Hans Haacke, "Cowboy with Cigarette," 1990. Pasted paper, charcoal, ink, and frame, 37 x 31 x 2 3/8" (94 x 80 x 6 cm). Collection Joseph Lebon. Photo: courtesy John Weber Gallery, New York
Our new Flash Points topic, The Ethics of Art, will be launching soon and we’re inviting you to participate. Intrigued? Want to know more? Keep reading!
This theme will look at the relationship between ethics and contemporary art. Ethics are defined as “a system of moral principles” which constantly factor into the choices we make. This can include something as personal as the creation of art, or as public as a museum’s mission statement. These decisions can also become confused, especially when competing priorities are at work. With the ever-shrinking gap between commerce and culture, the prioritization of good business over public service creates an increasingly blurry set of ethical guidelines for the art world. A few of the questions we’ll be exploring will include:
- How does ethics factor into institutional practice?
- How do artists address ethical issues in their work?
- What kind of ethical decisions are made during the artistic process?
- Are ethics emphasized in art education today?
- Must art be ethical?
We are eager to hear from a range of perspectives, including those of you who work as artists, arts professionals, students, art educators, funders, organizers, and academics. Propose a Flash Points blog post related to the above topic and have a chance to be featured on this site. Email ideas and pitches to blog [at] art21 [dot] org. Deadline is January 31st.