Taking the Matter into Common Hands: On Contemporary Art and Collaborative Practices

Taking the Matter into Common Hands: On Contemporary Art and Collaborative Practices
by Johanna Billing (Editor), Maria Lind (Editor), Lars Nilsson (Editor)

This book features Maria Lind's essay, The Collaborative Turn, (2007)

Lind examines some of the possible driving forces behind some of the socially
engaged art works that emerged in the 1990s:

A Common explanation is the wish to practice generosity and sharing as an
alternative to contemporary individualism and the traditional role of the romantic artist as solitary genius. Self-determination in an ever more instrumentalised artworld, both commercially and publicly, and a desire to be a more powerful force in society have also been mentioned as important motivations. Not to forget the fun involved with working with others and the practical advantages of sharing tasks according to specialities and preferences. In certain cases, the need for infrastructure…self-promotion and a desire to achieve success in the artworld.