Synagonism in the Visual Arts

• Applicant: Dr. Yannis Hadjinicolaou
• Subject Area: Art History
• Term: from 2017 to 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 375240478

The DFG network Synagonism in the Visual Arts (Gr.: collaboration) seeks to explore the productive exchange between early modern painting, sculpture, and architecture. Hereby it will build on recent insights regarding the so-called paragone debate, seeing these, however, as only one, too narrow perspective on early modern artistic production. Without ignoring the actual social and economic struggle between artists for a recognition of their respective technical practices, competition will here be understood not only as a striving towards differentiation or distinction, but also as a productive force, challenging artists to look beyond the boundaries of their own art, thus promoting comparison and exchange, bearing fruit for both sides.Synagonism implies also the breaking up of all too schematic connections between art forms and the individual senses, such as vision and image, touch and sculpture. As early modern art, in contrast with the later formal guidelines of the academy, time and again bears traces of an openness towards diverse materials, objects and natural phenomena, as painting takes on sculptural elements and sculpture becomes painterly, questions regarding the multimediality and intersensoriality of art, as well as the relationship between image and body become pressing. Moreover, synchronic collaboration and diachronic interplay between artists go hand in hand, it is argued, with the more general question of interdisciplinarity, as well as of that of the socio-historical interwovenness of maker, recipient, and artistic form.The network seek to further study the moments of a fruitful exchange between art forms in the context of a number of broader parameters, namely: I. Nature and art; II. Hand, tool, and material; III. Sculpture and painting, or sculpture and architecture; IV. Drawing as underlying principle; and finally, V. Artist and collective (i.e., artistic training, connectedness, and status). Moreover, in addition to aesthetic and theoretical considerations, as well as a reflection on the respective artistic practices, these fields of interests will be further complement with questions concerning the historical context of production, the institutionally anchoring of plurimediality in the workshop and guild system, and the relations between art theory and art practice.

• DFG Programme: Scientific Networks