What is Post Autonomy?

The term Post Autonomy was invented by the German Conceptual artist Michael Lingner, then taken up and developed into a full theoretical concept and working practice by David Goldenberg.

A quote from a recent statement about Post Autonomy

"Post Autonomy reflects the state of contemporary art. The website is intended to function as a meeting place and hub for discussion and exchange of ideas that extend an understanding of Post Autonomy. Post Autonomy stems from the idea that modern art=autonomy, as research or understanding of autonomy, has reached its limits in comprehending autonomy, in that respect art can be seen to have exited autonomy. What comes after Autonomy in art can be discussed by Post Autonomy. Using a practice-orientated analysis of cultural, social, and political forces the aim is to develop a new mental framework out of which art can be reinvented."

Key terms and issues

How do we define a Participatory practice within the specific context of Post Autonomy?

How do we understand and recognise a Post Autonomous Practice?

Research developing a Post Autonomous Practice in different contexts -

Within the context of Post Autonomy on-line

Establishing a PA practice as a new model within the space of the existing cultural context.

How do we understand the role of language in opening up and communicating the attributes of the space of PA?

Routes towards thinking about PA

How we go about understanding the notion or concept of Post Autonomy is not straight forward, there are different ways it can be used, and there are different trajectories that can be taken to explore and open up the space of post autonomy.

To think through "what is post autonomy?" to go from developing thinking about Post Autonomy through to the concretisation of Post autonomy, can be seen to be equivalent to a methodology that deveops a new model of art, and asking what we would want in a new model of art if the possibility to build a new model of art existed, in so far that the space of post autonomy offers the possibility to think through and speculate about a new model from the very beginning.

Similarly Post Autonomy, as a mental space, as true potentiality, can be seen to be equivalent to exiting the limted context of Euro-centric tradition, along with its cultural and historical/philosophical baggage, out into a Global context, and another space. How this space can be navigated is the same as "establishing" the attributes that constitute the space of Post autonomy.

The key issue then becomes "how and in what way" do we locate a place to begin to construct Post Autonomy?

If Post Autonomy looks at a space outside or beyond the existing Euro-centric tradition, what relationship does the language and space of Post autonomy have to the space of the existing tradition? Are they the same? In other words, in what way does language and communication function in the space of Post Autonomy? If to establish the space of post autonomy is equivalent to establishing a new model, do we understand how a new model will work, and do we continue to replicate the form and language that constitutes the Euro-centric tradion, or does language function in a completely different way?

The notion of Post Autonomy develops from Systems theory where the orthodox positions in art - artist, curator, audience - are removed and collapsed into the one term of "Participant." This allows the possibility of removing or addressing existing hierarchies inherent in art, and rethinking through different roles. Since the notion of Partipation is key to Post Autonomy a continuous thread for thinking and debate since the inception of PA has been in what way does participation function within the specific context of PA?

Please find attached two texts that sketch out recent thinking:

1. Post Autonomy as a new model of art

2. Post-autonomy on-line the future of art

1. Post Autonomy and a new model of art

Questions by David Goldenberg;

1) Do you think we are in a climate where it is possible to construct a new
model of art?

2) And is the idea of a Post Autonomous Practice a useful framework for
establishing that model?

Answer 1

I think that the art world alltogether has increasingly become more
conservative over the past years. No experiments at the moment, could be the
slogan.

For Germany this is due to the economic situation. Not only that individuals
are concerned for their jobs, institutions too suffer from a servere lack of
funding. As a result there is a general atmosphere of insecurity which makes
both parties seek for grounding in already established values.

One of the symptoms: galleries are back. Where we have seen some movements to get out of the main circles of white wall institutions, like free
curatorial practices, other models of mediations like artist run spaces
(off-spaces as we call them here), over the last years, we now find some
fresh new galleries in the city center. Which means certain art like
paintings and photography, = objects, at the same time.

The message is clear, the gallery gives security; no interpretation, no
speculation, no involvement necessary. What you see is what you get.

Within this framing you'll hardly find a necessity for a "new model of art".

On the other hand with the advance of the internet into even conservative
mainstream comsumers, there's really a big chance to "sell" a different kind
of art to nearly everyone.

In the internet plain old art makes no sense (or only for a very few
people), because the internet lacks all haptic qualities painting,
sculpture, even photography is about.

Internet is about discourse. Art through the internet is even on its
flattest level like downloading a receipt for a pudding. Getting the
ingredients and doing the cooking is your part.

That doesn#t necessarily mean that any "new art" is mainly internet based,
but merely that it borrows from concepts the internet is about. Sharing,
exchangeing ideas, propagating and hacking of discourses. This is very sharp
and concrete, no fuzzy things about this, but the embodyment is left to
everybody's ad libitum.

Answer 2

First, let me clear the idea of Post Autononous Practice (PAP).
What is the Autonomomy the "Post" refers to? For me it's that of the
subject's. We've been told that as individuals, subjects we are autonomous,
which means freedom of action, freedom of will. Both of them have been
severely critizied in the past. Events, catastrophies like Chernobyl have
shown that there is no more freedom of action on a larger scale. We all have
become dependent on technology, the so called "achievements" of
civilisation.

The ideas of Lingner, as a story of art becoming more and more autonomous
till there is no further advance possible but to abandon the concept of
autononmy are in their result the same as above.

We have to work together, we have to cooperate.

And against all scepticism there definitely IS a PAP right now.

