This article moves beyond some of the usual areas of art discussion, such as themes, applications, and aesthetics, and instead provides an initial overview into the philosophical and conceptual foundations of Post-Theory Art, and one type of post-theory art, Artist-Placed Public Document Art.
In other words, this article is not about what the art can look like, and it is not about what the art can address; rather, this article is about the intellectual traditions that are referenced by post-theory art and artist-placed public document art: What those traditions are, what traditions are extended, built upon, or reduced, and, also, what what philosophical and epistemic territories these potential areas of art ultimately may be seen to occupy.
Because this is just an initial overview article, and because this area should be approachable and accessible to many, not just just academics and experts, this article presents its initial overview research findings as a top-ten list as to the broad ontological, epistemological, and aesthetic categories that may be seen to be within what is proposed to be observed in art history as post-theory art.
Also, because this article and this top 10 list needs to use some fancy academic and philosophical terms, a list of vocabulary–definitions, what the words cover, and what they do not, so that distinctions may be seen–this list of vocabulary terms appears at the end of the article for reference while reading.
Some of the Intellectual and Philosophical Foundation of Post-Theory Art
1. Conceptual Art (Art-as-Idea-as-Art)
Post-Theory Art directly extends and evolves the core premise of conceptual art: that an idea itself can be the artwork, no matter how presented. Post-theory art broadens this premise, it seems, from the singular idea-as-art to a larger connective and relative system—no longer just a singular idea can be a piece of art; rather, larger and more connective theories that compare, relate, and evaluate can be art, where a theory is defined in its traditional sense as a system or grouping of ideas and thoughts that are propositional and networked. Arguably, as discussed below, post-theory art expands conceptual art from object-less art (the idea itself is art, apart from any physical or sound manifestation) into something more, a natural extension of conceptual art: ontology-driven art.
2. Analytic Philosophy and Epistemology
Post-Theory Art may be seen as having a basis in analytic philosophy and epistemology because, like those thought disciplines, post-theory art as an art practice draws from the basis of many if not most human thought systems across time and across cultures: the use of structure for propositions and argument, the use of logical reasoning, and, it seems, the use of epistemic self-awareness. It borrows rigor from philosophy of language, theories of knowledge, and the analytic tradition—particularly in how it frames theory itself as form and content
3. Continental Critical Theory, Including Institutional Critique
Post-theory art inherits strategies of critical analysis from thinkers such as Foucault, Derrida, and, later, artists such as Andrea Fraser and Hans Haacke, who examined and critiqued power through art about some types of institutions. Post-Theory Art seems to be in a different category, with the key distinction being this: Post-theory art expands art-as-critique from being outside of the institution, as has previously occurred, to now art-as-critique that is embedded within the institution—in some ways, art-as-critique at the time as art-as-causal-catalyst, by initiating a process that results in an ongoing critique of power in real-time as the institution responds to developments sparked by the artist’s initial publicly-placed document within the institution in a way that requires a formal response.
4. Philosophy of Law and Jurisprudence
Especially within the genre of post-theory art that has been called Artist-Placed Public Document Art, this art-as-law and law-as-art practice engages in foundational questions arising from the areas of knowledge and reasoning related to the philosophy of law and theories of jurisprudence, such as notions of justice, due process, the function of law and legal norms and societies,, and the discursive power of legal systems. Post-theory art’s manifestation in artist-placed public document art appears to understand–and work within–law as both symbol and as process machinery—using art as a way to reveal how courts, and actors in courts, carry out the logic and intent of a given society’s laws, for better or worse, including in recognition that, so far, courts may be our last human place, where the rights and fates of humans are decided by human judges and human juries, not artificial intelligence.
5. Happenings and Performance Art as Art-Plus-Philosophical Event
Drawing on Allan Kaprow’s concept of Happenings, as well as many other performance art traditions, Post-Theory Art expands to treat the public-art-actions of placement, activation, and encounter as full-on ontological moments. The artwork initiated by the artist unfolds over time through, and by, the actions or inactions of the other actors that are required to respondl to the initial artwork–the artist-placed public document–in ways that are both able to be seen and able to be documented–creating a multi-actor performance that is, and records, the ongoing event of institutional engagement. The art is not at one moment in time, and it is not a static thing; rather, it initiates a process, with performers, who are free to act as they chose within the boundaries of the institution’s own rules.
6. Phenomenology and Embodied Cognition
Especially outside the genre of post-theory art that has been called artist-placed public document art, some post-theory artworks draw on concepts underlying phenomenological thought, especially post-theory artworks that attempt to activate text (in visual, literary, or poetic post-theory art) or to activate lyrics (in music and sound art) in non-cognitive, non-intellectual, sensory, feeling, or spatial ways. In post-theory artworks that draw upon phenomenology and the embodied experience (also known as the body-felt experience, or a somatic experience), the “theory” is not limited to the intellectual, the cognitive or the abstract; rather, the theory can be placed, performed, and felt, activating for each viewer and listener both their sensory perception and their lived experience.
