Contemporary art and curatorial work, and the institutions that house them, have often been centres of power, hierarchy, control, value and discipline. Even the most progressive among them face the dilemma of existing as institutionalised anti-institutions.
Taking its title from Mary Douglas’s 1986 book, How Institutions Think, this anthology brings together an international and multidisciplinary group of writers, addressing such questions as to whether institution building is still possible, feasible or desirable; if there are emergent institutional models for progressive art and curatorial research practices; and how we can establish ethical principles and build our institutions accordingly.
Contributors reflect upon how institutions inform art, curatorial, educational and research practices as much as they shape the world around us. They consider the institution as an object of enquiry across many disciplines, including political theory, organisational science and sociology.
About the Editors
Paul O’Neill, an artist, curator, educator and writer, is the Artistic Director of Publics, Helsinki.
Lucy Steeds is Reader in Art Theory and Exhibition History at Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts, London.
Mick Wilson is an artist, educator and researcher based in Sweden and Ireland.
About the Publisher
Established in 1962, the MIT Press is one of the largest and most distinguished university presses in the world, and a leading publisher of books and journals at the intersection of science, technology, art, social science and design. MIT Press books and journals are known for their intellectual, daring, scholarly standards, interdisciplinary focus and distinctive design.
