9.1 / Public Sense

Can art help communities redefine social economies, or create meaningful exchanges between disparate groups? This issue of Art Practical is looking for overlaps and disconnects with politically engaged object-making practices, social practice and its pedagogy, and public-facing and audience-engaging practices. We are asserting that something new is needed to establish and make legible practices that may be overlooked by not being executed with pedagogical underpinnings or institutional support, as well as recognizing that many categorical visual-art practices intersect with engagement/action in very meaningful ways—and have for a long time. 

We’ve decided to dedicate six months to this endeavor and will be publishing new content each month on a rolling basis, giving the issue the opportunity to be flexible, responsive, and experimental. Newly commissioned essays will reflect on and probe the pedagogy and commercial market for public practices, will bring forth under-recognized practitioners, will look to institutional platforms that support socially engaged projects, and will bring to light new perspectives we have yet to know. On our AP Audio channel, we will be releasing a series of recorded conversations about artistic practice, place, and publics that confront socio-political concerns, participation, and social histories. AP Programs will include events and partnerships that extend the conversation of the issue into public spaces, including through our Wikipedia edit-a-thon series. We are also including some previously-published essays in the issue in order to situate new conversations within a broader and ongoing dialogue of what we are calling “public practice” to create space to contend with an evolving field and methodology for art making and engagement. Everything related to the issue will be published here, so check back every month for more content.