Opposite from the common perception of art production as a sum of works of individual artists, contemporary art production is a rather complex matter where, beside artists, art institutions and art financiers play an important role. In this world of cultural and creative industries, where creativity and inventiveness are predispositions for each work, the image of the artist as a creative genius in art studio passed away. Moreover, in order to do art, nowadays artists have to be skilled in administration, management, promotion and fund-raising. The normalization of precarity in the art integrates social insecurity and flexibility in an artists' life and profoundly influences their production.
This course tends to expand the understanding of art production from its creative to its social dimension, as well to look at the position of an artist as a creator and a worker. During the course participants will reflect on the working conditions of artists and the social situating of artworks. They will visit local art-production sites, discuss with local artists and research their position though variable methods: informal interviews, direct observation, participation, collective discussions. Either as individuals or in groups they will explore the artistic work process and analyse how the working conditions are related to the form and the content of artworks. Investigating selected model of a local art-production space they will examine the relation between the space and the artistic work as well as how it corresponds with the broader urban context. At the end of the course participants will present their works produced during the course. The form of presentation will be developed collectively during the working process and in dialogue with the artists.