The Illusion of Inclusivity: Exclusionary Mechanisms and the Dilemma of Public Participation in Relational Aesthetics

Abstract

The principle behind Relational Aesthetics is the social connectivity to generate artistic significance and proposes an open participatory model as art, interactive in nature to fill up the divide between the conventional art and the ordinary spectators. But in actual practice most of these artistic efforts are not genuinely inclusive. Rather, there would be some discreet and multi-layered obstacles which can prevent authentic involvement of people. This article relies on both theoretical frameworks presented by Nicolas Bourriaud and Claire Bishop and has its empirical basis on the examples that took place within the Tate Modern and the Shanghai Biennale and used it as the support of the research. Cultural capital differences, spatial imbalancing of powers, restrictive participation clauses, monopoly of aesthetic discourse, infiltration of market logic, and all other factors combine into a hidden exclusionary mechanism that leaves the population as a whole in a passive and powerless position when participating in an art event. This paper addresses these dilemmas by analyzing the practical flaws of contemporary participatory art, aiming to uncover the surface of empty inclusiveness and offer practical paths for constructing a fair and inclusive public art participation framework.