This study examines the devaluation of art and art criticism in contemporary economic conditions from an epistemological perspective. It explores how the domination of capital over knowledge and the process of dumbing down have led to the devaluation of art objects and criticism. The theoretical framework of the research is built on concepts of cultural capital and power-knowledge relations. The proposed concept of “techno-theatricality” is used to analyze the impact of technology on art. As a terminological proposal, techno-theatricality is descriptive of contemporary art's technical, aesthetic and epistemological character. It is based on Michael Fried's emphasis on "theatricality" instead of art. The concept represents artists' misleading experience of reality by abstracting objects and actions from their context. The dominant effect of techno-theatricality is to reshape the dynamics between knowledge, reality and the perceiver through normative conflicts that emerge through technology. While isolating art from critical consciousness, it massifies a mediocrity centred on consumption and entertainment through theological allusions to technology. The historical development of art criticism and its transformation under modern economic conditions are considered within the context of cultural capital and power-knowledge relations. The theory of cultural capital is an important tool for understanding the economic and social context of art objects and criticism. Power-knowledge relations explain how knowledge is manipulated and controlled. The proposed concept of “techno-theatricality” offers a critical analytical framework for understanding how technology transforms art into a spectacle and commodity, impacting art criticism. Existing literature on the crisis of art criticism highlights various economic, cultural, and political factors contributing to this crisis. However, these studies do not sufficiently address the epistemological transformations underlying the issue. The literature has not adequately explored the simplification of knowledge by capital and its effects on art criticism. This study aims to fill this gap by providing a more comprehensive view of the current crisis in art criticism. This research employs qualitative research methods. Literature review and case studies constitute the main data collection methods. The literature review aims to understand the existing theoretical framework and reveal how art and art criticism are affected under contemporary economic conditions. Case studies analyze the concrete examples of the domination of capital over knowledge. The findings indicate that art and art criticism have significantly transformed under contemporary economic conditions. The domination of capital over knowledge has led to the devaluation of art objects and criticism, transforming art criticism into a tool serving economic interests. The concept of “techno-theatricality” reveals how technology transforms art into a spectacle and commodity, leading to the loss of depth and critical nature in art criticism. The quality of art criticism is shaped by rules imposed by capital, redefining the object of criticism as the surrounding rules. The simplification of knowledge and its easy consumption by the masses result in the loss of depth and contemplative quality in art criticism. Art criticism is now seen as a tool for entertainment and consumption rather than informative and thought-provoking. Techno-theatricality, as a significant component of this process, causes art objects to adopt a technologically enchanting and consumption-oriented character. The findings help us understand the current crisis in art criticism and the economic and epistemological dynamics underlying this crisis. Under the influence of the knowledge economy and capital accumulation, art criticism has undergone a significant transformation. The concept of techno-theatricality is used to understand the impact of technology and capital on art and how these influences shape criticism. In this context, the purpose of criticism is not only to reveal the value of art but also to critically evaluate the impact of economic and technological transformations on art. This study emphasizes the need for redefining art criticism and preserving critical thinking. Techno-theatricality reveals how art is directed by economic and technological forces and how this process affects the quality of critical art. Shedding light on the current crisis in art criticism, this study provides strategic suggestions for strengthening critical thinking and ensuring the art world's future. This research is limited to examining the transformation of art criticism and the domination of capital over knowledge. One of the main limitations of the study is that the data used are qualitative and limited to case studies. This limitation affects the generalizability of the findings. The implications of the research are summarized as raising awareness about the current state of art criticism and providing a basis for future studies in this area. Emphasizing the need for a critical stance against the simplification of knowledge and the domination of capital over knowledge is a significant contribution of this study. The use of the concept of techno-theatricality offers a new perspective to understand the current state of art and criticism. This research is original in examining the devaluation of art and art criticism in contemporary economic conditions from an epistemological perspective. It addresses how the domination of capital over knowledge and the simplification of knowledge lead to the manipulation and devaluation of art criticism. Additionally, the proposal of the concept of “techno-theatricality” provides a new analytical framework to understand the transformation of art criticism today. The value of the research lies in shedding light on the current crisis in art criticism and analyzing the economic and epistemological dynamics underlying this crisis. This is crucial for determining the future directions of art criticism and the strategies needed to preserve critical thinking in this field. The concept of techno-theatricality is a valuable tool for understanding how art is shaped by technology and capital and how this transformation affects the quality of critical art. In conclusion, this study reveals the devaluation of art and art criticism and the epistemological foundations of this process under contemporary economic conditions. It emphasizes how the domination of capital over knowledge and the simplification of knowledge change and devalue the quality of art criticism. The concept of “techno-theatricality” analyzes how technology transforms art into a spectacle and commodity, highlighting the necessity of preserving art criticism's depth and critical nature. This study sheds light on the current crisis in art criticism and provides strategic suggestions for strengthening critical thinking. Redefining art criticism and strengthening critical thinking are vital for the art world's future.
