The politics of art and visual culture

Based on the assumption that all forms of visual culture emerge from and contribute to the mediation of social and political forces, much of our work explores the role of art, architecture, and other types of visual culture in the assertion, negotiation, and contestation of power.

We do so by pursuing a variety of topics, such as the role of Renaissance visual culture in framing the social problem of infant abandonment, modernity’s entanglement with the visual culture of repressive political regimes, and the production of objects by contemporary activists in pursuit of social change.

Throughout our work, we emphasize issues of autonomy, agency, dissent, and the contestation of the public realm.

Visit our members staff profiles for more information on their publications and works relating to the social and political implications of art, architecture, and visual culture. You can also contact members of staff for information on research supervision opportunities.