7. Socratic and Pre-Socratic Thought (As Method, Not Just History)
In some kinds of post-theory art, such as post-theory art that manifests as artist-placed public document art, the artist can become a type of public advocate, including taking a role somewhat like a public philosopher, a public intellectual, or a question-asker on behalf of the public interest on matters of public importance. In this sense it is like a Socratic dialectic. This type of Post-Theory Art aims to ask why many times, and aims to both reframe debates and initiate debates by asking questions instead of stating positions. In this way, it makes art for the public, on public issues, that are propositions and proposals, not conclusions or demands for acceptance of views. Post-theory art is art that is intentionally structured as inquiry and curiosity, rather than dogmatic or didactic statement.
8. Semiotics and Systems Theory
Post-Theory Art, at is broadest, encompasses everything about theories–in all their applications developed thus far by humans, including how they are communicated from the artist and received by the viewer or listener. This means, in part, that post-theory art can be a means by which artists and viewers and listeners, and readers, can understands theories as systems of signification–meaning, the structured ways in which meaning is created, communicated, and interpreted through signs and language within a given cultural system–and also as systems that are embedded in larger human systems—legal, linguistic, ecological, even political in the sense of citizens and their government. In other words, Post-theory art can be useful to both the artist and the recipient for exploring how meanings can emerge not just from isolated concepts but also from connecting, interrelation, and feedback across ideas, cultures, times, and actions not usually thought to be connected.
9. Humanism (But Post-Crisis Humanism)
As described and defined by some, post-theory art has central to it a strong insistence that the “post” in post-theory art refers to human authorship, interpretation, and responsibility. In an era where now anything can make a theory, be it human or machine, this aspect of post-theory art asserts that human theory-making should be distinguished from artificial intelligence theory-making, and that this human element is what distinguishes post-theory from theory. Stated differently, implicit in post-theory art seems to be the concession that “theory” has been lost as no longer the province of just us, and posits that, from a perspective of humanism, only theories that are made by us can properly be deemed to be about us and for us. This seems to raise a debate, however, as to whether the distinction is artificial, or exclusive: What would make human theory-making better than, or more important than, artificial-theory making?
Reflexivity (Self-Insight)
Post-theory art is not just an art practice but a theory about theories themselves. As such, it may be seen as attempting to engage in self-insight, using theory not only to critique the outside but to look reflexively, within, critiquing and evaluating the validity of the idea that there can even be such as thing as post-theory art. In other words, insight and reflexivity seem to be a defining part of not only the cognitive and intellectual elements of post-theory art, but also the emotional and the somatic (body felt experience) elements of post-theory art. As an example, post-theory art seems both willing and able to think and feel about what thinking is, and what feeling is, and whether a given theory made by the artist, or made by other humans, can be measured in some way (objectively, emotionally, somatically) not to determine whether it is good or bad, reasonable or unreasonable, useful or not useful, but rather to see what can be created, and what can be communicated, when an artist, through an artwork, does not simply create or critique a theory, but rather uses theory to theorize about theory itself, the nature of the artwork, and the nature of the communication that occurs when an artist releases a visual or literary or musical work for the unknown recipient to receive and interpret (if they wish to do so). In this sense, post-theory art may be said to belong within the lineage of self-referential, recursively aware art practices.
Brief Explanations of Some of the Vocabulary in this Article
Analytic
Definition: Related to logical reasoning and breaking down ideas or concepts into simpler parts.
Key Point: Primarily concerned with logical clarity and structure.
What it’s not: Not about personal judgment or creative expression, but about strict analysis and logical reasoning.
Aesthetic
Definition: Related to beauty, art, and the appreciation of visual or sensory experiences.
Key Point: Deals with how we perceive, enjoy, and evaluate art or beauty.
What it’s not: Not about the content or meaning of the artwork, but the sensory or emotional response it triggers.
Critical Theory
Definition: A philosophical approach that seeks to understand and critique society, culture, and institutions, focusing on power dynamics and social change.
Key Point: Critiques existing structures with the goal of improving them, especially in areas like inequality or injustice.
What it’s not: Not just theoretical analysis, but an active form of criticism aimed at social reform.
Dialectic
Definition: A method of discussion or reasoning where opposing ideas are debated to reach a higher understanding or truth.
Key Point: Involves the back-and-forth process of thesis (an idea), antithesis (its opposite), and synthesis (a new idea formed from their combination).
