Dean Kenning

Art is often spoken of in terms of being radical, critical, resistant, subversive - in other words as if it has, or should have, some kind of political value or function. What, then, is the relationship between art and politics? How do we recognise 'political art' when we see it? Can art, embedded in and responding to contemporary reality, still be conceived of in terms used to describe the forms and actions of the historical avant-garde? This course investigates a range of material by philosophers, theorists and artists (including gallery visits) to examine from varying perspectives the question of art and politics. We will consider classic theories on the subject (the Frankfurt School and Post-Structuralism) and historical movements (Russian Constructivism, Dada and Conceptual Art). However the focus will be on the intentions and critical interpretations of contemporary art: how does artists' work relate to and respond to society, to popular culture, to the institutions and market for art, to cultural policy, and to wider political movements (such as environmentalism or anti-globalisation)? Lectures at the college will be accompanied by visits to exhibitions in London.

Dean Kenning is an artist, writer and lecturer. He is a regular contributor to Art Monthly and is Post-Doctoral Fellow in Contemporary Art at Kingston University.