The UNT Honors College is dedicated to enriching the undergraduate academic experience for talented, motivated, and well-prepared students. The college offers its members many benefits, including challenging classes, training in research methods and skills, eligibility to live in Rawlins Hall or Honors Hall, and a supportive social and academic environment.
This paper discusses research on the performance art of Alexander Brener.
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13 p.
Notes
Abstract: We should expand our understanding of contemporary art by considering it from ideological perspectives other than those of the West. I will show the significance that certain established conventions of Western art criticism and history have for the Russian performance artist Alexander Brener. Western art critics perceive Brener's performances as destructive and perverse, which indicates the existence of accepted conventions and a tacit agreement concerning what is considered art. Art history also excludes Brener, not only because his work is so contemporary, but also because prevailing approaches to understanding art in the West require categorizing art movements and corresponding labeling of artists, which is difficult to achieve in Brener's case. Consequently, I ask, how has Brener emphasized the importance of understanding art as an entity that has culturally specific features? I consider Brener's use of the phrase "third world artist" in relation to the prevailing Western art critical terms "East" and "West." Finally, I examine Brener's controversial performance at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam in relation to the Western art world as a system consisting of artists, critics, historians, and patrons.
Second Annual University Scholars Day, 2005, Denton, Texas, United States.
This paper is part of the following collections of related materials.
The Eagle Feather
Launched in 2004 by UNT's Honors College, The Eagle Feather was an interdisciplinary undergraduate research journal that promoted the work of students and their faculty mentors. The Eagle Feather was published annually until 2017 when it transitioned into the North Texas Journal of Undergraduate Research.
This collection presents scholarly and artistic content created by undergraduate students. All materials have been previously accepted by a professional organization or approved by a faculty mentor. Most classroom assignments are not eligible for inclusion. The collection includes, but is not limited to Honors College theses, thesis supplemental files, professional presentations, articles, and posters. Some items in this collection are restricted to use by the UNT community.