Table Of ContentEntry Points
The Vera List Center
Field Guide on Art
and Social Justice
No. 1
This book is published on the occasion Distributed worldwide by Duke
of the inaugural Vera List Center Prize University Press.
for Art and Politics, awarded to Theaster Published by the Vera List Center.
Gates. It is the first in a series of biennial
publications that probe the relationship Vera List Center for Art and Politics
between art and social justice, each one an The New School
international survey of the most pertinent 66 West 12th Street, Room 604
examples in this emerging field at the time New York, NY 10011
of publication. www.veralistcenter.org
© 2015 Vera List Center for Art and Duke University Press
Politics, The New School 905 West Main Street
Durham, NC 27701
All rights reserved. No part of this www.dukeupress.edu
publication may be reproduced or
otherwise transmitted in any form or The publication of this book is made
by any means, electronic or otherwise, possible in part through the generous
without the written permission of the support of Vera List Center Prize for Art
publisher. and Politics Founding Supporters James-
Keith Brown and Eric Diefenbach, Elizabeth
Library of Congress Hilpman and Byron Tucker, Jane Lombard,
Cataloging-in-Publication data Joshua Mack, and The New School.
Entry Points. The Vera List Center Field Additional support has been provided by
Guide on Art and Social Justice, No. 1 / Lambent Foundation and The Malka Fund.
edited by Carin Kuoni and Chelsea Haines
Pages cm Cover: Theaster Gates, Dorchester
Includes bibliographical references and Projects, 2013, photo by James W. Toftness
index.
ISBN: 978-0-8223-6200-5
1. Art 2. Human rights 3. Social justice 4.
Urbanism 5. Aesthetics
I Vera List Center for Art and Politics
II Entry Points. The Vera List Center
Field Guide on Art and Social Justice,
No. 1
III Kuoni, Carin
IV Haines, Chelsea
Copy editor: Stephen Hoban
Editorial assistant: Zoe Carey
Design: Project Projects
Printed in Belgium by die Keure.
Printed on Munken Lynx Rough 120 gsm.
Typeset in Founders Grotesk, Genath,
and Lacrima.
Entry Points
Edited by Carin Kuoni and Chelsea Haines
The Vera List Center
Field Guide on Art
and Social Justice
No. 1
Vera List Center for Art and Politics
The New School
The Field
Essays
7 Introduction 14 That Incorrigible 98 Etcétera
Carin Kuoni Disturber of the Peace Galit Eilat
SHARON SLIWINSKI
106 Gugulective
Kathryn Smith
23 On Dirt
112 Hans Haacke
JOÃO RIBAS
Chen Tamir
118 Sandi Hilal and
36 The Political in and
of Art: THOMAS KEENAN Alessandro Petti
Galit Eilat
in conversation with
CARIN KUONI 124 Interference Archive
Gregory Sholette
130 Sanja Iveković
Artists
What, How & for Whom/WHW
48 Ai Weiwei
Chen Tamir 136 Amar Kanwar
Pooja Sood
54 Shahidul Alam
Bisi Silva 142 Faustin Linyekula
Shannon Jackson
60 Karen Andreassian
Susanna Gyulamiryan 148 Mosireen
Negar Azimi
66 Amy Balkin
T.J. Demos 154 Marina Naprushkina
Gregory Sholette
72 Bibliothèques Sans
Frontières 160 Tenzing Rigdol
Omar Berrada H.G. Masters
78 Giuseppe Campuzano 164 Issa Samb
Ana Longoni Koyo Kouoh
86 Chto Delat 170 Christoph Schäfer
What, How & for Whom/WHW CAMP
92 DABATEATR 176 Take to the Sea
Omar Berrada Jenifer Evans
Dorchester Projects
Artist
186 Theaster Gates 253 Learning from Chicago: 276 Vera List Center
Responses to Dorchester Prize for Art and
Politics
207 Theaster Gates: Projects from The New
A Way of Working School Faculty 278 Nominated Projects
Installation Images
279 Vera List Center
KATAYOUN CHAMANY
JULIA FOULKES 280 Book Contributors
Essays ANDREA GEYER
198 “ Some Kind of 284 Index
RICHARD HARPER
Work Simply Needs
CARIN KUONI 288 Image Credits
to Happen.”: THEASTER
MARK LARRIMORE
GATES in conversation
LYDIA MATTHEWS
with CARIN KUONI
KEVIN McQUEEN
JASMINE RAULT
214 Utopian Operating
RADHIKA SUBRAMANIAM
Systems: Theaster’s Way
of Working
272 Theaster Gates:
SHANNON JACKSON
A Way of Reception
CHELSEA HAINES and
230 Collecting Publics:
JOCELYN EDENS
The Spatial Politics of
Dorchester Projects
MABEL O. WILSON
240 Gauging the Racial
Times in the Work of
Theaster Gates
ROMI N. CRAWFORD
246 Neither “Black Church”
nor “White Cube”
HORACE D. BALLARD, JR.
