Collaborative art practice in the public sphere: The death of the artist?

Unrestricted In The Death of the Author, Roland Barthes employs the term "Author" to describe a solitary figure who draws from their individual subjectivity and intellect to create an original work of literature. Transferring Barthes' concept to the visual arts, the "Artist" is similarly a figure replete with authority, which authors the original, unchangeable meaning of a work and gives it existence. Recent collaborative art practice in the public sphere suggests however, that the Artist is in the process of being displaced from his or her position as originator and authority. This thesis investigates the degree to which collaborative art practice in the public sphere has succeeded in removing, or bringing about the death of, the Artist. Specifically, it explores the position that the Artist has not died but instead performs a role identified by Miwon Kwon as the "silent manager". Each chapter considers an aspect of silent management and its methods as expressed through selected artworks by Komar and Melamid, Fritz Haeg, Slanguage Studio, LA Commons and the Serpentine Gallery's Edgware Road Project.