Relational Aesthetics Summary PDF

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This piece summarises Nicolas Bourriaurd's thoughts on "Relational Aesthetics"...

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Nicolas Bourriaurd "Relational Aesthetics" The reading explores multiple aspects and facets of contemporary art. It considers its historical development, function/purpose and explores its many forms. Bourriaurd asserts that art is a means through which people can make connections and maintains this claim, specifically regarding to conceptual art, throughout the reading. He pinpoints the necessity of art to serve this function in relation to the condition of society in which we live - a society which holds consumerism and the division of labour at its core. In emphasising this condition of society, emphasis is simultaneously placed upon the importance of making human connection. Much of contemporary art makes connections with people and tries to create connections between viewers through its interactive, user-friendly nature. This is a common feature of contemporary art that Bourriaurd investigates through a thorough exploration of examples of several artists’ eclectic works throughout the article, specifically in its latter sections. Bourriaurd highlights the need to look back in history and situate oneself into the time and place of the artist as a first step towards understanding art of any time. He outlines the two different strands of modernism, regarding their political and philosophical agendas: one that held liberalisation, spontaneity and chaos at its core and the other a modest rationalist one. He places substantial emphasis and makes continual references to the works of Duchamp and the likes in order to tap into the notion of art ‘happenings’ and ready-mades. By doing so he draws parallels between the Dada art that was made as a reaction to WWI and some of the forms of art today in order to show the great influence that Dadaism had. Bourriaurd maintains that contemporary art is art that departs from the notion of art as commodity and holds the belief that contemporary art no is longer focused on aesthetic consumption. He sees the role of contemporary artworks as no longer to form imaginary and utopian realities but to actually be ways of living and models of action within the our existing reality. Bourriaurd too, opposes the claim that contemporary art has no political or theoretical grounding and by doing so, legitimises and elevates the integrity of the art of today – art that is heavily criticised. Much of the article deals with the different forms of contemporary art and grapples with the purpose of and nature of the art. He taps into the dematerialisation of contemporary ‘modern art’ and insists that arts’ focus is on creating intangible ‘experiences’ - creating a period of time through which to be lived. He too places emphasis on intersubjectivity - the relationship between beholder and picture and the importance of this “encounter” as an experience. By doing so, he begins to explore the role of the viewer in contemporary art: the viewer is not passive; the beholder becomes part of the meaning created by the work. Contemporary art also plays on the ability of exhibitions to bring people together in ‘momentary groupings’. The social nature of art and artworks is important and thus is the role it plays in creating social bonds between people. Bourriaurd explains how much of contemporary art create areas of freedom and of personal experience which encourages inter-humane commerce.

The art ‘viewer’, in many cases of contemporary art, can be considered a collaborator with the artist as their participation with the work allows the artwork to exist – enables it to take on a form. He sees the necessity of the extension of the use of the word ‘form’. He encourages the belief that we ought to talk of the plural ‘formations’ rather than ‘form’ when we talk of contemporary art as the singular is more apt to be applied to more traditional art and practices. He sees the lasting encounter that an artwork makes as a type of ‘form’. The reading too, touches on the ephemeral nature of the form of contemporary art - the nonavailability of contemporary art which is the antitheses of traditional art as commodity pieces. Contemporary art is viewable only in a specific place and time and the only record of its existence is in its documentation – something very separate to the artwork. He taps into the existence of artworks by virtue of its observation – through happenings and performances. The ephemeral nature of this art provides areas through which artists can and thus do challenge the relationship between artist and viewer; artist and curator as well as artist and gallery. Bourriaurd demonstrates this through the examples of artworks that he subsequently explores....