Unlearning Excercises: Art Organizations as Sites for Unlearning

Learning is the accumulation of knowledge, skills and behavior; it is often progress-oriented and institutionally driven. In contrast, unlearning is directed toward embodied forms of knowledge and the unconscious operation of ways of thinking and doing, in order to actively, critically investigate normative structures and practices.This book is an account of the process of unlearning, taking art institutions as potential sites for unlearning. The publication shares a set of “unlearning exercises” as propositions to be adapted within other institutional contexts, ranging from daily practices like “Cleaning Together” to more difficult negotiations around issues of collective authorship and fair wage. The exercises are accompanied by personal accounts, essays and collective conversations, comprising a multi faceted critique of institutionalized habits and an attempt to put processes of unlearning into practice.