Disruptive attitudes : artists counter the art of exhibiting in the Low Countries (1985-1991)

This dissertation looks at pivotal exhibitions of the mid-1980s in the Low Countries – Flanders and the Netherlands – to examine strategies devised by artists to take control over conditions that shape the appearance and reception of their work. Reflecting upon the pioneering work of artists from decades prior (who would, around this time, be associated with the term ‘institutional critique’), by the mid-1980s artists were cognizant of the mechanisms by which art is framed, reproduced, and distributed. This research addresses a pressing debate on the importance of a cultural policy that provides ample governmental support to artists to explore critical and innovative projects, offering essential historical and political context. It offers evidence that the mid-1980s was a transitional moment in the Netherlands and Flanders – in terms of critical engagement, institutional conditions, and cultural policies – and is therefore crucial for those seeking to understand the shifting structures in which art and artists operate at present.
Proefschrift genomineerd voor de 5e Boekman Dissertatieprijs Kunst- en cultuurbeleid 2021.