Contemporary art's struggle for usefulness: An investigation into the (non-)uses and use-values of six artworks from Sonsbeek '16: transACTION

Abstract

Few people have discussed or are nowadays discussing (contemporary) artworks and their effects in terms of use and usefulness. It is generally believed that art is purposeful, and yet the union between art and utilitarianism seems to be a no go. The public art exhibition Sonsbeek '16: transACTION, which took place in Arnhem in 2016, focussed on the uses and usefulness of artworks. Thanks to the Open Call, an invitation to the public to use the artworks in park Sonsbeek, people were challenged to repurpose artworks in ways that transcended presupposed uses. By taking the Open Call activities as an entry point, this master thesis examines the uses and use-values of six artworks from Sonsbeek '16: transACTION, which were located at park Sonsbeek. Two theories on Useful Art by Cuban artist Tania Bruguera and Canadian theorist Stephen Wright serve as the primary theoretical framework and foundation for this thesis.