Overview
The growing prominence of collective forms of working in the arts is also attracting increasing attention within art history. Despite numerous conferences and publications, the conceptual definition of collectivity remains fragmentary and driven by particular interests. Existing classifications focus primarily on organisational structures, ideological positions, or individual aspects such as questions of authorship. Collectivity thus usually appears as an anomaly within the art world, which is predominantly oriented towards individualised forms of production. This is where the project comes in. Under the term Organised Commitment’ it develops a new conception of collectivity in art that examines it not as an exception, but as a standard mode of working. Central aspects include the social dynamics of art collectives, their self-understanding, and the specific working methods that develop through collaborative practice. The project examines these working methods – micro-practices – as essential elements of collective forms of work.
Our approach combines discourse-analytical methods with artistic-research-based approaches and follows a praxeological logic: we draw our insights from the artistic practice of artist collectives, whose collaborative work we examine in depth. We work with historical and contemporary examples to reveal typical narrative patterns of collectivity in art, but also to reflect on the role of collectivity in art education and cultural funding. Conceptual work is central to our research project. It facilitates exchange within the transdisciplinary team, underpins the analysis of sources and simultaneously forms the basis for a planned glossary. The glossary is intended to provide concrete guidance and implementation recommendations for practitioners in the fields of education, exhibition and funding.
