Don't Look Away: Art, Nonviolence, and Preventive Publics in Contemporary Europe

Dont Look Away explores the role of contemporary art in developing a public commitment to end structural violence in Europe, focusing on art activism that confronts the slow violence perpetuated against precarious peoples. Cohen argues that recursive art practices offer a more sustained counter to this violence than artworks that prioritize immediate rupture. Their art reflects on various flashpoints of violence and vulnerability in Europe, advocating for ethical and civil relations between strangers across physical and virtual borders.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 272 pages
Publication date: 12 May 2023
Publisher: Duke University Press

In her captivating essay, "Don't Look Away," Brianne Cohen delves into the profound role of contemporary art in fostering a collective commitment to eradicate structural violence across Europe. Cohen's insightful analysis centers on the art activism of the early twenty-first century, specifically targeting the persistent and insidious forms of violence perpetrated against vulnerable populations. By examining the works of renowned German filmmaker Harun Farocki, Swiss artist Thomas Hirschhorn, and the art collective Henry VIIIs Wives, Cohen compellingly argues that these artists' recursive practices offer a more sustainable and effective resistance to the violence that underpins the public sphere. Their art serves as a powerful reflection on a diverse range of flashpoints of violence and vulnerability in Europe, encompassing the haunting legacy of the Holocaust, the pervasive specter of Islamophobia, and the escalating anti-immigrant sentiment. Recognizing the pervasiveness of fear-based publics fostered by this violence, Cohen asserts that art holds the potential to cultivate ethical and civil connections between strangers, transcending physical and virtual boundaries.

In contrast to art-critical approaches that prioritize direct action, Cohen advocates for the imaginative, messy, and often elusive power of art to shape mindsets and nurture a nonviolent social imaginary. Through their artistic expressions, these artists challenge societal norms, provoke thought, and inspire empathy, ultimately contributing to the transformative potential of art in shaping a more just and compassionate world.

Weight: 400g
Dimension: 152 x 231 x 17 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781478019466