Archive of projects examining PA from 2000 by David Goldenberg

Tracing the term Post Autonomy

The term Post Autonomy can be traced back to the German literary theorist Hans-Robert Jauss use of the term in his “Towards an aesthetic of Reception” in the 1970’s. Then resurfaced again when the term was used by the German artist and theorist Michael Lingner in one of two texts from 1994. During the late 1990’s the Russian critic Victor Tupitsyn also developed an independent line of thinking into Post Autonomous practices, which nevertheless took its premise from a similar set of issues, with articles produced for 3rd text, culminating in his book “The Museological unconscious.” During the early 21st century this research has broadened.

Lingner and Luhmann

Lingner uses the term Post Autonomy to define the inherent movement or laws behind the trajectory of art, taking up many of Niklus Luhmanns Systems theoretical methodologies as outlined in “Art as a Social system”. While in his book “Observations on Modernity” Luhmann makes a number of important points, points that Lingner transfers to the art system, namely how thinking, verification of truth and definitions of facts, definitions of reality have changed within the complexity of this society in relationship to the invention and origins of society in the 16th Century.

Lingner and Post Autonomy

At the outset Lingner deliberately used the term Post Autonomy and another term in the same manner as Post Modernism, as a slogan, as a term to cover a far more complex set of actions, yet also revealing that whatever mechanisms and symptoms inherent in the development of art led to a point where if we past beyond this point the terms and categories and language of art cease to exist, although he is not talking about something as simplistic as the end of art! These ideas about PA by Lingner have been up dated and expanded in further texts and interviews from the 90’s to the present. [Please see his interview on Post Autonomy for resonance fm where he discusses Heidegger and Derrida concerning where is the work of art and who judges the work of art!].

Lingners definition of Post Autonomy

Lingner says very little about what Post Autonomy is, instead he points out the consequences of what could happen if this trajectory is not taken. Lingner marks this moment in time of art, the time of culmination, completion and collapse as a moment when “art reaches maturity“. But behind the necessity for the text and formulation of the ideas behind Post Autonomy is the troubling worry of why art in the past failed to live up to its promise and claims, particularly the avant garde and its claims to rupture history and disrupt the Autonomy of Bourgeoise art, which it patently failed to do.

[ It now remains even more pointless to try to revive the avant garde, if only because it revives the hegemonic and colonial features of art through acting out conflicts between European centres of cultural power. We can also say the same thing about Autonomy, to retain autonomy seems to retain the status quo, to retain cultural power as it is, as opposed to saving whatever art is. This gives even more urgency to locate another language and set of terms and categories via thinking through Post Autonomy as the transformation of art]

The implosion, the culmination of art that leads to what Lingner suggests is the culmination of this trajectory of art, was first reveled in Kosuths use of tautologies and Robert Morris decalarations about art…art is art if an artist declares it to be art. It is in this light that Post Autonomy starts to make sense. Nevertheless whatever Post Autonomy is has a resemblance to certain ideas that Schiller developed – that art instead of being locked within an art object is instead another activity where art continues and embodies Philosophy, whether in the form of communication or thinking. The need for an Aesthetic revolution, the reformulation of Kant’s notion of Autonomy into He-Autonomy and the Culture State, in other words, we find a reformulation of the places for art and a renewed program of what is expected of art.

Victor Tupitsyn

At the same time that Lingner sought to understand the condition or symptom of art in terms of Post Autonomy so did the Russian theorist Victor Tupitsyn in response to installations by Damien Hirst and to a lesser extent Jeff Koons, in articles for Third Text and particularly in his recent book “The Museological Unconscious” . Other than these brief appearances of the term it is difficult to trace other source’s.

What constitutes a Post Autonomous practice and thinking?

If we try to construct a history of a practice or thinking examining Post Autonomy the task is even more complex and difficult, I am not even convinced by Lingners models for PA nor do I think that Lingner recognized the potential within his reasoning for PA. It is not to say that there are no practices that can be seen to develop whatever PA is, for instance the “Autonomist” movement is said to examine something along these lines, but due to the complexity and the sheer ambition of what Post Autonomy signals, I am inclined to think that whatever practices today claim to develop a PA practice simply follows a set of terms and categories defining PA that are no longer useful, in other words such practices would need to understand another language in order to comprehend what this thing is that they are doing rather than replicating a language and set of categories and terms along the lines of Post Modernism, or even the categories, terms, language inherent to Modernism itself.

