This roundtable seeks to address a number of issues concerning the controversial subject of skill in art. Some of the questions to be approached will include: what constitutes artistic skill, and how can it be demonstrated? Why have certain types of skills been prioritized and others undermined in the modern period? What logic has driven the move towards ‘de-skilling’? How might we consider the role and value of manual facility in modern and contemporary practice? Does the practice of certain kinds of skill require an abandonment of others – in what ways are different skills mutually exclusive or complementary? To arrive at satisfying answers to any of these questions would of course require a great deal of time. Here, representative voices are brought together from philosophy, art history, curatorial practice and fine art, in the hope of offering some initial responses. Each participant will offer a brief presentation; these will then be discussed between the speakers before being opened to the audience.
Participants:
Prof. Graham Parkes (Head of Philosophy, University College Cork)
Matt Packer (Curator, Lewis Glucksman Gallery)
Dobz O’Brien (Programme Manager, National Sculpture Factory)
Ed Krčma (History of Art, University College Cork)