What it’s not: Not a simple conversation, but a structured debate aimed at resolving contradictions.
Didactic
Definition: Intended to teach in a way that is overly instructive or moralizing, often with a tone that tells the audience what to think or believe, leaving little or no room for interpretation or critical engagement.
Key Point: Implies a preachy or patronizing approach to teaching, where the focus is on imposing knowledge or values rather than encouraging independent thought or discussion.
What it’s not: Not about fostering open dialogue or critical reflection, but rather about delivering information in a directive, one-sided manner.
Discursive
Definition: Related to reasoning or argumentation, typically involving a flow of ideas that may cover various topics.
Key Point: Involves discussion or explanation, often moving from one idea to another in a logical, sometimes indirect way.
What it’s not: Not a rigid, structured argument; it’s more about exploring a topic through broad discussion.
Due Process
Definition: A legal principle that ensures fair treatment through the judicial system, including the right to a fair trial and legal protections.
Key Point: Involves legal safeguards to prevent unfair actions by the government or authorities.
What it’s not: Not a quick or informal process; it ensures fairness and adherence to established legal procedures.
Epistemology
Definition: The branch of philosophy concerned with the nature, scope, and limits of knowledge—how we know what we know.
Key Point: It asks questions about truth, belief, and justification.
What it’s not: Not concerned with specific facts, but with the process and justification of knowledge itself.
Epistemological (Adjective): Related to the study of knowledge and how we understand it.
Humanism
Definition: A worldview that emphasizes human values, individual dignity, and the importance of reason, often in contrast to religious or supernatural beliefs.
Key Point: Focuses on human agency and the potential for individuals to improve and shape the world.
What it’s not: Not necessarily religious or supernatural; it prioritizes human-centered understanding.
Institutional Critique
Definition: A critical examination of the structures, systems, and power dynamics within institutions (like schools, governments, or corporations).
Key Point: Aimed at revealing and challenging the hidden power relations or biases within institutions.
What it’s not: Not about criticizing individual people, but rather the institutions themselves.
Insight
Definition: A deep understanding of a complex situation or problem, often involving a new perspective or revelation.
Key Point: Insight leads to clearer understanding or a breakthrough in solving a problem.
What it’s not: Not just surface-level understanding—insight goes beyond simple facts or observations.
Insightful (Adjective): Having or showing a deep understanding of something, often with clarity.
Jurisprudence
Definition: The theory or philosophy of law; the study of the principles and concepts that underpin legal systems.
Key Point: Focuses on how laws are created, interpreted, and applied in society.
What it’s not: Not the practice of law itself, but a theoretical examination of law and its nature.
Meta-Art (Now often called Art Reflexivity or Art Insight due to the company Meta)
Definition: Art that comments on or critiques the nature of art itself, often exploring its limits, definitions, or concepts: What is and is not art?
Key Point: It’s art that reflects on art, questioning its meaning, medium, or purpose.
What it’s not: Not just about creating art; it’s about exploring the idea of art itself.
Ontology
Definition: The branch of philosophy that studies the nature of being, existence, and reality.
Key Point: It asks questions about what exists and how different categories of things relate to each other.
What it’s not: Not focused on knowledge (epistemology) or beauty (aesthetics), but on existence itself.
Ontological (Adjective): Related to the nature of being or existence.
Phenomenological
Definition: Related to phenomenology, a philosophical approach that focuses on experiences and how we perceive things.
Key Point: Explores how things appear to consciousness, often through personal experience.
What it’s not: Not concerned with abstract theories but with subjective human experience.
Reflexivity
Definition: The ability to examine and reflect on one’s own beliefs, actions, or perspectives, often to better understand one’s impact or biases.
Key Point: Involves self-awareness and critical self-examination.
What it’s not: Not merely introspection, but a structured, analytical form of self-reflection.
Socratic Method
Definition: A form of cooperative argumentative dialogue used to stimulate critical thinking, where questions are asked to draw out answers and encourage deeper understanding.
Key Point: Focuses on probing questions to challenge assumptions and promote reasoning.
What it’s not: Not about giving answers, but about asking questions that lead to insights.
Semiotics
Definition: The study of signs and symbols, and how they create meaning in communication.
Key Point: Focuses on how words, images, sounds, etc., act as signs to convey meaning.
What it’s not: Not just about language itself but the broader study of all signs.
Systems Theory
Definition: An interdisciplinary theory that studies complex systems and how their parts interact and affect each other within a whole.
Key Point: Emphasizes relationships and patterns within systems, such as biological, ecological, or social systems.
What it’s not: Not focused on individual parts in isolation, but on the system as a whole.
— Written April and May 2025.