Blog 1: Participatory Art, Definition and Reflection
Participatory art is an approach to making art which engages public participation, where the audience takes an active role in the production or presentation of the artwork. This can take many forms, including interactive exhibits, performances, and workshops.
Today’s participatory art is often at pains to emphasise process over a definitive image, concept or object. It tends to value what is invisible: a group dynamic, a social situation, a change of energy, a raised consciousness. As a result, it is an art dependent on first-hand experience, and preferably over a long duration (Bishop, 2012). Ultimately this gives the audience an opportunity to foster a sense of community, inspire people to think about and interact with the artwork in new ways or learn information and techniques they can take. This form of art allows the audience to become co-authors, editors and observers of the work showing a clear link between the explicit intention of the artist with their action or emotion. It is also frequently used for social or political activism.
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Participatory art can be categorised into three models. The first is the cohesive model illustrated by the community of Monte Verita. This is expected within a community, education or a large audience. It involves the artist inviting an audience to participate in an activity or creating a product.
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The second model is the political and critical model; this was the work in activist groups of the 1980s-1990s. The model doesn’t seek to make a cohesive bond between people but attempts to address an objective situation that needs to be rethought.
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Finally, The third model, the experimental model, contains various surrealist groups and their dissidents, all artist collaborations whose goal is to work together according to a specific principle or rule. ‘This entails neither intense cohesion between their members nor the critique of a specific object.’ (Bianchini et al., 2016)
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The second and final model can occur with or without the artist present; for instance, a participant could replace the artist, or the piece can flow from a set of instructions along with objects or materials left by the artist. These three groups were made to distinguish between the different techniques and methods of audience involvement but are still classed as participatory art. Artists should understand how to connect people to art with each model function. From a disciplinary perspective, any art engaging with society and people demands a methodological reading that is partly sociological. An analysis of this art is necessarily engaging with concepts that traditionally have more currency within the social sciences or humanities, such as community, society, empowerment, and agency (Bishop, 2012).
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These three models have definitive structures but tend to have similar attributes to one another, which is up to the artist to utilise which technique is best used on individual projects. As a result, there can be no failed, unsuccessful, unresolved, or boring works of participatory art because all are equally essential to repairing the social bond (Bishop, 2012).
The Cohesive Model:
The cohesive model in participatory art refers to a framework for understanding and conceptualising how participants engage with and contribute to a participatory art project. This model emphasises the importance of creating a sense of cohesiveness or unity among the participants. The artist plays a central role in facilitating the participatory process, acting as a facilitator or guide to help the participants collaborate and co-create the art piece by providing a structure or guidelines for the participatory process while allowing the participants a certain degree of freedom and autonomy.
The cohesive model also emphasises the importance of creating a safe and inclusive environment for the participants, in which they feel comfortable and able to fully engage in the participatory process. This may involve establishing clear boundaries and guidelines for behaviour and creating a sense of trust and respect among the participants.
An early example of this would be the community of Monte Verita, where the principles of the cohesive model were present in their way of life. Monte Verità was an intentional community founded in the early 20th century in Ascona, Switzerland. The community was known for its focus on alternative lifestyles, including veganism, naturism, and spiritual and cultural experimentation (Stringhetta, 2022). The community at Monte Verità was known for its emphasis on collaboration, cooperation and commitment to creating a safe and inclusive environment. These are fundamental principles of the cohesive model, which emphasises the importance of creating a sense of unity and cohesiveness among the participants to foster a meaningful and successful participatory experience.
Fondazione Monte Verità, Fondo Harald Szeemann
One famous example of the cohesive model used in art is the "The Dinner Party" project by artist Judy Chicago. This installation piece was created in the 1970s. It is a massive triangular table—measuring 48 feet on each side—with thirty-nine place settings dedicated to prominent women throughout history. An additional 999 names are inscribed on the table’s glazed porcelain brick base (Klein, 2022). In creating "The Dinner Party," Chicago acted as a facilitator and guide, working with a team of volunteers to co-create the piece. The project was highly collaborative, with the volunteers contributing their skills and expertise in various areas, such as needlework, ceramics, and cake decorating. The cohesive model was central to the success of "The Dinner Party," as it helped to create a sense of unity and cohesiveness among the volunteers and ensured that the project ran smoothly. Chicago provided structure and guidelines for the participatory process while allowing for a certain degree of freedom and autonomy for the volunteers. Overall, "The Dinner Party" is a powerful example of the cohesive model in action, demonstrating how a collaborative and inclusive participatory art project can be successful and impactful.
