Who & What Belongs in Art Worlds? (Cont’d)Who & What Belongs in Art Worlds? (Cont’d)

Yinka Shonibare Yinka Shonibare Diary of Diary of a Victorian Dandy 14:00 a Victorian Dandy 14:00 hours, hours, C-type print 1998C-type print 1998

Artist’s Discourse (example)Artist’s Discourse (example)

Videoclip: Excerpt from Cai Guo-Qiang interview: Videoclip: Excerpt from Cai Guo-Qiang interview: Art:21(Art in the 21st Art:21(Art in the 21st Century) Century) PBSPBS

Olympic Ceremony Controversy (enhancement of Guo-Qiangs’s Olympic Ceremony Controversy (enhancement of Guo-Qiangs’s Footprints of Footprints of History” History” firework performance firework performance

http://blog.art21.org/2008/08/22/cai-guo-qiang-responds-to-olympics-fireworks-controversy/

Today’s Class Session ScheduleToday’s Class Session Schedule

Continue Discussion of Artists as a “social type” Continue Discussion of Artists as a “social type” or “category” (very important in cultural & or “category” (very important in cultural & economy policy studies now) and identity issues economy policy studies now) and identity issues in classification regimesin classification regimes

Presentation of Selected Readings:Presentation of Selected Readings: Nicholas Perrin (Menger)Nicholas Perrin (Menger) Megan Robertson (Megan Robertson (

Recall—Last Day: Conceptual & practical problems in studying artists & artistic careers

Recall—Last Day: Conceptual & practical problems in studying artists & artistic careers

Establishing criteria for locating, identifying artistsEstablishing criteria for locating, identifying artists ““Irrationality” of choices (P-M. Menger)Irrationality” of choices (P-M. Menger)

Ex. Choosing poorer pay for more prestigious roles as an actorEx. Choosing poorer pay for more prestigious roles as an actor Precarity & uncertainty of artistic careersPrecarity & uncertainty of artistic careers In modern times -- clash between notions ofIn modern times -- clash between notions of

career (regularities, patterns ) career (regularities, patterns ) artistic recognition (singularities, unique, break with past)artistic recognition (singularities, unique, break with past) The ‘triple game’ of contemporary art (transgressions of The ‘triple game’ of contemporary art (transgressions of

boundaries of what is art , rejection by public, integration by arts boundaries of what is art , rejection by public, integration by arts professionals)—(Nathalie Heinich)professionals)—(Nathalie Heinich)

Changing views about values of art can lead to changes in the status of the artist, artwork & the social institutions & publics that support them

Changing views about values of art can lead to changes in the status of the artist, artwork & the social institutions & publics that support them

Beaune Beaune Altarpiece

PBS jazz series by Ken BurnsPBS jazz series by Ken Burns

Examples of establishing Examples of establishing “cannons” through testimony “cannons” through testimony of “experts” (ex. critics, “of “experts” (ex. critics, “stars”, ”, fans) and changing shape of fans) and changing shape of artformsartforms

Unique artists, unique art works (individual) vs. social construction of art/artists (Zolberg)

Unique artists, unique art works (individual) vs. social construction of art/artists (Zolberg)

Example: Problem of Example: Problem of Multiples Multiples negotiating artistic values in negotiating artistic values in

context of new technologies context of new technologies new ways of thinking about new ways of thinking about

connections between the artwork connections between the artwork and the “aura” of the artistand the “aura” of the artist

Walter Benjamin-- “work of art Walter Benjamin-- “work of art in the age of mechanical in the age of mechanical reproduction”reproduction”

Ways of Studying Artists & Arts professionalsWays of Studying Artists & Arts professionals

““Are Artists Born or made?”Are Artists Born or made?”

Theories about artists’ careersTheories about artists’ careers1.1.labor of lovelabor of love (art for art’s sake) argument (Elliot Friedson) (art for art’s sake) argument (Elliot Friedson)

de-emphasizes income de-emphasizes income Arendt’s notions of labour (alienating but necessary) vs. work (creative vocation)Arendt’s notions of labour (alienating but necessary) vs. work (creative vocation)

2.2.artists & arts professionals as risk-lovers, gamblersartists & arts professionals as risk-lovers, gamblers satisfaction proportionate to degree of uncertainty of successsatisfaction proportionate to degree of uncertainty of success

3. 3. Dual reward systemDual reward systemmonetary & non-monetary (psychic) gratificationmonetary & non-monetary (psychic) gratification

4. Other—couldn’t do anything else4. Other—couldn’t do anything else

Formal training IssuesFormal training Issues

qualifications—non-routine qualifications—non-routine activities depend on skills not activities depend on skills not easily transmitted or certified by easily transmitted or certified by a training systema training system impact of schooling on impact of schooling on

earnings smaller than other earnings smaller than other professional groupsprofessional groups

mentoring/apprenticeshipsmentoring/apprenticeships job matching (leaning-by-doing job matching (leaning-by-doing

process)process) occupational risk diversificationoccupational risk diversification