David Goldenberg and Post Autonomy

Aspects of Lingners sketch for Post Autonomy, outlining a radical hidden potential of PA, was taken up and expanded in research carried out by the London based international Conceptual and Installation artist David Goldenberg from 1998 independently or in collaboration with the Dutch based photographer, video and installation artist Wim Salki between 2001-06, and the media artist and coordinator of the Thing Frankfurt Stefan Beck between 05/06.

Current research into Post Autonomy

Entry points into examining Post Autonomy – include the notions of Participation, Communication, Globalisation and Multi-Culturalism. The model of Post Autonomy examined by David Goldenberg and Wim Salki can be seen to sketch out the early stages for an on-going radical experiment, a new model of art that is formulated along fundamentally different principles than those proposed within the Euro-centric tradition of art! Post Autonomy can be seen as a tool that provides a framework to think beyond or outside the restrictions and cul-de-sac of a European notion of the avant-garde, and any mechanisms and practices that continue European Colonial thinking and practices.

After staging “Post Autonomy is now“, based on Barnet Newman’s reuse of Heideggers statement, for the 2007 Istanbul Biennial, thinking into Post Autonomy entered a new phase. In 2008 the Philosopher Peter Osbourne appropriated the ideas behind the project for a conference at Middlesex University, which launched a conservative backlash against the potential inherent to Post Autonomy. So whenever Post Autonomy is discussed within mainstream institutions they imply the reverse of this potential, instead implying the mainstream institutions of art wish to hold onto its power and autonomy.

From 1998 David Goldenberg has lectured, written and produced projects extensively on Post Autonomy throughout the UK, Europe, Far East, Middle East and the States. In 2006 David Goldenberg established a second website to co-ordinate projects, texts and discussions exclusively dedicated to research into Post Autonomy. Followed in 2008 by a 3rd and in 2010 by the 4th expanded series of websites.

The material below show projects organised by David Goldenberg, or in collaboration with Wim Salki, Eleana Louka, Man Sommerlinck, Stephen Beck and others

July 1999

Curating post institutional practices, PostAutonomy and public art, A one day symposium, organised by David Goldenberg and Anna Harding, ICA, London, UK

Dec 1999 publication of Engage 7 magazine with details of the ICA debate

Cover of the engage magazine special edition on the ICA conference plus the press release for the ICA conference itself

December 2000

Post Autonomy and activist art

Whats to be done? Debates and projects looking at recent activist art projects. Organised by Wolfgang Zinggl, Arts depot, Vienna, Austria.

December 9th – Lecture by David Goldenberg on art and activism
Aktivismus in Großbritannien
David Goldenberg (Kunstler, London)
Monitoring: Andrea Hubin (Kunsthistorikerin)
Goldenberg wird – ausgehend von Steven Willats,
John Latham, Art in Ruins, Rasheed Araen und
Gustav Metzger – die Rezeption aktivistischer Kunst
erläutern. Er geht der Frage nach, wie die historischen
Praktiken in den Ausstellungen Democracy und
Protest and Survive dargestellt wurden und wie sich
ein neues Konzept jenseits der zwei Ausstellungen
entwickeln lässt, das auf den heutigen Praktiken von
Platform, Poster Studios und Homeless Projects basiert.

Extract from the Arts depot booklet on the conference “Whats to be done?”

2002

Dictionary of Post Autonomous terms, Flex plek, Organised by Wim Salki, Begonegrond, The Nederlands

Feb – June 02

April 02

Installation shot of Wim Salki installation, BAK, The Nederlands

Example of work produced for a dictionary of Post Autonomous terms

2 page coloured Text on Post Autonomy from a transcription of a talk with Emma Donaldson, produced for Art Anthology by Jochen Gerz

Tour of Germany and Austria

June 02

Cover for the Art Anthology Magazine

Text and image from a dictionary of post-autonomous terms included in the thing book

September 02

Cover of the Thing book

April 03

Think tank for developing a Post-Autonomous practice, How to be a perfect guest? (No.1), in collaboration with Wim Salki, Museum of Modern art, Arnhem, The Nederlands