Judy Chicago, The Dinner Party, 1974–79, ceramic, porcelain, and textile, 1463 x 1463 cm in the Brooklyn Museum, New York.
Judy Chicago, The Dinner Party, 1974–79, showing place settings for Margaret Sanger (left) and Natalie Barney (right), in the Brooklyn Museum, New York.
Overall, the cohesive model in participatory art seeks to create a sense of unity and cohesiveness among the participants while allowing for individual expression and creativity. They create a more meaningful and rewarding participatory art experience for all involved.
The Political and Critical model:
The political and critical model in participatory art refers to a framework for understanding and conceptualising how participatory art can be used to address social and political issues and promote social change. This model emphasises using participatory art as a critical engagement and activism tool rather than simply as a form of entertainment or self-expression. The artist plays a more activist role, using participatory art to raise awareness and galvanise action around a particular issue or cause. The artist may also work with community groups or organisations to develop participatory art projects that address specific social or political issues.
The political and critical model also emphasises the importance of creating a space for dialogue and exchange, in which participants can engage in critical reflection and discussion about the issues being addressed through the participatory art project. This can involve using interactive elements or facilitated discussions to encourage participation and engagement.
An example of the political and critical model used in participatory art by activist groups in the 1980s - 1990s is the AIDS Memorial Quilt. The AIDS Memorial Quilt is a large-scale participatory art project created in the 1980s by the San Francisco-based organisation, the NAMES Project Foundation. The Quilt was conceived in November of 1985 by long-time human rights activist Cleve Jones. Jones created the first panel for the AIDS Memorial Quilt in memory of his friend Marvin Feldman. Each panel that commemorated an individual was made 3 feet by 6 feet purposely, as that is the exact measurement of an average coffin. On October 11, 1987, the Quilt was displayed for the first time on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., during the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights (National AIDS Memorial, 2021). Showcasing the size of what those panels would look like placed together in an ample public space. The AIDS Memorial Quilt grew to more than 48,000 individual panels, each honouring the life of a person who has died of AIDS. Friends and family create the panels, and loved ones of the individuals are memorialised and pieced together to be displayed worldwide (Machemer, 2020).
The Names Project, AIDS Memorial Quilt on display near the Washington Monument in Washington D.C. in October 1992. Then 21,000 panels, the quilt has more than doubled by 2019.
the National AIDS Memorial / NAMES Project, Panel close up
In creating the AIDS Memorial Quilt, the project used participatory art to raise awareness and galvanise action around the AIDS crisis. “During the darkest days of the AIDS crisis, the Quilt was a source of immense comfort and inspiration and used as a tool for social activism to open the eyes of the nation to injustice and to help survivors grieve and heal,” said National AIDS Memorial CEO John Cunningham (National AIDS Memorial, 2021). The project provided a space for dialogue and exchange in which participants could engage in critical reflection and discussion about the impact of AIDS on their lives and communities.
The AIDS Memorial Quilt also served as a powerful political and cultural statement, helping to challenge the stigma and discrimination often faced by people living with AIDS. Through its use of participatory art, the AIDS Memorial Quilt was able to make a significant impact on public perceptions and attitudes towards AIDS and promote social and political change.
The experimental model:
The experimental model in participatory art refers to a framework for understanding and conceptualising how participatory art can explore new ideas and push the boundaries of artistic expression. In this model, the emphasis is on experimentation and innovation rather than on traditional notions of artistic production or audience engagement.
In the experimental model, the artist plays a more experimental role, using participatory art to explore new ideas and concepts and challenge preconceived notions of what art can be. The artist may also work with community groups or organisations to develop participatory art projects that incorporate experimentation elements or seek to break new ground in artistic expression. This model also emphasises the importance of creating a space for risk-taking and exploration, in which participants can feel free to experiment and take creative risks. This can involve using interactive elements or facilitated discussions to encourage participation and engagement.
The surrealist Exquisite Corpse project is one example of experimental models used in participatory art. It was a collaborative drawing game popular in the 1920s and 1930s. Artists would take turns adding a drawing, with each artist only able to see a small portion of the picture that the previous artist had completed. This process of building on the work of others without being able to see the entire drawing resulted in several surreal compositions.
