Depressive Tendencies: Reading Group

About

Depressive enactments of exhaustion, boredom, stillness, communicational rupture, loss of pleasure, and withdrawal have been said to be at the forefront of aesthetics in contemporary art at the turn of the twenty-first century (Ross, C. 2006. The Aesthetics of Disengagement: Contemporary Art and Depression). Through select texts, this reading group will facilitate a space to explore complex equations between temporality, subjectivity and depression in relation to contemporary art and politics, as analysed in recent critical scholarship. In addition to discussing key texts, we will make direct links back to each participants art practice, foregrounding the way in which these ‘ideas' and ‘enactments' can be seen to be bodied forth in performance. Whilst we will engage with contemporary art broadly, the reading group will be of particular interest to artists who work with performance and who wish to consider performance as a medium for the articulation of depression. The reading group is initiated by Victoria Gray on the occasion of her Occupations Residency at ]performance s p a c e[ as part of the PAF programme (2014 — 2015). The topic of the reading group is borne out of an emerging research interest, as such, the sessions encourage a spirit of self-education, open exchange and informal discussion. The reading group will take place on the following dates between 6 — 8pm: Wednesday 24th September Wednesday 15th October Wednesday 29th October Wednesday 19th November The reading group location is: ]performance s p a c e[ Enclave Resolution Way London SE8 4NT enclaveprojects.com To register your interest please email Victoria Gray: v.gray@live.co.uk and Cc bean@performancespace.org. Once participants are registered, readings for each week will be distributed via group email. Please contact Victoria if you have any questions about the content or structure of the reading group via the email above.