From Wikipedia: art intervention is an interaction with a previously existing artwork, audience or venue/space. It has the auspice of conceptual art and is commonly a form of performance art. It is associated with the Viennese Actionists, the Dada movement and Neo-Dadaists. It has also been made much use of by the Stuckists to affect perceptions of other artwork which they oppose, and as a protest against an existing intervention.
Intervention can also refer to art which enters a situation outside the art world in an attempt to change the existing conditions there. For example, intervention art may attempt to change economic or political situations, or may attempt to make people aware of a condition that they previously had no knowledge of. Since these goals mean that intervention art necessarily addresses and engages with the public, some artists call their work “public interventions”.
Although intervention by its very nature carries an implication of subversion, it is now accepted as a legitimate form of art and is often carried out with the endorsement of those in positions of authority over the artwork, audience or venue/space to be intervened in. However, unendorsed (i.e. illicit) interventions are common and lead to debate as to the distinction between art and vandalism. By definition it is a challenge, or at the very least a comment, related to the earlier work or the theme of that work, or to the expectations of a particular audience, and more likely to fulfill that function to its full potential when it is unilateral, although in these instances, it is almost certain that it will be viewed by authorities as unwelcome, if not vandalism, and not art.
Art intervention is conceptual art. The artist intervenes in some type of “normal” process or system as a symbolic gesture to initiate change or to make a statement about an issue through some type of artistic presentation. Graffiti can be a good example of art intervention.
Another example is the Trash Project in New York City (NYC). (http://trashproject.biz/index.php) Their slogan is to “Change the Ordinary, today.” To demonstrate this concept, bio-degradable “TRASH” project bags were distributed to NYC neighborhoods to make the task of collecting trash less mundane, and considerably more artful and colorful.
On page 22, in my Second Home-Finding Your Place in the Fun book project, I choose to present the concept of Art Intervention by inserting a couple of speech balloons as well as and an invitation to a game-which I’ve added to the front cover. After all, what second-home property would be complete without some type of leisure activity? This is my way of poking fun at the whole concept of a lifestyle that includes the ability to maintain a second home, while most Americans in reality are struggling to maintain a primary residence.
kathelarkin - studio fundamentals 