What's the use? : constellations of art, history, and knowledge, a critical reader

Is art only art insofar as it refuses to be useful? Or can art practices serve a wider purpose in the world? This reader starts from the premise that art is an integral part of the social, economic, and political process. Art is best understood through its dialogue with the social sphere, rather than as a ‘thing in itself’. By mapping a diverse terrain of examples and ideas, this book explores the complex interplay between art, use, history, and knowledge. The contributing writers and artists demonstrate how in past and contemporary practice these relationships are set up and played out.