Artful Legitimacy: The Role of Materiality in Practices of Legitimation. Issue 6 (June 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cnossen, Boukje; Bencherki, Nicolas
• Is Part Of: Organization studies. Volume 44:Issue 6(2023)
• Page Start: 919
• Page End: 938
• Publication Date: 2023-06
• Subjects: art -- communication -- discourse -- legitimation -- materialisation -- materiality; Organizational sociology -- Periodicals; Organizational behavior -- Periodicals; Organization -- Periodicals; 302.35
• DOI: 10.1177/01708406221142962
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0170-8406

Abstract

This paper highlights the role of materiality in legitimising art organising as occurs at festivals and performances. Through ethnographic fieldwork pertaining to art events and projects, we documented how legitimacy is accomplished through the very performance of art. We observed that artistic practices materialise the very norms by which they are assessed and demarcate a normative space of their own. Our paper contributes to the research on legitimacy by showing that it takes place through connection with societal norms and also through a disconnection that fosters such a distinct space. Legitimation thus corresponds to configuring the specific situation where the actions under scrutiny are legitimate; it is a continuous process that is accomplished not for but with an audience.