Tim Barlow

Citation

Thesis Title
Caring Deception: Community art in the suburbs of Aotearoa (New Zealand)

Read article at Massey Research Online:

In Aotearoa New Zealand, community art practice has a disadvantaged status and a poorly documented national history. Few studies have been undertaken on cultural democracy from the perspective of the artist. Cultural democracy in community art practices requires a questioning and re-positioning of who has power to the access and production of cultural forms. Mr Barlow constructed a range of community art works that engaged with many local groups and involved community issues. Over four years, he worked with local communities constructing a range of public fountains, festivals, pop-up venues and mobile community centres. He created an original methodology called 'caring deception' to negotiate the terms of engagement with local community and other wider political forces. Mr Barlow's research demonstrated that when the terms of deceit, resentment and care are negotiated during the making process a social ethics will become embodied in the form of the community art work.

Supervisors
Distinguished Professor Sally Morgan
Associate Professor Martin Patrick
Professor Heather Galbraith