An Issue Study on Artist Collective’s Non-Hierarchical Engagement and Collaboration: Focusing on the Turner Prizes

This study examines the recent rise of socially engaged art projects by artist collectives in the institutional art world and discusses the issues of artistic expertise and authorship raised in their non-hierarchical artistic processes. Artist collectives are non-formal artistic groups formed by experts from various fields, including art, who pursue common ideological and aesthetic values. While these collectives have a significant impact on seeking social change with marginalized groups or local communities amid ongoing conflicts and crises around the world, their collaborative approach, which aims for democracy and egalitarianism, raises concerns about artistic expertise and authorship. This study analyzes the concept, characteristics, major cases, and trends of socially engaged art, and examines the Turner Prize-winning projects at the center of the debate, drawing implications for the issues raised in the projects of artist collectives. Assemble, the 2015 Turner Prize winner, and Array Collective, the 2021 winner, are both recognized for their artistic critical ability to change the economic or political paradigms of their respective regions. The social changes that Assemble and Array Collective pursued with local residents stemmed from critical reflection on existing social structures. Assemble’s project can be seen as creative in that it created a sustainable economic revenue model through art activities led by local residents. Array Collective’s project has artistic value in that it served as a starting point for transforming the marching culture that fueled conflict in Northern Ireland into a culture for the socially marginalized. The driving force behind the social practices of Assemble and Array Collective lies in the collaboration between the collective and local residents, which allows them to sustain joint projects. T he fact that their influence can only take root in the local community through the participation of local residents may explain why artist collectives transfer authorship. This study provides an understanding of the current state and issues of socially engaged art, and is expected to provide an opportunity for our society to pay attention to the social and artistic discourse produced by artist collectives and to reflect on the sustainable direction for the future.