With or without you Artistic strategies that rethink participation (R-11558)

The works that will be produced during this research period will address neoliberalism as a practice and particularly the concept of 'open relationships that sits at its core. This research aims to critically rethink those new flexible bonds. It focusses on how neoliberalism normalizes attitudes towards work and th e self, discourages collectivism in favor of individual freedom, and fundamentally challenges "what a relationship is" by promoting the concept of independence over that of mutual responsibility. Neoliberal thinking does not merely stretch the terms but pu ts the notion of participation itself into question. The open relationship it proposes goes beyond a form of moral lenience empowered by its transgressive flexibility between cultural, political and economical interests, but is the capacity of a system of (social) production to function independently from any unexpected or original or outside events; to function as an autonomous scenario in and of itself that no longer requires decision making, attention, in other words; participation. Or: what would be a p lay without the need for a public? Method: This research envisions to approach the subject as a political architectural concept, considering the open, the autonomous, or the flexible as spatio political terms that can be reflected upon by artistic strategi es between the author, the work and the public. The research will take place on the intersection of architecture, the arts, and performance studies, and will draw notions from political philosophy. It aims to rediscover the bond that publicness has with th e artistic work. The research will be conducted within the artistic practice by experimenting with open, closed, remote or connected ways of situating a public via script related works such as scenario's, performances, scenographies, and designs of space e ach questioning its relation with the public via different degrees of distance.

Keywords:Neoliberalism, performance art, relational aesthetics, sculpture, situationism, theater studies

Disciplines:Autonomous design, Creative writing