An example of an artist's work is Frida Kahlo. Kahlo created the caricature of her husband, Diego Rivera, with her friend and fellow artist, Lucienne Bloch, and she found this to be enjoyable. It was one of several Exquisite Corpse drawings they made together during a trip to New York to pass the time in 1932. Kahlo was notorious for her racy, downright erotic contributions to the Exquisite Corpse genre. But like Kahlo, many of the game’s devotees used it to experiment with styles or modes of representation that pushed them beyond their day-to-day practices (Gotthardt, 2018).
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Frida Kahlo and Lucienne Bloch, Exquisite corpse (Diego), 1932, Pencil on paper, 21.5 × 13.5 cm
Frida Kahlo and Lucienne Bloch, Exquisite corpse (Frida), 1932, Pencil on paper, 21.5 × 13.5 cm
The Surrealist Exquisite Corpse was an example of the experimental model in action. It involved a high degree of experimentation and innovation and challenged traditional notions of artistic production and collaboration. The project also fostered a sense of risk-taking and creativity among the participants, who had to come up with new and unexpected ideas to contribute to the drawing. This is a powerful example of the experimental model in participatory art, demonstrating how collaboration and experimentation can lead to creative and innovative outcomes. To this day, this art method can be used by anyone, even without artistic drawing ability, turning this method into a fun, silly game that can be played at any age.
From an artist's perspective, participatory art is suitable for engaging an audience within your project/artwork. It makes the project seem more humane, relatable and manageable in scale where the artist can utilise an individual's skills. However, there are also social, emotional and educational benefits for those participating. Participation becomes an important buzzword in social inclusion, effectively referring to eliminating disruptive individuals. Which reduces isolation by helping people to make friends, develops networks of sociability, helps offenders and victims address issues of crime, to people’s employability, encourages people to accept risk positively, and helps transform the image of public bodies. Social participation is viewed simply because it creates submissive citizens who respect authority and accept the ‘risk’ and responsibility of looking after themselves in the face of diminished public services ( Bishop, 2012).
Participatory art emphasises the need for the inclusivity of individuals. Using this method as a tool for the artist or audience rather than an aesthetic outcome. This includes those who do not have artistic talent or can’t afford art supplies to create work independently, allowing them to be creative and have the opportunity to work collaboratively. This inclusivity creates a safe space for dialogue and exchange, allowing individuals to share their ideas and perspectives and engage in critical thinking and discussion. These exchanges can be used for activism and social change, raising awareness and galvanising action around essential issues using participatory art. This allows individuals to learn about and understand different cultures and perspectives and promote cultural understanding and tolerance. The overall goal of a participatory project can create a sense of support and importance and is crucial to an individual for their society as, essentially, you’re creating a long-lasting mark in the community.
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References:
Bianchini, Samuel, et al. Practicable : From Participation to Interaction in Contemporary Art. Cambridge, Ma, The Mit Press, 2016.
Bishop, Claire. Artificial Hells Participatory Art and the Politics of Spectatorship. London Verso, 2012.
Kester, Grant H. Conversation Pieces : Community and Communication in Modern Art. Berkeley, University Of California Press, 2013.
---. The One and the Many : Contemporary Collaborative Art in a Global Context. Durham ; London, Duke University, 2011.
Stringhetta, Caterina. “The Story of Monte Verità and the Return to Nature.” The Art Post Blog | Art and Artists Italian Blog, 24 Feb. 2022,
https://www.theartpostblog.com/en/story-monte-verita-return-nature/
Klein, Dr. Jennie. “Judy Chicago, the Dinner Party (Article).” Khan Academy, 2022, www.khanacademy.org/humanities/art-1010/post-minimalism/post-minimalism-sculpture/a/judy-chicago-the-dinner-party.
National AIDS Memorial. “History.” Www.aidsmemorial.org, 2021, www.aidsmemorial.org/quilt-history.
Gotthardt, Alexxa. “Explaining Exquisite Corpse, the Surrealist Drawing Game That Just Won’t Die.” Artsy, 4 Aug. 2018, www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-explaining-exquisite-corpse-surrealist-drawing-game-die.
Yood, James W. “Judy Chicago | American Artist.” Encyclopedia Britannica, 2007, www.britannica.com/biography/Judy-Chicago.
Gonzales, Richard. “AIDS Memorial Quilt Is Returning Home to San Francisco.” NPR.org, 20 Nov. 2019, www.npr.org/2019/11/20/781430503/aids-memorial-quilt-is-returning-home-to-san-francisco.
Machemer, Theresa. “You Can Now Explore All 48,000 Panels of the AIDS Memorial Quilt Online.” Smithsonian Magazine, 21 July 2020, www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/aids-memorial-quilt-now-online-180975370/.