This book reimagines what art institutions might become through the lens of three permaculture design principles—observe and interact, obtain a yield, and use and value diversity. It will appeal to cultural studies; social change; cultural management and policy; gender studies; race and racism; and ecology and environment studies.
This book reimagines what art institutions might become through the lens of three permaculture design principles—observe and interact, obtain a yield, and use and value diversity.
Structured in three parts, the book moves between theory, case studies, and in-depth conversations with artists, curators, and collectives who are already reshaping institutional practices from within. Part 1, Observe and interact: transecting current multiple crises in art institutions, examines the limitations of European funding frameworks and their effects on institutional behaviour. Part 2, Obtain a yield: networks of relationships, resources, and practices, looks at how institutions might cultivate forms of reciprocity and resilience that extend beyond economic value. Part 3, Use and value diversity: imagi(ni)ng alternative narratives and futures, embraces diversity and multiplicity as conditions for institutional renewal.
Rather than providing conclusions, this book invites readers to imagine and co-create the art institutions of the future—fluid, diverse, and deeply intertwined with the ecosystems in which they exist. It will appeal to scholars and upper-level students of cultural studies, social change, cultural management and policy, gender studies, race and racism, and ecology and environmental studies.
Introduction: situating permacultures in art institutions
Part
1. Observe and interact: transecting current multiple crises in art
institutions
1. Observe and interact: missing the inter- and trans- sections in Europese
language(s)
2. Cracks in the structure(s)
3. Net-ecologies: in conversation with Lucia Pietroiusti
4. Situated practices: in conversation with Rita Ouedraogo
Part
2. Obtain a yield: networks of relationships, resources, and practices
5. Obtain a yield: the hospitable art institution(s) and the
guest(s)/parasite(s)
6. Cultures of hospitality in cultural disappearance: from bitter towards
sweet via gestures of enchantment in Mirna Bamiehs artistic practice
7. Practicing commoning: in conversation with Sara Rodrigues and Rodrigo B.
Camacho
8. A garden as a multispecies archive: in conversation with Giulia Belinnetti
Part
3. Use and value diversity: imagi(ni)ng alternative narratives and
futures
9. Use and value diversity: Planetary-Plotting (with) Art Institutions
10. Land and soil as tools for resistance and imagination: a creole garden in
the 60th Venice Biennale
11. Plurality of unknown futures: in conversation with The Third Thing
(Nithya Iyer and Vlad Mizikov)
12. Seminarium: in conversation with Ana Rito
Index
Luísa Santos is a Senior Researcher and Associate Professor in Culture Studies/Artistic Studies, since 2016, at the Research Centre for Communication and Culture, Faculty of Human Sciences, Catholic University of Portugal. The author of several publications in the domains of art and society, Luísa Santos is the artistic director of the Institution(ing)s.
Co-authors and contributors: The conversational chapters in this book are co-authored with Luísa Santos alongside Lucia Pietroiusti, Rita Ouédraogo, Sara Rodrigues, and Rodrigo B. Camacho (Landra); Giulia Bellinetti, Nithya Iyer, and Vlad Mizikov (The Third Thing); and Ana Rito.
