Abstract realism : non-anthropocentric strategies for constructing non-relational artworks

• Main Author: Holmes, Dale Christopher
• Other Authors: McCormack, T. C. ; Simmonds, Gary ; Joseph-Lester, Jaspar
• Published: Sheffield Hallam University 2013
• Subjects: 709.04052
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.606563

This thesis investigates the neighbourhoods of artistic abstraction and philosophical realism towards developing a new material philosophy and practice led research methodology based upon a series of 'non-anthropocentric strategies' (following Fredric Jameson) for constructing, staging and encountering artworks as 'non-relational' (following Francois Laruelle) 'totalities' (following Carl Einstein) within the cultural-economic-socio-political reality of'capitalist realism' (following Mark Fisher).The thesis is presented over two 'sectors'. Each sector demonstrates the practical application of the material philosophy of abstract realism; investigating the nonrelational, construction and spatial claims of the research. The first sector is the written text titled An Asymmetrical and Angular Architectonic Arrangement. This sector gathers together eleven distinct 'zones' of research activity that have been carried out across the period of this project. The second sector is a new original artwork constructed using the 'toolkit' of abstract realism, titled 'Blackplastic.' This project concludes by proposing a number of contributions; first, a re-orientation of Jencksian adhocism away from any idealisms of'openness' and the 'whole' (Jencks) towards a focus on its practical application and constructive methodology, second, the development of the method 'glossary' as a contemporary anti-razor, third, the claim that the application of abstract realism to the curation and staging of artworks leads to asymmetrical encounters, fourth, the transferability of abstract realism beyond fine art studio practice. These are followed by the main contribution to knowledge which encapsulates the above and asserts that abstract realism is a re-positioned artistic abstraction; a non-representational material philosophy in itself and a new methodology for practice led research. The project culminates with a manifesto for abstract realism.