Problems using “income” as a way of identifying for artists & arts professionalsProblems using “income” as a way of identifying for artists & arts professionals

Irregular incomes, seasonal Irregular incomes, seasonal variations, self-emplomentvariations, self-emploment public sources (subsidies, commissions, public sources (subsidies, commissions,

sponsorship)sponsorship) ““privatization” (sales of services or works)privatization” (sales of services or works) transfer income from other employment transfer income from other employment

(multiple job holding)(multiple job holding) personal (family, friends)personal (family, friends)

Careers in the arts and rationality of risk management (Menger)Careers in the arts and rationality of risk management (Menger)

““rational behaviour model” rational behaviour model” but artistic careers are riskybut artistic careers are risky

high level of income inequalityhigh level of income inequality high chance of “failure” high chance of “failure” impermanence of artistic work, self-employmentimpermanence of artistic work, self-employment amibiguity of transition from training to work (skills)amibiguity of transition from training to work (skills) careers advance through recurrent & nonrecurrent work (non-careers advance through recurrent & nonrecurrent work (non-

routine work)routine work)

Criteria used in classifying art & artistsCriteria used in classifying art & artists

““aura” of the artist aura” of the artist Characteristics of Characteristics of

the art form and genrethe art form and genre audience/public (notion of audience/public (notion of

consecrationconsecration)) Publics or audiences Publics or audiences

“highbrow/lowbrow” “highbrow/lowbrow” tastestastes

arts organizations, arts organizations, networks associated with networks associated with different art worldsdifferent art worlds

Mediation & “Support Structures” & Publics as factors in recognition & art-making

Mediation & “Support Structures” & Publics as factors in recognition & art-making

Arts worlds Arts worlds include all the people involved in art-include all the people involved in art-making ?????making ?????

Cooperative links through shared conventions ???Cooperative links through shared conventions ??? how participants how participants

““draw lines” and what art worlds dodraw lines” and what art worlds do Mobilize resources (material resources, training Mobilize resources (material resources, training

personnel, networks, organizations)personnel, networks, organizations) Develop Distribution Systems and distinctionsDevelop Distribution Systems and distinctions

Who Belongs in Art Worlds?Arts Occupations, Institutions, Networks (continued) & Mediation (Gatekeepers, Facilitators)

Who Belongs in Art Worlds?Arts Occupations, Institutions, Networks (continued) & Mediation (Gatekeepers, Facilitators)

Source: V. Alexander Sociology of the Arts…(2003), p. 63.

Participants in art worlds --Participants in art worlds --

Mediators

Creators/artists

Audiences/publics/consumers

art

Who Belongs to Art Worlds?Who Belongs to Art Worlds?

Life Drawing Class, Bocour Paintmaking Studio NYC, c. 1942

c.

Production of Culture Perspective (Peterson, Anand)Production of Culture Perspective (Peterson, Anand)

How culture “shaped by systems in which it is created, How culture “shaped by systems in which it is created, distributed, evaluated, taught, preserved”distributed, evaluated, taught, preserved”

Culture not a mirror of societyCulture not a mirror of society Focus onFocus on

Expressive aspects of cultureExpressive aspects of culture Processes of symbol productionProcesses of symbol production Analysis of organizations, occupations, networks, Analysis of organizations, occupations, networks,

communitiescommunities ComparisonsComparisons

In situated studies of specific cultural forms and changes In situated studies of specific cultural forms and changes in themin them

Six Facet Model of Production Six Facet Model of Production

TechnologyTechnology Law and regulationLaw and regulation Industry structure or fieldIndustry structure or field Organizational structure of dominating Organizational structure of dominating

organizatinsorganizatins Occupational careersOccupational careers MarketsMarkets

Uses of the “Production Perspective”Uses of the “Production Perspective”

Organizational ResearchOrganizational Research theories of management theories of management institutional decision-making institutional decision-making

processes/logicsprocesses/logics Networks of productionNetworks of production Resource partitioning patternsResource partitioning patterns

Studies of Informal RelationsStudies of Informal Relations Links between Class and Culture (ex. Links between Class and Culture (ex.

univore/omnivore)univore/omnivore) Resistance & appropriationResistance & appropriation Fabricating authenticityFabricating authenticity

Peterson on Country MusicPeterson on Country Music

How do mediators (record producers) choose artists to promote?How do mediators (record producers) choose artists to promote? Authenticity, originality, distinctivenessAuthenticity, originality, distinctiveness Transformation of field of country music from 1923-1953Transformation of field of country music from 1923-1953 Process of Process of institutionalizationinstitutionalization Identified audienceIdentified audience

