alternative narrative to the prevailing Northern European and Northern American debates of how social publics become involved through the arts.
Visual Studies, 2018
is a visual arts researcher, producer and educator. She is an assistant professor and programme coordinator of the Fine Art programme, University of Nicosia. Her practice-led research is focused on the role of conflict in relation to socially engaged art practices within segregated urban contexts. She has extended research and practical experience in curatorial and pedagogical art practices and her work focuses on conflict-related contemporary art practices, dialogical structures and socially engaged art, and contemporary methods of art pedagogy within the context of divided cities. She has worked, exhibited and collaborated with various galleries and museums in
Across, Against, and Beside: the (pre)positions of art practices in the social realm
How do artists think through, incorporate and perform politics in their work? Internationally, activist and socially engaged artists approach this question by positioning their practices within localities and contexts in an effort to understand mutual influence of art and society at large. For the purpose of this paper, I will look into two theories that suggest different forms of agencies. The first is the idea of transversal concatenation, which is argued by the Austrian theorist Gerald Raunig in his 2007 book "Art and Revolution"; the second is the recuperation of the artistic avant-garde project, which the Canadian independent scholar Marc James Léger contends is integral to unifying a left that is fractured by difference politics. The analysis of the two serves as a starting point for my own interest in Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick's challenge to think "beside", through which I intend to proffer an understanding of socially engaged art through a queer and feminist lens that foregrounds the entanglement of body/brain/world (Blackman, 2012, p.1). This brings me to an analysis of failure and orientation that demonstrates the queerly productive negativity of activist forms of art practice.
Introduction: Contemporary Arts Across Political Divides: Difficult Conversations
2023
This volume presents an extensive array of examples drawn from diverse disciplines and regions worldwide. These examples share a common thread of interest in fostering participation, agonism, and the potential for "possibilizing" – the concept of fostering equitable interactions that facilitate the creation of complex imaginaries and the envisagement of agonistic coexistence through artistic processes, dissemination, and observation. The discourse within centers on the dialogical attributes of art, prioritizing them over the establishment of a predetermined aesthetic-political praxis. Contributors to this volume encompass a spectrum of roles, including social activists, museum professionals, art historians, and practitioners of collaborative art. Their collective objective revolves around outlining strategies for engaging with art within regions marked by pronounced political divisions. Timely inquiries are posed concerning the capacity of art to orchestrate challenging conversations, establish connections, and devise methodologies conducive to urgent political retorts. Can contemporary art effectively transcend political schisms and progress toward fostering democratic social interaction, openness, and contingency? How might artists contribute to the comprehension of agonistic encounters within urban public spaces? Amidst the escalating influence of regressive forces such as nationalism, racism, and misogyny worldwide, can artworks reciprocate and counterbalance these trends? As the self-contained realm of art steadily diminishes, artists face the task of crafting new frameworks that enable the articulation of a political aesthetic through democratic dialogue. This collective book delves into the potential for artists to recontextualize their work, thereby establishing platforms wherein a political aesthetic can flourish and contribute to democratic discourse.
ART BEYOND BORDERS: THE DEVELOPMENT OF A COMMUNITY
This research combines qualitatively based ethnographic methods with contemporary urban anthropological theory in order to analyze how art has been conducive to the economic and cultural development of Hillcrest, a community in the center of San Diego, California. This area, which is known as a lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community, is also known for its numerous artistic and cultural events and activities. The goal of this research is to investigate this phenomenon and its effects on surrounding areas. The first stage of the project involves social mapping, the analysis of historical and demographic data, and the collection of initial ethnographic data through personal interviews with artists and venue operators. Preliminary results indicate that while Census data delineate clear geographic boundaries, the social borders of the community are not nearly as static, and in fact are continually changing and affecting surrounding areas. Social mapping and cultural analysis of these borders and overlapping communities provide glimpses into the development patterns of an ideologically-based, minority community, as well as how information is exchanged between the LGBT community and outlying areas. These kinds of data can be used to predict future urban growth patterns, as well as how minority communities develop cohesive networks and economies. Furthermore, studying how art works as an expression and indicator of urban growth and development may enable us to better understand how the cultivation of theater and other arts can be actively used to improve or transform a particular area.
Journal of the Canadian Association for Curriculum Studies, 2012
This special issue is the culmination of a conversation that began over a year ago, when the three of us sat down to map out the intellectual trajectory for the 2012 Pre-Conference of the Canadian Association for Curriculum Studies (CACS). Our theme, "Art in Times of Conflict", explores the significance of the aesthetic realm for teaching and learning about conflict. Following on the tradition of previous CACS preconferences, we imagined an intimate gathering that would bring together a community of educational scholars for intense thought, debate and dialogue. In this regard, the conference did not disappoint, and it is our hope that the papers gathered together in this issue, many of which were presented at that meeting, reflect the depth and breadth of these explorations. By way of contributing to the debates in curriculum studies in Canada, we have two desires for this issue. The first revolves around a