The artist as social worker vs. the artist as social wanker^*

* The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) defines “Wanker” as British vulgar slang for: “a contemptible person.” It is mostly employed as a form of generalised abuse, with specific reference – albeit not literally – to masturbation. However, I employ it in direct reference to the notion of “contempt” in that a contemptible person is one who might critique established and accepted modes of power, as in: “contempt of court”. A wanker, in this reading, is then the one who intentionally operates to unravel and challenge accepted social and cultural patterns.

ABSTRACT

This paper briefly explores the problematic notion of the “artist as a social worker” and aims to develop an (ethical) counterpoint to this position via Mouffe’s concept of agonism. It begins by tracing some conceptual frameworks that have posited art as an ameliorative force within the public realm, discusses the complications of “intention” embedded in language, as well as draws attention to the difference between these terms that are often interchangeably. It ends with an exploration of three agonistic artworks, the last being the author’s own. It hopes to present a productive counterpoint to the notion of the “artist as social worker,” as well as provide insight to these discussions from a practitioners point of view.

KEYWORDS:

• Participatory art
• socially engaged art
• art and social care
• art and wellbeing
• agonism
• artistic research

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributor

Anthony Schrag is an artist and researcher working both nationally and internationally, including residencies in Iceland, USA, Canada, Finland, Holland and South Africa. His practice occurs in participatory manner, and central to his work is a broader discussion about the place of art in a social context. He has been the recipient of numerous awards, commissions and exhibitions and his practice-based PhD explored the relationship between artists, institutions and the public, looking specifically at the productive nature of conflict. The artist Nathalie De Brie once referred to his practice as “Fearless”. The writer Marjorie Celona once said: “Anthony, you have a lot of ideas. Not all of them are good.”

ORCID

Anthony Schrag http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8660-7572

Notes

* The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) defines “Wanker” as British vulgar slang for: “a contemptible person.” It is mostly employed as a form of generalised abuse, with specific reference – albeit not literally – to masturbation. However, I employ it in direct reference to the notion of “contempt” in that a contemptible person is one who might critique established and accepted modes of power, as in: “contempt of court”. A wanker, in this reading, is then the one who intentionally operates to unravel and challenge accepted social and cultural patterns.

1. See, for example, Belfiore and Bennett (2007).

2. One of the more public being the Kester vs. Bishop on the pages of Artforum in 2006. For a selected example of the fallout of this “spat,” see “Metamute,” 10 May 2007, http://www.metamute.org/editorial/articles/zombie-nation (available online – Accessed 18 December 2014) or “Impex,” May 2006, http://www.impex-info.org/text/texts_ibz_eng_05.html (available online – Accessed 18 December 2014) or “Incubate,” June 2011, http://incubate-chicago.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/InCUBATE-What-do-Artists-Know.pdf (available online – Accessed 18 December 2014).

3. “Stooshie” is a Scottish term for an argument; hearty discussion.

4. For example, John McLean asks how: “can art institutions perform any sort of critical function when they are so integrated into the workings of the government to the extent they need to provide evidence of their benefit to the economy, urban regeneration and social inclusion?” (Maclean, 2012). See also Schrag (2016).

5. I recognize this is a highly contested term.

6. See, for example, Kester (2004, pp. 69–81).

7. Submitted to Author by main applicant, Social Inclusion Officer Katie Bruce, Oct 2012. Drawn from funding application issued by Scottish Arts Council (2006, Emphasis added).

8. Submitted to Author by main applicant, Social Inclusion Officer Katie Bruce, Oct 2012. Drawn from funding application issued by Scottish Arts Council (2006, Emphasis added).

9. Quote from Mark O’Neill, then Head of Museums of Culture and Sport Glasgow, at Legacy of City Arts Projects event. October, 2008.