Relational Aesthetics, - Thinking about the graduate show (approximately 12 weeks to go)!

Nicholas Bourriaud wrote in his book "Relational Aesthetics" (English translation 2002) published by Les Presses du Reel, Paris, he discusses how artistic activity "is a game whose forms, patterns and functions develop and evolve according to periods and social contexts; it is not an immutable essence." I have taken from this quotation the complete aspect that Prof Swindell's has regularly reminded us, in that nowadays, artistic practice, in itself is a performance.

Whilst Bourriaud's book explores the notion that art is no longer revolving around an aesthetic judgement, but has entered a modern political arena, which, like Walter Benjamin famously stated, (back in the 1940s in The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction), suggests that Modern Art (as it was then), was looking to suggest not only politics but further modern rationalism;  However, in this new Millenium, it is now exploring, (just as politics still does), new models of social cultural and philosophical paradigms.

There is also the discussion that artworks now perform a function as a social interstice, and what is meant by that is the theory that human interactions, whilst located in our everyday existence and social transactions, instead of the former hypothesis that art provided a semiotic engagement unique with each individual viewer.

Conclusions;

• Relational Aesthetics (the book) needs to be explored and digested in much more detail and I will review Bourriaud's writings critically in plenty of time before my main exhibition.
• I will, therefore, set time aside to study this over the next few weeks.