Radical Intimacy in Contemporary Art: Abjection, Revolt, and Objecthood

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Radical Intimacy in Contemporary Art focuses on practices that operate at the edges of sexuality and its socially sanctioned expressions. Using psychoanalysis and object-oriented feminism, Keren Moscovitch focuses on the work of several contemporary, provocative artists to initiate a dialogue on the role of intimacy in challenging and reimagining ideology. Moscovitch suggests that intimacy has played an under-appreciated role in the shifting of social and political consciousness. She explores the work of Leigh Ledare, Genesis P-Orridge, Ellen Jong, Barbara DeGenevieve, Joseph Maida and Lorraine OGrady, who, through their radical practices, engage in such consciousness shifting in elegant, surprising, and provocative ways. Guided by the feminist psychoanalytic canon of Julia Kristeva throughout, as well as being informed by the philosophy of Luce Irigaray and the critical theory of Judith Butler, Moscovitch situates these artists in the emerging lineage of feminist new materialism. She argues that the instability of intimacy leads to radical and performative objecthood in their work that acts as a powerful expression of revolt. Through this line of argumentation, Moscovitch joins a growing group of philosophers exploring object-oriented theories and practices as a new language for a new era. In this era, the hegemony of subjectivity has been toppled, and a new world of human ontology is built creatively, expressively and in the spirit of revolt.

Reviews

Radical Intimacy in Contemporary Art contests sexual and gender politics by foregrounding unbearable borders of subjects, objects, meaning, and the world. Moving beyond persistent dualisms of subject/object, sense/materiality, psychoanalysis and new materialism, the book opens a new approach to visual arts and feminist aesthetics. An invaluable resource. * Ewa Plonowska Ziarek, Julian Park Professor of Comparative Literature and Global Gender and Sexuality Studies, University at Buffalo, USA *
Moscovitchs powerful and unendingly elegant Radical Intimacy in Contemporary Art takes Kristevas notion of revolt lightyears beneath the surface of human being. What she comes up with is nothing short of revelation. If the future lies in radical intimacy, Keren Moscovitch is the promise of the future. * George Smith, Founder and President Edgar E. Coons, Jr. Professor of New Philosophy, Institute for Doctoral Studies in the Visual Arts, USA *
The intriguing and timely theme of the book radical intimacy in contemporary art practice and theory is compellingly reflected in the urgency and force of the writing. It is rare to have a philosophically complex theory successfully married to a comprehensive exploration of artists at work in the present moment. * Tom Huhn, Chair of BFA Visual and Critical Studies Art History, School of Visual Arts, USA *

Author Bio

Keren Moscovitch is a contemporary artist, philosopher and curator. She serves on the faculty at the School of Visual Arts, USA and The New School, USA.