Aug 29th 2018

Martin Patrick discusses “Across the Art/Life Divide: Performance, Subjectivity, and Social Practice in Contemporary Art.” A Q&A and signing will follow the discussion.

At the Co-op

About the book: Martin Patrick explores the ways in which contemporary artists across media continue to reinvent art that straddles both public and private spheres. Examining the impact of various art movements on notions of performance, authorship, and identity, “Across the Art/Life Divide” argues that the most defining feature of contemporary art is the ongoing interest of artists in the problematic relationship between art and life. Looking at underexamined forms, such as stand-up comedy and sketch shows, alongside more traditional artistic media, he situates the work of a wide range of contemporary artists to ask: To what extent are artists presenting themselves? And does the portrayal of the “self” in art necessarily constitute authenticity? By dissecting the meta-conditions and contexts surrounding the production of art, “Across the Art/Life Divide” examines how ordinary, everyday life is transformed into art.

About the author: Martin Patrick is an art critic, historian, and writer, and has contributed to a wide variety of publications including Afterimage, Art Monthly, and Art Asia Pacific. He frequently writes on interdisciplinary practices and experimental uses of media in modern and contemporary visual art. His recent publications include the chapter “Exploring Posthuman Masquerade and Becoming” in “Animism in Art and Performance” (Palgrave Macmillan, London, 2017), as well as essays on artists including Shannon Te Ao, David Cross, Cindy Sherman, and Billy Apple. He is currently a Senior Lecturer at Massey University in Wellington, New Zealand.

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