Rethinking Art as Social Practice
May 15-17, 2008
> > > > R E G I S T E R for the conference
Interventionist practices use interruptions to question norms by using humor, surprise, and unusual associations to overturn assumptions about the world. Such practices work within societal structures to re-examine set ideas, subvert norms, map hidden systems and allow us to see and think in new ways.
The University of California Santa Cruz will host a three-day conference and month long series of interventionist exhibitions entitled Intervene! Interrupt! Rethinking Art as Social Practice in May 2008. A series of exhibitions featuring the work of participating artists will run concurrently with the conference, hosted by: the Art department and the Sesnon Gallery at UCSC; the LAB, San Francisco; and the Institute of Contemporary Art, San Jose. Interruptions will foster exchange between scholars, innovative regional and international artists and curators, through panel presentations, performances and indoor and outdoor exhibitions. There will be a Wikipedia dedicated to real-time collaboration and exchange between participants. The conference will generate a publication documenting the scholarly and artistic work emerging from this event.
Our press release (pdf) is available for immediate distribution.
Conference dates at UCSC: May 15, 16, 17th 2008
Sesnon Exhibition dates: April 16 - May 17
The LAB Exhibition dates: May 1 - May 24
ICA San Jose Exhibition dates: March 28th- May17th
Special VPS Seminar at UCSC: May 14
Each day of the conference will be organized around one of the following themes, these themes will also be reflected in the interventions exhibitions:
Day 1: Interruption of Hierarchies: the academy and the gallery
How do the academy and the gallery impact interventionist art practices?
Day 2: Art and Life: Life and Art
An examination of the role of art in creating community
Day 3: Subversive Complicity: community, protest and resistance
Exploring the artist’s role as critic in global capitalism and local politics
