Contemporary Art & Critical Publics

The Research Cluster operates as a ‘think tank’ or discursive space, in which various topics of interest are addressed for critical assessment in relation to contemporary art practice. This flexible, non-didactic focus is based around the broad theme of contemporary art practice in relation to ‘critical publics’ – the broad field of social/cultural sites or contexts for artistic production.

Members of the group share an interest in developing spatially-engaged forms of practice, that promote a ‘non-spectacular theatricality’ or performativity. Performative/narrative strategies are used to engage the audience in a ‘public’ field, often beyond the usual expectations/paradigms of the gallery/institution, and often through the reformulation of ‘found’ or repeated forms/devices from art history, personal history, social history or the history of ones practice. These forms could perhaps be described as ‘rehabilitations’; ghosts, spectres or ‘drag’ simulations of, for example, Modernism. These informed ‘theatrical gestures without theatre’, have contributed to the dissolution of traditional exhibition models and a reach beyond art-historically driven viewers, to new modalities and wider social horizons.

Members of the cluster include artists, theorists, writers, curators and critics, whose individual research outcomes include exhibitions, performances, site-specific art works, interventions and actions, monographs, journal articles, catalogue essays and critical reviews, both within Australia and overseas. This broad range of practices drives open discussion and flexible collaboration between the members of the group, allowing the cluster to adapt to new interests, opportunities and circumstances.

Research Leader:
Kit Wise

Core Members:
Domenico de Clario
Lily Hibberd
Tom Nicholson
Daniel Palmer
Kathy Temin

Research Assistant:
Spiros Panigirakis