8 hour long Discussion event looking at Post Autonomy

6th International Sharjah Biennial, United Arab Emirates curated by Peter Lewis

How to be a perfect guest? (no.2) in collaboration with Wim Salki

Cover of the Sharjah Biennial Catalogue and installation shots

Launch of 1st Web site dedicated to research into Post-Autonomy set up by David Goldenberg

May 03

Archive of material on Homeless projects and Post Autonomy

Curating degree zero 3

Tour of Europe and Far East

Photograph of folders containing documentation on the Homeless projects and early stages of the Post Autonomy project, poster for CDZ, installations of the material

July 03

Images and text from a dictionary of Post Autonomy

Charlies place, Organised by Man Sommerlinck, Annely Juda fine art, London, UK

November 03

Lecture – Developing a Post Autonomous practice

Conference in a Forklift truck

Organised by t1 & 2 with Gustav Metzger, Atlantis Gallery, London, UK

Installation shot

November 03

Ram4, Survival kit, Nifica, Helsinki, Finland

Constructing a Post Autonomous practice – lecture and exhibition of documentation

Photograph of David Goldenberg talking about PA

Feb-April 04

Documentation of texts and images looking at Post Autonomy

Soft-logics, Kuenstlehaus, Stuttgart, Germany

Exhibition of all texts on Post Autonomy

May 04

Event and discussion on Post Autonomy

STRUKTUR in collaboration with Wim Salki and Ilza Black artist:network New York, NY, USA

Installation shots

Feb 05

Documentation on Post Autonomy

Boundless, curated by Henry Meric Hughes, in collaboration with Jan Christiansen, Steriersenmuseet, Oslo, Norway and tour

June – Oct 05

Monthly discussions, dinners and events examining Post Autonomy

Fordham gallery, in collaboration with Man Sommerlinck, London, UK

May 05

Documentation and texts on Post Autonomy

Artists stategies, Museum of Modern art, Stockholm, Sweden

June 05

Launch of the era of Post Autonomy

Les Merveilles du Monde, Organised by Peter Fillingham, Museum of Fine art, Dunkerque France

Installation shot, invite and catalogue cover

July -Oct 05

48 hour wake

Event and text on Post Autonomy

http gallery London & East International, Norwich, UK

Shot of David Goldenberg during a 48 hour wake

October 7th & 8th 05

On-line debate on Post Autonomy organised by David Goldenberg

Open Congress Tate Britain London, UK

with contributions from Elisabeth Penker, Anabela Zigova, Interactingarts

Skype discussion with Basekamp and Anabela Zigova

November 05

Text on Post Autonomy

How much space is there in the art world for redundancy? Organised by Basekamp Andrew Krepps Gallery New York, NY, USA

Dec 05 -March 06

Text work on Post Autonomy

Copy-fight, Copy-art.net, Centre d’Art Santa Monica, Barcelona, Spain

Presentation of new texts on Post Autonomy

Feb-April 06

Anthology of Art, Kunst und Austellungsshalle der Bundersrepublik Deutschland, Bonn, Germany

March 06

Launch of 2nd website dedicated to research into Post Autonomy set up by David Goldenberg – http://www.postautonomy.co.uk/blog

Archive and Hub for events and regular discussions on Post Autonomy London

March 06

Events and readings of texts on Post Autonomy

Node L London, UK

With contributions from Interactingarts, Wim Salki, Basekamp, Lizzie Hughes

March 06

Walk, talk, eat and talk some more On-line event in collaboration with Ccred and Basekamp with contributions from 16 Beaver group, Anabela Zogova, Interactingarts

June 06

Back to back – 48 hr event, film, on-line discussions and text on Post Autonomy

Fordham at Netwerk, Curated by Man Somerlinck Netwerk vzw, Centrum voor Hedendaagse kunst Aalst, Belgium

Images and texts from the catalogue and pamphlet produced for the exhibition

July 06

On-line debates on Post Autonomy

Jump into the cold water, Curated by Katharina Schlieben & Sonke Gau Shedhalle, Zurich, Switzerland

Information from the pamphlet produced for the exhibition

Installation shot

October 06

New Text on Post Autonomy included in the first Post Autonomy Reader organised by the Thing Frankfurt

December 06

Launch of the Department of Post Autonomy

Faculty of invisibility, Jan Van Eyck Academy of Art Maastricht The Nederlands

Dec 06

New text on Post Autonomy published by St/a/r Vienna, Austria

Two images from the STAR article taken from the Sharjah Biennial and Shedhalle exhibition “Jump into cold water”

