Aesthetic Disobedience
by Dr. Jonathan NeufeldOne of the main questions plaguing artists and multitudes of teams involved in the arts nowadays is how to attract larger audiences. Doing some research along these lines, we came across the work of Professor Jonathan Neufeld. With a Ph.D. in Philosophy from Columbia University, numerous publications and awards, Professor Neufeld’s position offers more than academic authority. We reach out to him at the College of Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina where he teaches Philosophy of Music as well as Philosophy and Literature among other subjects.
Professor Neufeld was gracious enough to accept our invitation to a conversation about what he calls aesthetic disobedience. To provide an understanding of aesthetic disobedience, Dr. Neufeld compares it with the political concept of civil disobedience. In a socio-political setting, broken laws and rules lead to mayhem or even a revolution with an impact on previous commitments within communities. Aesthetic disobedience is of the same nature but with application in the art world. Art goers break invisible barriers and set norms to make statements and transform artistic performances only by their active participation.
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Given that Professor Neufeld is trained in classical music although he insists he is not a musician, we first turn our focus to the classical music scene. The general view of things in classical music sees the composer and his oeuvre as being the central authority. Performers are the voice, a step farther than God, but still up there in neighboring turf. Finally, at the end of the line awaits the audience. Its main known and accepted role is only to sit back and listen. Professor Neufeld finds this type of lineup not necessarily correct. He says, and we agree, that performances are not staged simply to be thrown into a void. The public is there to react. A protesting audience means people are practicing democracy in a social setting. Why frown upon that?
According to Professor Neufeld, all parties involved in an artistic occurrence must be involved in a critical exchange with one another. The absence of a critical approach towards art is neither healthy, nor valuable. To demonstrate his stand on the role of aesthetic disobedience, Professor Neufeld lists great examples of art events shaped by audiences. A couple of them are as follows:
First, for the 2000 Vienna International Festival, the German artist, Christoph Schlingensief staged a performance art piece titled Please Love Austria! Foreigners Out! A simple idea. Straight forward execution. Schlingensief took a shipping container. He placed it next to the Vienna Opera House and filled it with twelve asylum seeking foreigners who had entered Austria illegally. Staged as a live reality show type of thing, every movement was broadcast over the internet for a period of fourteen days. Viewers could vote for their favorite foreigner. The winner of the shipping container community was promised marriage to an Austrian national. Marriage and legal grounds to remain in Austria, now that’s victory! Schlingensief had adorned the shipping container with flags and propaganda pamphlets of right wing groups. An amplified version of Truth or Dare for all…
Needless to say, this event, where art imitated life and life turned into an unscripted tragicomedy, attracted immediate attention from all sides. It was exhilarating and edgy. It made everyone tick. Did people participate? You betcha! Some right wing members supported the concept and its execution. They saw it as a good way of publicizing their ideas. Another group within the right wing community felt they were being mocked in the spirit of art.
On the other hand, some left wing members tried to take down the signs and “liberate” the illegal immigrants. “Liberated” immigrants were taken by immigration officers for immediate deportation procedures. Liberty is such a heavy word and it presents a crossroad for many. In Please Love Austria! Foreigners Out! Schlingensief plays with it and other ingredients he has selected with care for an explosive cocktail of ideas and feelings. He let people take over, give shape to his art, and provide a feast of emotions for all. Nobody was left behind.
Another example of aesthetic disobedience that Professor Neufeld shares with us is as controversial in nature and as is dramatic in execution. In 1984, Zubin Mehta had decided to perform the prelude from Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde as an encore with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra in Israel. The first night, Maestro Mehta took the audience by surprise with his announcement. Some audience members left the hall in protest. Many remained only to boo and make noise making it impossible for the music to triumph. The following night, audience members were better organized. They succeeded in stopping the performance.
There are millions of examples testifying to the authoritative role of aesthetic disobedience as the definition of breaking down strict roles of all characters taking part in an art event. Audiences have the power to intervene, change or give shape to any kind of artistic performance. When they do, there is an adrenaline rush of unparalleled levels. Art works and artists attract well deserved interest this way.
If you are an artist, whatever you do, do not forget to factor in your audience. Keep it real, keep it simple, or make lavish choices. Just remember to extend a sincere invitation to your audience to be an active participant in your work. An unruly response is much better than no response at all. Confirmed by the conversation with our guest philosopher, Professor Jonathan Neufeld, aesthetic disobedience is key in reviving interest in the arts. It is a healthy choice. Give it a try!
According to Professor Neufeld, all parties involved in an artistic occurrence must be involved in a critical exchange with one another. The absence of a critical approach towards art is neither healthy, nor valuable. To demonstrate his stand on the role of aesthetic disobedience, Professor Neufeld lists great examples of art events shaped by audiences. A couple of them are as follows:
First, for the 2000 Vienna International Festival, the German artist, Christoph Schlingensief staged a performance art piece titled Please Love Austria! Foreigners Out! A simple idea. Straight forward execution. Schlingensief took a shipping container. He placed it next to the Vienna Opera House and filled it with twelve asylum seeking foreigners who had entered Austria illegally. Staged as a live reality show type of thing, every movement was broadcast over the internet for a period of fourteen days. Viewers could vote for their favorite foreigner. The winner of the shipping container community was promised marriage to an Austrian national. Marriage and legal grounds to remain in Austria, now that’s victory! Schlingensief had adorned the shipping container with flags and propaganda pamphlets of right wing groups. An amplified version of Truth or Dare for all…
Needless to say, this event, where art imitated life and life turned into an unscripted tragicomedy, attracted immediate attention from all sides. It was exhilarating and edgy. It made everyone tick. Did people participate? You betcha! Some right wing members supported the concept and its execution. They saw it as a good way of publicizing their ideas. Another group within the right wing community felt they were being mocked in the spirit of art.
On the other hand, some left wing members tried to take down the signs and “liberate” the illegal immigrants. “Liberated” immigrants were taken by immigration officers for immediate deportation procedures. Liberty is such a heavy word and it presents a crossroad for many. In Please Love Austria! Foreigners Out! Schlingensief plays with it and other ingredients he has selected with care for an explosive cocktail of ideas and feelings. He let people take over, give shape to his art, and provide a feast of emotions for all. Nobody was left behind.
Another example of aesthetic disobedience that Professor Neufeld shares with us is as controversial in nature and as is dramatic in execution. In 1984, Zubin Mehta had decided to perform the prelude from Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde as an encore with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra in Israel. The first night, Maestro Mehta took the audience by surprise with his announcement. Some audience members left the hall in protest. Many remained only to boo and make noise making it impossible for the music to triumph. The following night, audience members were better organized. They succeeded in stopping the performance.
There are millions of examples testifying to the authoritative role of aesthetic disobedience as the definition of breaking down strict roles of all characters taking part in an art event. Audiences have the power to intervene, change or give shape to any kind of artistic performance. When they do, there is an adrenaline rush of unparalleled levels. Art works and artists attract well deserved interest this way.
If you are an artist, whatever you do, do not forget to factor in your audience. Keep it real, keep it simple, or make lavish choices. Just remember to extend a sincere invitation to your audience to be an active participant in your work. An unruly response is much better than no response at all. Confirmed by the conversation with our guest philosopher, Professor Jonathan Neufeld, aesthetic disobedience is key in reviving interest in the arts. It is a healthy choice. Give it a try!