Sanat eleştirisinin işlevselliği, teknolojik ve ekonomik koşullar altında değişime uğramaktadır. Ticari kaygılar ve pazar taleplerine bağımlılık, sanatın eleştirel tutumunu zayıflatırken, sanat eleştirisinin geri-bildirim mantığına indirgenmesi, eleştirmenlerin sanat nesnesinden ziyade izleyici beklentilerine odaklanmasına neden olmaktadır. Bu durum, sanat eleştirisinin biçimsel ve estetik tartışmalardan uzaklaşarak ticari pazarlama aracı haline gelmesine yol açmaktadır. Ayrıca, kültürel hiyerarşinin güçlenmesi ve çok-sesliliğin engellenmesi, eleştirinin otoriter bir yapıya bürünmesine neden olmaktadır. Bu makale, günümüz sanat eleştirisinin epistemolojik ve metodolojik dönüşümlerini incelemektedir. Çalışmanın amacı, sanat eleştirisinin mevcut krizine dair epistemolojik sorunların eleştirinin yöntemlerine etkisini analiz etmektir. Makalenin kapsamı, post-Fordist ekonomik yapıların sanat dünyasına etkilerini ve bu etkilerin sanat eserlerinin üretiminden eleştirisine kadar olan süreçlerdeki yansımalarını içermektedir. Ayrıca, Antroposen Çağı, tekno-bilim ve teknosfer gibi günümüz dünyasında öne çıkan kavramlar irdelenmektedir. Antroposen Çağı, insan faaliyetlerinin doğa üzerindeki etkilerinin arttığı bir dönemi ifade ederken, tekno-bilim ve teknosfer, sanatsal süreçlerde önemli rol oynayan kavramlardır. Tekno-teatrallik kavramı ise sanat eserlerinin estetik ve deneyimsel boyutlarının teknoloji etkisi altındaki dönüşümünü vurgulamak için terminolojik bir öneri olarak geliştirilmiştir. Bu açıdan, günümüz sanatının teknik, estetik ve epistemolojik karakterine ilişkin tanımlayıcı bir niteliktedir. Michael Fried'in sanata karşıt olarak düşündüğü "teatrallik" vurgusundan yola çıkarak oluşturulan bu kavram, insan faaliyetlerini yüceltirken, nesneleri ve eylemleri bağlamlarından soyutlayarak gerçekliğin yanıltıcı bir biçimde deneyimlenmesini temsil eder. Sanatsal pratikler özelinde ise bilgi, gerçeklik ve algılayıcı arasındaki dinamikleri, teknoloji aracılığıyla ortaya çıkan normatif çatışmalarla yeniden şekillendirir. Sanatı eleştirel bilinçten izole ederken, teknolojiye ilişkin teolojik imalar aracılığı ile tüketim ve eğlenceyi merkez alan bir vasatlığı kitleselleştirir. Makalenin temel hipotezi, sanat eleştirisinin krizden çıkışının izleyici deneyimine odaklanarak bilimsel yöntemler ve entelektüel birikimler aracılığıyla sanatın nesneleşmiş varlığına karşı etkili bir sorgulama yapılmasına ilişkin gerekliliktir. Öte yandan sanat eleştirisinin içerisinde bulunduğu kriz ortamı, sistemin daha iyi işlemesi için gerekli değişikliklerin yapılmasını motive eden bir katalizör olarak değerlendirilmektedir. Bu bağlamda, sanat eleştirisinin, Antroposen ya da post-Fordist stratejilerin taşıyıcısı olma pozisyonundan kurtularak özgün bir eleştirel tutum geliştirmesi gerekmektedir. Açık bir ifadeyle, sanat dünyası, eleştirel tutum ve cesaretle sanat üzerinde tahakküm oluşturan kurumsal güçlere karşı durmalıdır. Estetik deneyimin ve beğeni biçimlerinin tek biçimliliğine itiraz etmelidir. Özetle, sanat eleştirisi, bilimsel yöntemler ve entelektüel birikimle desteklenerek yeniden yapılandırılmalıdır.
Adorno, W. T. (2016). Negatif diyalektik. Metis Yayınları.
