Page 204 - The ISA Handbook in Contemporary Sociology

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SITES OF CONFLICT AND COLLABORATION 175

Artists do not always make ‘rational’ choices but conflict is always present. Controversies
from an economic standpoint. Given a choice also provide a rallying point for collabo-
between roles, actors did not always choose ration among like-minded participants.
the highest paid position but the one with the Methodologically, art controversies provide
best chance of enhancing future opportunities opportunities for observing how antagonists
(for example choosing roles in prestigious make sense of their world and actively work
performance venues). to shape society. Controversies may be seen
Research on artistic labour markets sug- as social events in which antagonists express
gests that patterns observed in the arts may themselves about ‘usual’ patterns, communi-
be useful for anticipating broader trends rel- cate their expectations by highlighting rules
evant for the future of work (Menger, 2003). they believe have been broken and justify
Work in the arts is characterized by rapidly their positions (Boltanski and Thévenot,
changing tastes, strong seasonal variations, 1991; Canguilhem, 1975; Gamboni, 1997).
irregular remuneration and multiple con-
comitant part-time employment. The trajec-
tories of artists’ working lives, marked with
insecurity and competition, may provide REJECTION AND DESTRUCTION OF
insights into twenty-first century patterns of ART AS FORMS OF RECEPTION
working lives in the new economy in other
fields (Marontate, 2002). Dario Gamboni (1997) observed that the
Studies of outsider art and non-Western art rejection and destruction of art is not a new
forms suggest that art worlds may be diversi- phenomenon. ‘Vandalism’ was named after
fying but symbolic and material boundaries violent fifth century invaders who destroyed
maintain inequalities in access to resources imperial monuments. ‘Iconoclasm’ was a
and recognition (Griswold, 2000; Kasfir, method to enforce the official Byzantine doc-
1999; Zolberg and Cherbo, 1997). Only a trine devoted to eliminating the worship of
select coterie of artists attains national and graven images. Ironically ‘iconoclasm’ is
international recognition. Controversial art often used in a way which gives cultural
may be suppressed even destroyed because it legitimacy to destructive acts since it
commemorates events that powerful groups acknowledges that the people who damage or
prefer to forget or expresses values that destroy artworks do so consciously. It also
offend (Lubar, 1996; Roth and Sala, 1998; underlines the power of artistic representa-
Tota, 2001, 2002; Wagner-Pacifici and tions in society; otherwise there would be no
Schwartz, 1998). need to destroy them. On the other hand
‘vandalism’ commonly refers to senseless
acts, committed without intention. Vandals
are seen as ignorant people unaware of the
ART CONTROVERSIES AS values embodied in works they destroy. Yet,
OBSERVATION POINTS FOR even acts that may appear gratuitous can
STUDYING SOCIETY engender a sort of dialogue providing
insights into the interplay of material and
Studying cases in which art is rejected, symbolic culture. In Gamboni’s words, ‘works
attacked, destroyed or neglected can help us of art are rarely – though not never – meant to
understand the multiple meanings of art and be degraded or destroyed. It follows that
provide insights into more general sociologi- attacks generally represent a break in the
cal issues raised by the notions of conflict, intended communication (pattern) or a depar-
competition and cooperation (Marontate, ture from the “normal” attitudes and modes of
1998, 1999). Art controversies do not simply communication ...’(Gamboni, 1997: 11). Thus,
constitute a paradigmatic case of social conflict acts of aggression are acts of communication,