Discontents with theoretical practice in contemporary political artworks: Theory as vanishing mediator in the art of Chto Delat

ABSTRACT

The starting point of this article is the necessity of theoretical practice in contemporary political artworks. The theoretical and cognitive aspects of artistic practice are assumed to be the position from where the real ambivalences and contradictions of political art engagement can be elaborated. Based on the writings of John Roberts on cognitive and political aspects of avant-garde artistic practice, I further discuss these relations with reference to Louis Althusser's debate on theoretical practice. From this conceptual frame, this article deals with the artistic practice of the Chto Delat group and especially with the importance of theory in their political artistic practices. By focusing on one particular element or a conceptual object of their practice that is a ‘collective’ I will try to demonstrate how the contradictions involved in this work determine the form of artistic practice itself.

KEYWORDS:

• political artistic practice
• John Roberts
• theoretical work
• Chto Delat
• Althusser
• collective