Adorno, W. T. (2020). Kültür endüstrisi. İletişim Yayınları.
Adorno, W. T. & Horkheimer, M. (2014). Aydınlanmanın diyalektiği. Kabalcı.
Ağkaya, O. (2018). Bir reklam arası: distopya. Cogito. 90, 49-62.
Anadol, R. [@refikanadol]. (23 Kasım 2023). Your words has no meaning to me @jerrysaltz you never talked to me, never visited my studio, no idea who i am, why and how I create art [Tweet]. Twitter. https://twitter.com/refikanadol/status/1727727314157318209
Artnet (2019). Intelligence report sprint 2019. artnetnews. https://media.artnet.com/image/upload/v1616185996/2019/02/intelligence_report_spring_qspbad.pdf
Arts Council England (2020). Let’s create: strategy 2020-2030. Arts Council England. https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/our-strategy-2020-2030
Baker, G., Krauss, R., Buchloh, B., Fraser, A., Joselit, D., Meyer, J., Storr, R., Foster, H., Miller, J. & Molesworth, H. (2002). Round table: the present conditions of art criticism. October, 100, 201–228. http://www.jstor.org/stable/779100
Baudrillard, J. (2018). Simulakrlar ve simülasyon. Doğu Batı Yayınları.
Bickers, P. (2021). The ends of art criticism. Lund Humphries.
Bollmer, G. (2018). Theorizing digital cultures. SAGE Publishing.
Boltanski, L. & Chiapello, E. (2005). The new spirit of capitalism. Verso.
Bourdieu, P. (2021). Homo academicus. İstanbul Bilgi Üniversitesi Yayınları.
Bourriaud, N. (2002). Relational aesthetics. Les presses du réel.
Boutang, M. Y. (2011). Cognitive capitalism. Polity Press.
Bürger, P. (2017). Avangard kuramı. İletişim Yayınları.
Castells, M. (2008). Enformasyon çağı: ekonomi, toplum ve kültür, Birinci cilt: Ağ toplumunun yükselişi. İstanbul Bilgi Üniversitesi Yayınları.
Catalano, L. (9 Aralık 2021). Ultra-contemporary art ascendant: the rise of the market’s newest category. AuctionDaily. https://auctiondaily.com/news/ultra-contemporary-art-ascendant-the-rise-of-the-markets-newest-category/
Charlesworth, J. J. (17 Mart 2021). Why the artworld loves to hate nft art. ArtRewiev. https://artreview.com/why-the-artworld-loves-to-hate-nft-art-beeple-christies-grimes/
Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Cribb, A. & Gewirtz, S. (2003). The hollowed-out university? the effect of neoliberalism on academic work and institutions. P. O'Neill & T. Savage (Ed.), Education and Social Change (187-210). Palgrave Macmillan.
Crist, E. (2016). On the poverty of our nomenclature, Jason W. Moore (Ed.), Anthropocene or capitalocene? nature, history, and the crisis of capitalism (14-33), PM Press.
Crutzen, P. J. & Stoermer, E. F. (2000). The Anthropocene. Global Change Newsletter, (41), 17-18.
Davis, B. (19 Ekim 2023). The world’s most popular painter sent his followers after me because he didn’t like a review of his work. here’s what i learned. https://news.artnet.com/art-world-archives/devon-rodriguez-parasocial-aesthetics-2380960
Diderot, D. (1883). The Paradox of Acting (Trans. W. H. Pollock). Chatto & Windus.
Fanon, F. (1963). The wretched of the earth. Grove Press.
Foster H. (2018). Smash the screen, London Review of Books, (40)7, 40–41. https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v40/n07/hal-foster/smash-the-screen
Fried, M. (1967). Art and objecthood. Artforum, 5(10), 12-23.
Fried, M. (1998). Art and objecthood: Essays and reviews. University of Chicago Press.
Fumagalli, A., Giuliani, A., Lucarelli S. & Vercellone, C. (2011). Cognitive capitalism and labour: The general intellect. Cognitive Capitalism, Welfare, and Labour: The Commonfare Hypothesis. Routledge.
Galloway, A. R. (2012). The interface effect. Polity.
Giuliani, G. (2020). Monsters, catastrophes and the anthropocene: a postcolonial critique. Routledge.
Goldsbrough, S. (19 Nisan 2024). All that glitters by Orlando Whitfield review — the art world’s golden boy fraudster. The Times. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/all-that-glitters-orlando-whitfield-review-fnjgf2m38
Gombrich, E. H. (2015). Sanat ve yanılsama: resim yoluyla betimlemenin psikolojisi. Remzi Kitabevi.
