DOBKOWSKA, Marianna; LUKOMSKI, Krzysztof
Things We Do Together – The Post-Reader

A collection of essays and honest conversations with practitioners around collaborative practices, at the intersection of art, education, and activism.

Collaboration is more than simply a mechanism for the collective management of resources. It can be a way of disrupting existing systems both in the art world and in everyday life, where capitalism and extreme individualism lead to the collapse of communities and the deepening of social inequalities. Artists, activists, researchers, and educators initiate social situations all over the world; in places where institutions fail them, they establish their own. They work collectively for the benefit of the community and in cooperation with the community. The scope of influence of their practices is more often located outside the gallery than inside. They treat art as a tool for building community, not for producing sellable goods. Their research, processes, and long-term collaborations involve exchange, generosity, and trust. They are willing to bear the associated risks. They oppose the laws of the market and focus on teamwork, solidarity, and the gift economy. They redefine the concept of art and help to hack systems. They produce alternative teaching and unlearning systems, and new economies and spaces of imagination. [publisher's note]

Published by Mousse Publishing, 2021
Essays / Conversations