AuthenticityAuthenticity

Paradox of creating authenticity artificially?Paradox of creating authenticity artificially? Socially-agreed upon idea (social construction of Socially-agreed upon idea (social construction of

reality– through shared values & practices)reality– through shared values & practices) History of country music (a revolt that became a History of country music (a revolt that became a

style)style) Artificial notion of the ‘unchanged’ past– Artificial notion of the ‘unchanged’ past– hillbilly hillbilly

musicmusic (poor rural white Southerners) (poor rural white Southerners) Early distain of this type of music because of its Early distain of this type of music because of its

association with hillbilly cultureassociation with hillbilly culture Evolution of terminology (to country and western)Evolution of terminology (to country and western)

Mediation in the Production of Culture PerspectiveMediation in the Production of Culture Perspective

How law, technology, careers, markets, How law, technology, careers, markets, organizational structure shape culture (in this organizational structure shape culture (in this case a form of cultural expression called case a form of cultural expression called ‘country music’)‘country music’)

notion of social production of culture (shared notion of social production of culture (shared values, practices etc.)values, practices etc.)

Emergence of differentiated roles in the Emergence of differentiated roles in the field of field of cultural productioncultural production (manager, talent agent etc.) (manager, talent agent etc.)

Critiques of Peterson’s Production of Culture PerspectiveCritiques of Peterson’s Production of Culture Perspective

Ignores or de-emphasizesIgnores or de-emphasizes ““uniqueness” of art to research constructed nature uniqueness” of art to research constructed nature

of collective representations, valuesof collective representations, values roles of fans and consumers in shaping cultural roles of fans and consumers in shaping cultural

products products meanings of cultural productionmeanings of cultural production power relationspower relations

Participants in Mediation ProcessesParticipants in Mediation Processes

Gatekeepers vs. facilitators : types vary with art Gatekeepers vs. facilitators : types vary with art form and genres form and genres Ex. Diana Crane on proponents of Avant-Garde ArtEx. Diana Crane on proponents of Avant-Garde Art

Examples of types of “mediators” (between creators and publics): Examples of types of “mediators” (between creators and publics): book publishers, record companies, film distribution networks, art book publishers, record companies, film distribution networks, art gallery owners, booking agents, critics, reviewers for media, museum gallery owners, booking agents, critics, reviewers for media, museum curators, sometimes even fans or fan clubs, etc…curators, sometimes even fans or fan clubs, etc…

Characteristics of the Mediators & Artistic ValuesCharacteristics of the Mediators & Artistic Values

MediationMediation as a way of conferring as a way of conferring statusstatus The role of critics and other The role of critics and other

gatekeepers in recognition gatekeepers in recognition processes, examples:processes, examples: Shrum– emergence of Fringe Shrum– emergence of Fringe

Festivals as a performing arts Festivals as a performing arts genregenre when critics begin to review itwhen critics begin to review it

Change in status ofChange in status of Graffiti Graffiti and and recognition by artistsrecognition by artists

Institutional forms & legitimation Institutional forms & legitimation practicespractices Status of “Venues”, status of artistsStatus of “Venues”, status of artists Not-for-profit and for-profit models Not-for-profit and for-profit models

& differences in socio-cultural & differences in socio-cultural status (DiMaggio)status (DiMaggio)

Super Bowl XXXVIII, Halftime show, 2004

Mediators & Position in Field of Artistic “production” Mediators & Position in Field of Artistic “production”

Former emphasis on control, Former emphasis on control, domination, social “reproduction”domination, social “reproduction” Social origins and established formulas or Social origins and established formulas or

genresgenres Hegemony & cultural industriesHegemony & cultural industries Cultural things as mirrors of underlying Cultural things as mirrors of underlying

structures (functionalism, Marxism)structures (functionalism, Marxism) New theories– more dynamicNew theories– more dynamic

Symbolic exchange, interactionSymbolic exchange, interaction Neo-institutionalism &”production of Neo-institutionalism &”production of

culture approach” (Peterson, DiMaggio)culture approach” (Peterson, DiMaggio)

BUT--Persistence of hierarchical BUT--Persistence of hierarchical models, commercial measures models, commercial measures (commodification etc.)(commodification etc.)

Barry Gordy in Hitsville recording studio, Detroit (Motown)

Planning Short Assignments and Class PresentationsPlanning Short Assignments and Class Presentations Discussion of reading assignments and Discussion of reading assignments and

ideas for topics for case studiesideas for topics for case studies

Note to Users of these Outlines--Note to Users of these Outlines--

not all material covered in class appears on these outlines-- not all material covered in class appears on these outlines-- important examples, demonstrations and discussions aren’t important examples, demonstrations and discussions aren’t written down here.written down here.

Classes are efficient ways communicating information and Classes are efficient ways communicating information and provide you will an opportunity for regular learning. provide you will an opportunity for regular learning. These outlines are provided as a study aid not a These outlines are provided as a study aid not a replacement for classes.replacement for classes.