Goodman, N. (1968). Languages of art. The Bobbs-Merrill Company, Inc.
Greenberg, C. (1965). Art and culture, Beacon Press.
Haraway, D. (2003). The companion species manifesto: dogs, people, and significant otherness. Prickly Paradigm Press.
Hardt, M. & Negri, A. (2009). Commonwealth. Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.
Harvey, D. (2005). A brief history of neoliberalism. Oxford University Press.
Holert, T. (2020). Knowledge beside itself. MIT Press.
Hungerland, H. (1947). Suggestions for procedure in art criticism. The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism, 5(3), 189-195. http://www.jstor.org/stable/427073
Jameson, F. (1991). Postmodernism, or, the cultural logic of late capitalism. Duke University Press.
Keesling, J. (4 Mart 2021). Can Art Criticism Be Both Collaborative and Ethical?. Hyperallergic, https://hyperallergic.com/626690/can-art-criticism-be-both-collaborative-and-ethical/
Latour, B. (1993). We have never been modern. Harvard University Press.
Lazzarato, M. (1996). Immaterial labour. In Radical Thought in Italy: A Potential Politics. University of Minnesota Press.
Lazzarato, M. (2017). Experimental politics: work, welfare, and creativity in the neoliberal age. MIT Press.
Lesourd, S. (2018). Özne nasıl susturulur? Söylemlerden liberal laf ebeliklerine. Doğu Batı Yayınları.
Lyotard, J. F. (2011). Libidinal ekonomi. Hil Yayınları.
Machlup, F. (1962). The production and distribution of knowledge in the United States. Princeton University Press.
Manovich, L. (2001). The language of new media. MIT Press.
McAndrew, C. (2023). The art market 2023, Art Basel & UBS. https://www.ubs.com/global/en/our-firm/art/collecting/art-market-survey/download-report-2023.html
Morozov, E. (2011). The net delusion: the dark side of internet freedom. PublicAffairs.
Morton, T. (2013). Hyperobjects: philosophy and ecology after the end of the world. University of Minnesota Press.
Özgenç Erdoğdu, N., Öztürk, M. A. ve Keskin, F. (2021). Doğu-batı sınırı üzerinden postkolonyalizm ve postkolonyalizmin çağdaş sanata yansımaları. Uluslararası İnsan ve Sanat Araştırmaları Dergisi, 6(4), 519-534.
Parikka, J. (2015). A geology of media. University of Minnesota Press.
Phillips. (2022). Introducing ULTRA/NEO, our spotlight on ultra-contemporary talent. https://www.phillips.com/article/86120605/ultra-neo-hong-kong-fall-auction
Plumwood, V. (1993). Feminism and the mastery of nature. Routledge.
Polanyi, M. (1962). Personal knowledge: towards a post-critical philosophy. Routledge & Kegan Paul.
Popper, F. (2007). From technological to virtual art. MIT Press.
Postman, N. (1993). Technopoly: The surrender of culture to technology. Vintage Books
Protas, M. (2021). On the crisis of criticism and public art. Collection of Scientific Papers Contemporary Art, (17), 195-208. https://doi.org/10.31500/2309-8813.17.2021.248451
Reichle, I. (2009). Art in the age of technoscience: genetic engineering, robotics, and artificial life in contemporary art. Springer.
Said, E. (1978). Orientalism. Pantheon Books.
Saltz, J. (22 Şubat 2023). MoMA’s glorified lava lamp Refik Anadol’s Unsupervised is a crowd-pleasing, like-generating mediocrity. Vulture. https://www.vulture.com/article/jerry-saltz-moma-refik-anadol-unsupervised.html
Sennett, R. (2017). Yeni kapitalizm kültürü. Ayrıntı Yayınları.
Singerman, H. (2001). Art subjects: Making artists in the American university. University of California Press.
Stakel-Walker, C. (14 Kasım 2023). Techscape: NFTs were meant to change everything – what happened?. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/nov/14/techscape-nfts-cryptocurrency
Stiegler, B. (2010). For a new critique of political economy. Polity.
Vaidhyanathan, S. (2011). The googlization of everything (and why we should worry). University of California Press.
Virno, P. (2004). A grammar of the multitude: for an analysis of contemporary forms of life. Semiotext(e).
Walker, A. (2024). Art, labour, text and radical care. Routledge.
Walsh, M. (2016). Critique fatigue. Art Monthly, 400, 13-16.
Yang, M. (22 Eylül 2023). The vast majority of NFTs are now worthless, new report shows. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/sep/22/nfts-worthless-price