7
Entry Points:
The Vera List Center
Field Guide on Art and
Social Justice, No. 1
Carin Kuoni
Lately, as a matter of course, art and aesthetic in profound and visionary ways and is awarded for
practices are called on in contemporary campaigns a particular project’s long-term impact, boldness, and
to advance social justice. This book captures some of artistic excellence. Following an extensive research
the most significant examples worldwide and intro- and evaluation process that enlisted a stellar jury
duces an interested audience of artists, policy makers, as well as the exemplary Nominators Council of
scholars, students, curators, and writers to new ways leading artists, art historians, and curators worldwide,
of thinking about social justice: how it is represented, American artist Theaster Gates was named the
defined, and practiced through the arts. It assembles inaugural recipient of the prize for Dorchester Projects
and analyzes some of the latest scholarship at the in Chicago. The paradox of any award—that is, to
intersection of art and social justice in order to investi- select the best among the best—is incorporated
gate the underlying motivations and strategies that in this publication, where the winning project is seen
constitute this increasingly robust discourse. as part of a diverse and international field of equally
On the fault line between individual ethics and significant projects, the finalists to the prize.
institutionalized protocols for justice, where many
current political debates erupt, complicated terrains * * *
appear that are often the site of provocative artist
projects. These projects share with (social) justice that Part One, “The Field,” is testimony to this range of
they correspond to continuously evolving systems of visions, providing a lively snapshot into the state of art
values. The need for unceasing articulation renders and social justice on a global level with reflections on
them infinitely demanding (to paraphrase philosopher key concepts and a survey of the field at large. Here,
Simon Critchley) and elusive but also primarily visible twenty-two distinct projects are introduced—through
in practice. Thus, in a number of ways this book marks photographic documentation chosen by the artists,
the temporary nature of this discourse, acknowledg- their statements, as well as the voices of the curators,
ing—even embracing—the fact that vocabularies are writers, and scholars who advocate for their projects
not set, standards not established, and that the way we and who constituted the original Nominators Council
learn, communicate, and teach this field is continu- for the prize. The flavor of a campaign, with its transla-
ously evolving. Hence Entry Points is only the first in tion into a passionate language, is maintained in these
a series of future biennial publications. Hence also contributions in order to keep the arguments open
the frame of an almanac or chronicle, a gauge of what and flowing. What we arrive at is not a list of “the best
is happening right now coupled with both the risk of of” but a curated, carefully considered map of artists
speculation and the exuberance of original exploration. and projects suggested by a number of leading inter-
Entry Points accompanies the biennial Vera national curators and art historians that identifies key
List Center Prize for Art and Politics, launched at The moments in the growing field of art and social justice.
New School to celebrate the twentieth anniversary The project pages are introduced by three
of the center’s founding in 1992. The prize honors an keynote essays by leading thinkers, including literary
artist who has taken risks to advance social justice theorist Thomas Keenan with a conversation on
8
notions of the political as they arise from the projects; consciousnesses, the Civil Rights Movements,
curator João Ribas with an examination of ideas but ultimately probing how the African American
around dirt as material and metaphor; and media and experience is enlivened by ongoing processes of
legal scholar Sharon Sliwinski with a contribution on testimony. Entering that installation is like entering
visual approaches to social justice. a haunted space.
Part Two of the book offers an in-depth analysis
of Dorchester Projects by Theaster Gates. Here, four * * *
keynote essays look at Dorchester Projects from the
distinct angles of performance art, urbanism, and Exceeding all expectations, this field guide has
the history of race relations in the United States. become something of a movement itself with numer-
Providing these perspectives, respectively, is scholar ous stakeholders contributing in various forms. The
of rhetoric and performance studies Shannon Jackson; book features the works of twenty-three artists or
Romi N. Crawford, a scholar of critical visual studies; art collectives in their own photographs and words.
