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Material temporal work in artistic innovation: How Hilma af Klint powered time

Feuls, Miriam ; Lüthy, Christina LU orcid and Svejenova, Silviya (2023) p.36-60
Abstract
This chapter explores the material temporal work involved in protecting a radical artistic innovation, conceived ahead of its time, from incomprehension and projecting it into the future in search of receptive audiences. Inspired by the trajectory and recent rediscovery of the pioneering abstract artist Hilma af Klint, we suggest that it is temporal agency (i.e. anticipating of and acting upon one’s future significance) and material temporal work (i.e. influencing, sustaining, or redirecting interpretations of time through materiality) that enable the radical artistic innovation to reach receptive audiences, spanning over a century. We distinguish two processes of material temporal work: bifurcating time by working in parallel along... (More)
This chapter explores the material temporal work involved in protecting a radical artistic innovation, conceived ahead of its time, from incomprehension and projecting it into the future in search of receptive audiences. Inspired by the trajectory and recent rediscovery of the pioneering abstract artist Hilma af Klint, we suggest that it is temporal agency (i.e. anticipating of and acting upon one’s future significance) and material temporal work (i.e. influencing, sustaining, or redirecting interpretations of time through materiality) that enable the radical artistic innovation to reach receptive audiences, spanning over a century. We distinguish two processes of material temporal work: bifurcating time by working in parallel along established and unknown temporalities, and bridging time by narrative construction, waiting time, and emotional resonance with distant-future artists, museum curators, and critics. Taken together, these two processes power time as the ultimate organizer of a radical artistic innovation’s comprehension and appreciation, i.e. engage time in the politics of meaning. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
host publication
Organization as Time : Technology, Power and Politics - Technology, Power and Politics
editor
de Vaujany, François-Xavier ; Holt, Robin and Grandazzi, Albane
pages
36 - 60
publisher
Cambridge University Press
ISBN
9781009297288
DOI
10.1017/9781009297288.003
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
b2947fc9-c68c-4305-8962-4be32d0bc778
date added to LUP
2024-09-20 11:47:51
date last changed
2025-04-04 15:44:17
@inbook{b2947fc9-c68c-4305-8962-4be32d0bc778,
  abstract     = {{This chapter explores the material temporal work involved in protecting a radical artistic innovation, conceived ahead of its time, from incomprehension and projecting it into the future in search of receptive audiences. Inspired by the trajectory and recent rediscovery of the pioneering abstract artist Hilma af Klint, we suggest that it is temporal agency (i.e. anticipating of and acting upon one’s future significance) and material temporal work (i.e. influencing, sustaining, or redirecting interpretations of time through materiality) that enable the radical artistic innovation to reach receptive audiences, spanning over a century. We distinguish two processes of material temporal work: bifurcating time by working in parallel along established and unknown temporalities, and bridging time by narrative construction, waiting time, and emotional resonance with distant-future artists, museum curators, and critics. Taken together, these two processes power time as the ultimate organizer of a radical artistic innovation’s comprehension and appreciation, i.e. engage time in the politics of meaning.}},
  author       = {{Feuls, Miriam and Lüthy, Christina and Svejenova, Silviya}},
  booktitle    = {{Organization as Time : Technology, Power and Politics}},
  editor       = {{de Vaujany, François-Xavier and Holt, Robin and Grandazzi, Albane}},
  isbn         = {{9781009297288}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{06}},
  pages        = {{36--60}},
  publisher    = {{Cambridge University Press}},
  title        = {{Material temporal work in artistic innovation: How Hilma af Klint powered time}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/9781009297288.003}},
  doi          = {{10.1017/9781009297288.003}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}