Preliminary communication
The Concepts of Gift-giving and Love in the Work Agalma by Zoran Todorović
Sunčica Ostoić
orcid.org/0000-0002-5129-6302
; Kontejner / bureau of contemporary art praxis, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
This paper discusses the work of a contemporary artist from Belgrade, Zoran Todorović, titled Agalma (2003 – 2009), whose meaning in Ancient Greek relates to a precious object being given and which embodies two aspects – gift-giving and love. The concept of gift-giving is based on the anthropological theories of Marcel Mauss and Lewis Hyde, while the idea of love is approached through the work of the French philosopher Alain Badiou. Agalma is an art project which transforms itself through a series of affective states and relations with the participants and the audience. The thesis of this paper is that Agalma – within the gift-love matrix – emerges as a radical artwork-gift, situated between Badiou’s encounter/event and endurance, declarations of love, physical pleasure and love.
Keywords
Zoran Todorović; agalma; gift-giving; encounter; event; love
Hrčak ID:
194672
URI
Publication date:
1.7.2017.
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