Writing Art, A Symposium

“Writing: a way of leaving no space for death, of pushing back forgetfulness, of never letting oneself be surprised by the abyss, of never becoming resigned, consoled, never turning over in bed to face the wall and drift asleep again as if nothing had happened; as if nothing could happen.”

Hélène Cixous

Art isn’t an illustration of theory, it is itself a model of theory, one cannot be reduced to the other. Writing art isn’t an illustration of art, it is itself a model of art.

The symposium features key thinkers whose work both stages the possibilities of art, criticism and theory and troubles the existing and seemingly fixed boundaries between them.

The different talks represent four main themes contained in the subject “Writing Art”:

1. Thinking Art: A paper by Andrew Benjamin discussing the subject “Thinking Art: Beyond Traditional Aesthetics.” He will analyse the implications of theory, practice, and writing art.
2. Art Writing: After an intervention by Martha Fleming and Guy Brett, Marjorie Allthorpe-Guyton will chair a discussion with Guy Brett and Andrew Benjamin around the ideas of interpretation, of intentionality, of readership and the consequences of criticism on art.
3. Writing Art: Writer Nicole Ward-Jouve will give a reading from a fable inspired by a painting. This work was commissioned by Rear Window as part of the exhibition Every now and Then, which examines the change of value given to art past and present.
4. Performing Writing: A performance by the duo Anna ‘O’ will examine the limits of art language and can be understood as enacting and orchestrating art, criticism and theory.

The collaboration between the Kent Institute of Art and Design and Rear Window, a curatorial group whose work includes exhibitions, publications, and conferences is significant: it brings together institutions of “learning” and “doing.” Their coming together is a recognition of new forms of dialogue.

Agenda

1pm Registration

1.15pm Opening Addresses

• Peter Williams, Director, Kent Institute of Art and Design
• Juliet Steyn, Course Leader MA ACT, Kent Institute of Art and Design
• Peter Cross, artist, curator, Rear Window

1.30pm Thinking Art

• Andrew Benjamin, philosopher, Lecturer, University of Warwick

2.15pm Art Writing

• Martha Fleming, artist
• Guy Brett, critic
• Marjorie Allthorpe-Guyton, writer, Arts Council of England
• Andrew Benjamin
• Marysia Lewandowska, artist
• Chris Want, critic

4pm Writing Art

• Nicole Ward-Jouve, writer, Professor of English, University of York
• Lynn MacRitchie, artist, critic, Financial Times
• Jean-Paul Martinon, writer, curator, Rear Window

5pm Performing Writing

• Anna ‘O’, performing 10 Ways to Learn a Language

5.45pm Close

• David Haste, Head of School, Fine Art, Kent Institute of Art and Design
• Juliet Steyn

6.45pm Private View & Reception

Rear Window’s exhibition Every Now & Then at Richard Salmon Ltd, 58-59 South Edwardes Square, London, W8