There are many examples, and most of them come from experiments with
telecommunication and networking. Like filesharing, open source software,
exchange projects on the internet, free radio projects. But also on an
individual level like the group around Prof. Alsleben in Hamburg, Nana
Petzet's occupation with scientific concepts, Rainer Ganahl's long term
language learning, or, like here in Frankfurt, the people who work outside
the institutions on spaces and projects in their own terms (off-spaces)

So the main proplem is rather how to label, how to embrace all this
different kinds of activities.

The proplem with the term PAP is, that only a few people grasp its meaning.
The commomn reaction is:"Post - What.....?" And you have to start
explaining.

By it's name it's not very intuitive.

For me, I rather use the term "participation" or "participative practices",
because the already give a hint of action. They invite people to
participate, to take part. (In German we both have the latin form
"partizipation" and the common "teilnahme". In English I'm not shure
there're not two words, are there?)

That does not render PAP completely senseless, it's rather the point of a
leveled usage. To put it into a picture: If you want to take the bus you
don't care on what fuel the bus runs, gasoline, hydrogen or electricity. You
want a reliable verhicle to take you to your destination.

If we talk about PAP its like the fuel or the principle of our locomotion.
But we have to build something around it which will appeal to the people.

With this big insecurity in the artworld at the moment, we have to tell
people why it's good to stick to something like PAP. Show advantages and
give examples. I don't know what the right label would be but it should be
more simple but PAP. PAP is for those who want to go into the details.

2. Post-autonomy on-line – the future of art

Newsletter no 1 - Sept 2006

http://www.postautonomy.co.uk/blog

Start date for new series of on-line talks - 16th September 8-10pm

Contents:

1. Next stage of development
2. Replacing the current text introducing Post-Autonomy
3. Up grading the site
4. What can be found on the site?
5. Feedback
6. Copyright & use of material
7. Fake PA site
8. Spamming
9. New programme of talks
Information sheet on the talks
Pool of core issues

1. Next stage of development

The website dedicated to research into Post autonomy was launched in March.
This September will see the PA project enter its next stage of development. It
is now possible to recognize the first phase as a tentative, sometimes blind
and often naive search for the objectives of PA, including the use of on-line
technology, resources and protocols. The next phase is intended to address
these problems directly by bringing much more focus and clarity to the project
by homing in on the notion of PA, and establishing complete confidence in both
the project and its programme. I do hope that from now on the site is
recognized as a site that extends PA rather than a site that pools and
collects a range of “alternative art concepts”. This isn't intended to
unnecessarily restrict the use and understanding of PA but rather to recognize
its achievements and specificity. Having said, that we would always welcome
additional material that assists in clarifying its key concepts, or sound and
balanced advice for improving any aspect of the project.

Building Post Autonomy

The next phase is therefore intended to focus more explicitly than ever on the
notion of PA as a “thought experiment” for developing a completely new model
through “building PA”. To build PA we plan to locate and research into the
specific language and logic to open up and navigate around the space of PA.

A Refracted prism

In beginning to think about the language to articulate PA it is necessary to
think through the route leading into the space for building PA. How do we
understand the space once we finish with the Eurocentric tradition of art
while waiting to construct the model of PA? What language makes sense to use
in that space, and how do we comprehend the behavior of the residues or
leftover’s of a language from a former tradition?

2. Replacing the text introducing PA

Since the recent site went live in March a more concise and simple
understanding of PA has been obviously needed, so as soon as possible a new
text will be located on the site. If anyone wants to offer insights into the
current text or ideas for producing a better text please feel free to let us
know.

3. Redesigning the site

The plans for up grading, redesigning, simplifying and making the site easier
to navigate is still on-going and so far there is no date when a new design
will replace the existing design. While the indexing and archiving of what is
already a significant body of material is again still in progress.

4. Some of the things you can find on the PA website

Interviews with the GAO brothers, Basekamp, Stefan Beck, Verena Kuni, aihpof, interactingarts. Articles on: participation, collaboration, globalization,
World cities, mapping, texts, discussions and forums debating current
understanding of the notion of Post-Autonomy. Texts by Trebor Scholtz on
participation on the net, Sal Randolph on PA etc Recent projects examining Post Autonomy - Back to back; Move into the domain of Post Autonomy; Node L, Walk, talk, eat and talk some more.

5. Feedback to the site

Now that the site has been in existence for over six months it would be useful
to hear from anyone what you think about any aspect of the site. The obvious
problems have already been communicated - the problems of locating the
material, the problems of the often hasty, sometimes shoddy, wording of the
projects concepts, and clear problems and short comings in the necessary
skills in producing texts.

6. Copyright and use of PA material

The issue of copyright and use of material from the site is still under review
and waiting advice. However if any one wants to use material from the site for
academic use, articles, or for exhibition purposes please email
david at postautonomy.co.uk for details.

7. Fake sites on Post Autonomy

Please beware that since the relative success of the launch of PA online
project space there is now at least one fake site addressing PA.

8. Spamming

Over the last few months the site has been subject to massive spamming. Again this is a problem that is under review but if any one has any advice on how to tackle this irritating problem please let us know.

9:0 New programmed of talks

The new series of debates take their point of departure from the text/work
questionnaire "Move into the domain of PA" recently presented in "Jump into
deep water" at the Shedhalle, Zurich, Switzerland this June/August.

9:1 New talks on PA
9:2 Pool of core issues