Relational Aesthetics
Relational Aesthetics is a mode of art-making where social interactions and human relations form the primary artistic medium.
Coined by curator Nicolas Bourriaud in the 1990s, Relational Aesthetics describes art that takes as its starting point the whole of human relations and their social context, rather than an independent and private space. It often involves creating situations or events that encourage interaction and participation among viewers. Key figures include Rirkrit Tiravanija, Liam Gillick, and Philippe Parreno. Relational Aesthetics emphasizes the social function of art and its potential to create new forms of community and dialogue.
Key Artists
- Philippe Parreno - No Ghost Just a Shell (2000-2002) (Collaboration with Pierre Huyghe)
- Rirkrit Tiravanija - Untitled (Free) (1992)
- Pierre Huyghe - Untilled (Liegender Frauenakt) (2012)
- Vanessa Beecroft - VB35 (1998)
- Liam Gillick - Discussion Island: Projected Think Tank (1997)
