On Kn ACritical Reader in Contemporary Art {BAK Critical Reader Series) Editora: Maria Hlavajova, Jil Winder, Binna Choi Managing Editor; Jill Winder Design; Kummer & Herrman, Utrecht Lithography and Printing: Lenoirschuring, Amstelveon Printed in the EU ISBN (BAK): 978-90-77288-11-5 ISBN (Revolver): 978-3-86588-466-4 © 2008 tho artists, authors, BAK, basis voor actuele kunst Postbus 19268 NL-3501 DG Utrecht T+31 (0)80 2316125 F481 (0)30 2300591 info@bak-utrecht.nl www bak-utrecht.nl and Revolver Archiv flr aktuelle Kunst Bothmannstrasse 13 D-60311 Frankfurt am Main T +49 (0)69 446362 F +49 (0)69 94412451 info@revolver-books.de ‘www.revolver-books.de- BAK, basis voor actuole kunst and Revolver All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, oF transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without written permission of the publisher, oO I Pr A Critical Reader in Contemporary Art Edited by Maria Hlavajova, Jill Winder, Bina Choi ction:Table of Contents 6 Maria Hlavajova, Jil Winder, Binna Choi Introduction 16 Matthew Buckingham Muhheakantuck—Everything Has a Name 38 We Have Won! 44cr When Thought Becomes Crime 50 Ciémentine Deliss privacy + dialect = capital 68 Joachim Koester “Coe, 84 Sven Liitticken Unknown Knawns: On ‘Symptoms in Contemporary Act 108 Eva Moyer and What Does Art Know? 420 Marion von Osten Such Views Miss the Decisive Point... The Dilemma of Knowledge-Based Economy and its Opponents 192 Alay Summary of An Unknown Object in Uncountable Dimensions: Visual Arts as Knowledge Production in the Retinal Arena, a presentation by Sarat Maharaj 442 Mri What is a Theorist? 160 Natascha Sadr Maghighian and Ashley Hunt Representations of the Erased 182 Simon Sheikh Talk Value: Cultural Industry and the Knowledge Economy 198 Contributors 206 Project Summary/Credits 212. Financial Partners 214 IndexMaria Hlavajova, Jill Winder. Binna Choi Introduction On Knowledge Production: A Critical Reader in Contemporary Art presents a selection of newly commissioned and antholo- gized texts by a diverse group of artists, art historians, philoso- phers, and theorists who have engaged with thinking critically about the field of art as a site for the production of knowledge. Part of ongoing research, it is developed out of a discourse- based program (including meatings, public lectures, readings, presentations, screenings, and performances) entitled Concern- ing “Knowledge Production’ (Practices in Contemporary Art) organized by BAK, basis voor actuele kunst in 2006+ The genesis of the project was the realization that terms that have become commonplace in the discourse of contemporary art— such as knowledge production, artistic research, and intordisci- plinary practice—remain arguably as nebulous and contested as ever. Moreover, the “intellectualization’ of the art field and the circulation of these ideas, palpable in the proliferation of discur- sive events (lectures, panel discussions, conferences, artiste’ talks, and the like) that hava become a mainstay of contemporary art, often simply put knowledge on display instead of critically analyzing it. While conscious of adding another discursive . exploration to this crowded stage, we felt it was essential to ‘seize the critical opportunity to pause before this rich terrain of unresolved issues surrounding art and knowledge production. "What is knowledge?" This was the intriguingly eimple question posed to us by art historian and theorist Sarat Maharaj a number of years ago when he participated in a public perform- ance called The World Question Center (Reloaded) at BAK? 4 Canceming ‘Knowledge Production” 2 _The World Questian Centar (Refoadoe, Fractces n Contemporary Art, developed by“ partthtec ofthe projct Avr What? ‘Binoa Cho! Maria Hlavojova,endsitWindor ‘roaming a battor world neix parte, wae a fenderganized ty BAK,basievoor actucle pie perfarmance efter James Loo Byars, tune. took pave inthe cocond half of 2006, which oakplgoe on 1 Novernbor 2003 and Detalod information about tho projec, ‘woe curated by Jena Hoffmann. Inoluding afl ist of cantibutore, can bo founda poges 206-210 ofthis publican.