The course centres on the ecology of the contemporary art world. It explores feminist politics that crystallises in this ecology understood as a politically charged field. It explores feminist politics and practices that flash out there as situated theoretical propositions. Specifically, the course discusses practices and processes constitutive of the art world: facilitating, hosting, publishing, editing, curating, designing, managing an artist-led space, and collaborating.
The course discusses how theoretical feminisms inform critical social practices and overall ecologies of the art world in specific geopolitical contexts and how the art world practically presses back upon feminist theory. The course explicitly challenges the idea of an ‘ivory tower’ and detachment of feminist theory from other socially embedded critical practices; it pays close attention to existing synergies and discords between feminist theory and practices and the contemporary art world. What kind of politically, conceptually, and ethically enriching and challenging relations between feminism, feminist theory and the contemporary art world surface now? How are feminist theories practised in the milieu of contemporary art? How do feminist practices in contemporary arts nuance and challenge theoretical propositions? What type of knowledge and critique may emerge between the two?
The course engages with a range of feminist accounts that include the work of Kim Donaldson and Katve-Kaisa Kontturi, Taru Elfving, Alison Place, Ellen Lupton, Farah Kafei, Jennifer Tobias, Josh A. Halstead, Kaleena Sales, Leslie Xia, and Valentina Vergara, Moritz Grünke, Pascale Obolo, Michalis Pichler, Parfait Tabapsi, Eileen Cadman, Gail Chester, Agnes Pivot, Alex Martinis Roe, Trinh T. Minh-ha and María C. Lugones, among others.
Among the case studies are artist-led galleries, residencies, publishing, curatorial and other collaborative projects operating in Finland and Northern Europe. Their founders, curators, managers, editors and publishers are guest lecturers on the course.
No prior knowledge is required, but background in gender studies, cultural studies, feminist theory, art history, curatorial studies, or fine arts is a benefit. The course will be equally beneficial both for degree students and participants from outside of academia working in the field of contemporary arts.
- Opettaja
Anastasia Khodyreva