Jan 07

Texts and images looking at Post Autonomy

Locally localised gravity, in collaboration with Basekamp, ICA Philadelphia, USA

Jan 07

Texts and images looking at Post Autonomy

Over and over again, Curated by Sacha Craddock, Saddlers Wells, London, UK

Feb 07

New text on Post Autonomy – A year of festivities to celebrate the launch of the era of Post Autonomy

Published in the Catalogue for Les merveilles du Monde by White Window and Plate-Forme

27th May-June 6th

Traveling magazine table, organised by Nomads and residents, Yourspace, Vanabbemuseum, Eindhoven, The Nederlands.

Presentation of collected texts on Post Autonomy.

16th June- 8th July

CDZ, Point Ephemere, 200 Quai de Valmy, Paris, France

June 6th

Local Operations, Serpentine Gallery, London, UK

The space of Post Autonomy

Improvised discussion of key ideas of Post Autonomy

[Practice run for talk performance at the Istanbul Biennial]

September

CDZ, Burgen School of Art, Burgen, Norway

September 7th – Nov 8th

10th Istanbul Biennial

in collaboration with k2

Post Autonomy is Now 1

Installation, collected texts, improvised discussion on Post Autonomy, walks and photographic documentation

Documentation shots of the poster and discussions & walks as part of the Istanbul Biennial – using the Biennial and Global City as a back drop for a discussion of going beyond biennials

October 8th

Klab, Lancaster University, UK

“How much Autonomy do you need?”

Performance

2008

Feb – May

Agitpop, London Print makers workshop, London, UK

The End of Language

2 X posters comprising found images from the Chinese cultural revolution and texts

April

CDZ, West Cork Arts Centre, Ireland

May – June

Three Walls, White Nave, Dover, Kent, UK

Mind maps locating the space of Post Autonomy for 3 Walls

November

Liverpool Biennial, Artists Anonymous, A-Foundation, Liverpool, UK

DTN 2

Online debate on current definitions of participatory practices, improvised discussions with local people, photographic documentation

2009

April

The Time of Post Autonomy now 2, Curated by Freek Lommie

Yourspace, Vanabbemuseum, Eindhoven, The Nederlands

Floor drawings, discussions, screenings, photographic documentation

examples of floor drawing

May

The climate of change, FACT, Liverpool, UK

DTN 3, Online debates, improvised discussions with visitors, photographic documentation

June

Translations and misinterpretations, Shedhalle, Zurich, Switzerland

Mind maps locating the space of Post Autonomy in the form of postcards

Atlantica 48/49

Publication of new text by David Goldenberg “Notes on Developing the space of Post Autonomy” including colour images from the Istanbul Biennial and Netwerk, Belgium.

November

Fordham Gallery, London, UK

Public art work + performance and reading. Poster by Fordham Gallery.

Mobile Documenta, Mobile sculpture, and a 2 day reading of Schillers “The Aesthetic education of Mankind”

[Examination of 2 key aspects of the construction of PA – Schillers notion of He-Autonomy and the Culture State]

2010

Jan

Threads, Tank gallery, London, UK

Mobile Documenta 2

Local and online improvised discussion examination the ideological role of existing frameworks and systems for promoting contemporary art, including Biennials and Documenta.

May

Fordham at Tate Britain, UK

Presentation of posters produced by Fordham gallery documenting all activities they have staged.

July

Post Autonomy on Resonance 104.4 FM

The start of a series of 9 one hour programs for Resonance FM

Please see – http://www.postautonomyresonance.blogspot.co.uk – for full program

August

1st Land art Biennial Mongolia

Post Autonomy now 3, Lecture performance

Imagining the end of Biennials, Colonization and Globalization to signal a new moment

David Goldenberg discussing the idea of moving beyond Biennials

Details from Local Mongolian newspaper with photograph of David Goldenberg

September

Websynradio, web radio, France

Audio discussions on Post Autonomy, including a recent interview between David Goldenberg and Michael Lingner on current thinking in understanding Post Autonomy

“Cooperation not corporations”, Group show, curated by Maja Ciric in collaboration with David Goldenberg, ITS-1, Belgrade, Serbia.

Floor drawing mapping the start to develop new thinking and steps towards Post Autonomy, with works and texts required to contextualising how art is to function beyond a colonial and global mechanisms.