Work is always elsewhere. Instituent practices in the international performing arts field

“Didaskalia”, no 167/2022

The article, which is a revised and expanded version of a chapter of the doctoral dissertation Devising Institutions. Institutional practices in contemporary performing arts, applies institutional critique as a perspective for reflection on modes of production and distribution of the international performing arts circuit. Based on an analysis of hypermobility as the prevailing political condition among artists and artworkers active in this field, the text introduces the notion of situated instituent practices as a tool to reflect those artistic approaches that challenge the prevailing modes of production and distribution. The examples of works by Sarah Vanhee and Benjamin Verdonck are presented as a gesture of ‘active withdrawal’ from the dominating working modes and rhythms that opens up for a political potential of the process of ‘home making’.

Keywords: institutional critique; situated artistic practices; Sarah Vanhee; Benjamin Verdonck; Gerald Raunig