PLACE Program

PLACE 2 minute E-Newsletter
College of Fine Arts, University of New Mexico

This week’s topic: RELATIONAL AESTHETICS ? the you ? the me ? the WE of community arts engagement around the world.
Relational aesthetics is an emerging art movement identified by the French philosopher Nicolas Bourriaud. He noticed an increasing interest in collapsing the distance between artist and audience, creation and reception. Relational art incorporates performative and interactive techniques that rely on the responses of the observer, who becomes an active participant in the artistic production. In 1998, Bourriaud brought together his many essays on this movement in the book Relational Aesthetics.
For more information about relational aesthetics, link to:
http://place.unm.edu/relational_art.html
To read an interview with Nicolas Bourriard, link to:
http://www.boiler.odessanet/english/raz1/n1r1s02.htm.

If it’s still hard to imagine how this all might work in practice, we have a great opportunity for you to experience relational art for yourself! We invite you to participate in a guided community performance TOMORROW with renowned relational artist Petra Kuppers. On Tuesday, April 12th, Petra and community members will be collaborating together between 11am and 2pm at UNM’s Duck Pond to create the evolving performance Rising. Artist Heather Alvarez will contribute improvisational opera vocals, and we hope that CFA students and faculty, VSA resident artists, and random passerby will all participate in this exciting, impromptu event. The event is free of charge and open to all. Drop in anytime ? we look forward to seeing you tomorrow!
To learn more about Petra Kuppers and her work, link to:
http://bryant2.bryant.edu/~pkuppers

In relational art, the artist is no longer at the center. The artist, instead, is the catalyst for an encounter and the resulting relational interaction. They kick-start a question, frame a point of consideration, or highlight an everyday moment. And then, they wait. They wait for a response from the random stranger, the passerby, the usual suspect?you and me.
To check out some relational art practices, link to:
http://www.headlands.org/Programs/swaine_06_2003.shtml
http://www.commonground.org.uk/cmap.html
http://www.sharrowencounters.co.uk/

Although relational art activities can and do take place in traditional art institutions (museums, performance centers, etc), relational art practices are all around us. Much of the activity is happening outside of the traditional institutional channels that alert us to an event, a fashion, or celebrity. Since relational arts practices operate in different places and spaces than what we have been trained to seek out, we encourage you to do your own investigation. Explore the internet for relational art that either uses the internet to document and report relational activity or uses the internet as its relational form for activity. And let us know what you find ? we are always looking for exciting links to share with others and add to our website.

*To unsubscribe from this listserve email place@unm.edu and put "UNsubscribe" in the subject.

Ramsey Lofton, Community Education Supervisor
PLACE Program
Partnership Learning through Art, Culture and the Environment
Tel: 277-6574 / Email: place@unm.edu
http://place.unm.edu