Applying an ethological perspective of art to the community arts and socially engaged arts. (3rd July 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wong, Samson Kei Shun
• Is Part Of: Journal of visual art practice. Volume 18:Number 3(2019)
• Page Start: 205
• Page End: 220
• Publication Date: 2019-07-03
• Subjects: Community art -- socially engaged art -- psychology and art -- ethology and art -- participatory art -- social practice; Aesthetics -- Periodicals; Art -- Philosophy -- Periodicals; Art -- Study and teaching -- Periodicals; 701
• DOI: 10.1080/14702029.2019.1613614
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1758-9185

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This article argues and demonstrates that a distinction between artistic and non-artistic methods in community/socially engaged arts can open new discussions that advance and challenge the practice. While the boundary between art and non-art is far from clear, several widely read publications on community/socially engaged arts have categorized such works as the same class of engagement, investigating primarily their political and cultural impact, leaving the experiential dimension of the engagement overlooked. The ethological perspective of art presented by anthropologist Ellen Dissanayake is drawn upon for a definition of art that connects the experiential and social experience of art with the survival and thriving of individuals and their communities. Through an interdisciplinary approach, this definition of art is integrated with theories of psychology and social psychology for a multifaceted explanation of the phenomenon of collaborative art making. This discussion reconsiders the simplistic understanding of the oft-quoted phrase 'everyone is an artist', the 'lowest-common denominator' critique of collaborative art making, and the instrumentalization of art.