Horace D. Ballard, Jr., an art historian and American The editors commissioned twenty-six new texts from
studies scholar; and architectural historian and curators, critics, artists, and scholars, challenging
scholar of urbanism Mabel O. Wilson. An interview us to understand the stakes when we posit that art
with Gates on Dorchester Projects is followed by advances social justice and lending a sense of urgency
eight distinct takes by faculty members of The New and purposefulness to the reader. And the entire
School who address the project through a variety of project was supported by extraordinary companions
interdisciplinary perspectives, including curatorial along the way, whose trust has found expression on
practice, design, urban policy, religious studies, music, these pages: there is the Nominators Council (listed
economics, and biology, speaking to The New School’s individually on p. 277), professionals whose work
comprehensive engagement with Gates’s work during at the forefront of politically engaged art—often
the prize cycle of programs, which also included an happening far beyond the traditional confines of
exhibition and conference. Written in response to a the art world—has shaped the work of the Vera List
faculty trip to Dorchester Projects in Chicago in 2013, Center for many years. A particular note of thanks
these contributions operate in a productive space is due to the resourceful jury for the inaugural prize:
between academic discourse and personal reflection. my New School colleague, curator Lydia Matthews;
Gates began Dorchester Projects in 2008 by artist Susan Meiselas; social justice advocate Dorothy
transforming two buildings on Chicago’s South Side Q. Thomas; and especially our chair, Okwui Enwezor.
into community gathering spaces with a library, slide The Prize Founding Supporters did as their name
archive, performance space, and soul food kitchen. implies, lay the foundation for this most important
The ongoing piece examines urban renewal and social initiative. They are James-Keith Brown and Eric
justice through the lens of art, spirituality, alternative Diefenbach, Elizabeth R. Hilpman and Byron Tucker,
economies, and community engagement. A bold Jane Lombard, and Joshua Mack. The New School
American artist with a global vision, Gates and his has supported the prize initiative and the Vera List
work expand the discourse of political enfranchise- Center for many years, currently under the leadership
ment and social inclusion. Prize jury chair Okwui of the school’s Public Engagement executive dean
Enwezor pointed out that: Mary Watson. Among our most essential supporters
is the Vera List Center Advisory Committee, chaired
Theaster Gates’s project of historical reclama- by James-Keith Brown. To him—and to them—my
tion, interrogation of archival legacies, and social profound appreciation. I am also grateful to Norman
construction of memory and cultural agency has Kleeblatt, a member of the committee, who facilitated
it all tied together. Dorchester Projects layers the introduction to The Malka Fund.
a meditation on the present African American For close to three years, I was fortunate to
experience by connecting it to the haunted remains have curator and art historian Chelsea Haines on my
of the past, making links with narratives of race side as we first developed the exhibition Theaster
9
Gates: A Way of Working, presented at the Sheila C.
Johnson Design Center at Parsons School of Design
in September 2013, and then conceived and orga-
nized this publication. Chelsea’s dedication, astute
perception, and insights have shaped every aspect
of this extended project, and I am grateful to her for
generously sharing her skills, including a healthy dose
of patience and stamina. The various elements of the
prize initiative—from initial conception to conference
and engagement with various classes—also benefited
greatly from Vera List Center program associate
Johanna Taylor’s crucial support. An early discussion
with the ad-hoc publication subcommittee—Lydia
Matthews and Sina Najafi, augmented by Radhika
Subramaniam—was additionally most helpful.
I hasten to thank the following colleagues and
friends: Tabor Banquer in the University Development
and Alumni Relations Office; Emily Donnelly and
Naomi Miller, currently and formerly at the Vera List
Center; Jocelyn Edens; New School curators Silvia
Rocciolo and Eric Stark; former New School for
Public Engagement dean David Scobey; Radhika
Subramaniam, director and chief curator of the
Sheila C. Johnson Design Center; curator Chen Tamir;
Kate Hadley Toftness and La Keisha Leek at Rebuild
Foundation; and Alexandra Small at Theaster Gates’s
studio. The book design is testimony to Project
Projects’s extraordinary talents, this time enjoyed in
a lovely collaboration with Adam Michaels and Grace
Robinson-Leo. The copy editor was again the adept
Stephen Hoban; editorial assistant was Zoe Carey.
I am grateful for another delightful collaboration with
Duke University Press, spearheaded by senior editor
and editorial department manager Courtney Berger.
And thank you to a particular friend of heart and mind,
John G. H. Oakes.
