Sober & Lonely: On generosity, artist-run platforms and new institutional strategies

Cook, Robyn ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4265-6716 (2013) Sober & Lonely: On generosity, artist-run platforms and new institutional strategies. In: SAVAH Conference, 5-8 September 2014, Michaelis School of Fine Art, University of Cape Town, South Africa. (In Press)

Abstract / Summary

Dovetailing neatly with relational aesthetics, the subject of generosity has become a buzzword within recent curatorial discourse. This is due, in part, to the shifting position of the audience from passive viewer to active receiver within the methodology of relational procedures. However, over and above the idea of generosity in relation to the artist/viewer relationship, lies the possibility of generosity within the artist/artist relationship. Within my research paper, I will explore the idea of generosity (the act of giving time, resources and attention) as a productive and innovative working methodology within a South African artist-run (new) institutional context. Removed from the commercial and administrative expectations imposed by traditional academic, gallery or competition frameworks, my research will suggest that generosity between peers opens up a unique space for productivity, democracy of process, experimentation and open-ended inquiry in artistic practice. Whilst the process may seem quixotic, there are a number of independent artist-run projects currently operating successfully and sustainably in South Africa based on this very premise. The Parking Gallery (operated by Ruth Sacks and Simon Gush) is one such space, as is the Sober & Lonely Institute for Contemporary Art (SLICA). SLICA, initiated by Lauren von Gogh and myself in 2011, has been running autonomously for over two years. The working methodology is based on the giving of available resources and time to peers. This framework has resulted in numerous talks, seminars, residencies and group shows, many of which involve cross-national collaborations. With limited arts funding and few non-commercial platforms available to artists in South Africa I will advance the methodology of generosity, as evidenced by the work of the Parking Gallery and SLICA, as a possible route to furthering artistic experimentation and productivity within a South African context.

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