The present of the past at a time of no future : a synergistic art archaeology of the Athenian Acropolis
The long-standing relationship of archaeology with the art of its time is manifested variously throughout its history. In the last three decades this relationship has found a new expression with a handful of scholars making use of art-works and art-making as tools for research and public engagement. Their experiments have so far yielded a small yet substantial number of descriptive and (self-)reflective publications which have hitherto appeared scattered in the literature as unconnected one-off side-projects. However, their careful systematisation and historicisation suggests that they constitute an uncoordinated critique of the modernist legacy of contemporary archaeological practice, and articulate, albeit fragmentarily, a proposition for a new, counter-modern one. In the first part of my thesis I tease out and assemble the pieces of the abovementioned critique and proposition by examining the genealogies and incentives of each project described in the publications (both individually and comparatively). In the second and final part, I build on the lessons learnt from the assessment of these projectsâ merits and shortcomings to explore the potential of a counter-modern, site-specific ethnographic art installation
Demou, Vassilis
The present of the past at a time of no future : a synergistic art archaeology of the Athenian Acropolis. The long-standing relationship of archaeology with the art of its time is manifested variously throughout its history. In the last three decades this relationship has found a new expression with a handful of scholars making use of art-works and art-making as tools for research and public engagement. Their experiments have so far yielded a small yet substantial number of descriptive and (self-)reflective publications which have hitherto appeared scattered in the literature as unconnected one-off side-projects. However, their careful systematisation and historicisation suggests that they constitute an uncoordinated critique of the modernist legacy of contemporary archaeological practice, and articulate, albeit fragmentarily, a proposition for a new, counter-modern one. In the first part of my thesis I tease out and assemble the pieces of the abovementioned critique and proposition by examining the genealogies and incentives of each project described in the publications (both individually and comparatively). In the second and final part, I build on the lessons learnt from the assessment of these projectsâ merits and shortcomings to explore the potential of a counter-modern, site-specific ethnographic art installation
present past time future art archaeology athenian long_standing relationship archaeology art time manifest variously throughout_history relationship find new expression handful scholar make_use art works art making tool public_engagement far yield small yet substantial_number descriptive self reflective publication hitherto appear scattered literature unconnected off side projects however careful suggest constitute critique modernist legacy contemporary archaeological_practice articulate albeit proposition new counter modern first_part tease assemble piece critique proposition examine genealogy incentive project describe publication individually comparatively second final_part build lesson learn assessment project merit shortcoming explore_potential counter modern site_specific ethnographic art installation