From the Academy of Work to a Collective Kitchen

Co Anno Bolender

A Queerfeminist Perspective on the Intersections of Reproduction Work, Commons and
Aesthetic Practices

Masterthesis M.A. Performative Arts in Social Fields

The text From the Academy of Work to a Collective Kitchen. A Queerfeminist Perspective on the Intersections of Reproduction Work, Commons and Aesthetic Practices is an analysis of the theoretical concepts of care, commons and art with an intersectional approach. The aim is to interlock different perspectives of social science, aesthetic theory, philosophy and gender studies in order to propose how the hegemonic social system can be made more equal. The basic assumption starts from the problematic of the prevailing (sexist and racist) neoliberal capitalism and sees in this social structuring the reason for unequal and partly unliveable living conditions.
Spheres that could potentially become dangerous for those in power seem to be particularly affected here: care work, which cannot be completely integrated into the capitalist logic of efficiency; commonism as a socio-economic counter-model, in which the goal of social action is not exploitation, profit maximisation and constant economic growth, but resource conservation, environmental health and the principle of sharing; and finally art, as a sphere of emergence, reflection, experimentation and breaking out of habitual patterns, which can open our eyes and
show us what capitalism tries to conceal from us: That we can think and act outside a fixed framework. This political kind of art is introduced here under the concept of Maintenance art.
After first establishing structural similarities between the three areas, what then emerges from this analysis is, that it makes sense to link this triad. While they share common goals, such as community, democracy, equality and critique of domination – which makes them all targets for hegemony – they have different problems at other points. Although reproductive labour is already very established in our system (as it is inescapable), there are few resources and recognition for it.
Commons, on the other hand, lack a broad mass of supporters. And art, while enjoying visibility,
can and is repeatedly used for propagandistic purposes for this very reason. It is therefore proposed that the three areas can be brought together to form a complementary triad in which their respective specificities complement the problem points of the other areas, so that all three emerge strengthened from this connection. Especially considered is the role of Maintenance art, which as a “practical utopia” can equally develop an utopian, experimental potential through art autonomy, as well as already actively test parts of the utopian within the framework of the real art project. The role of art is thus to create a space for experimenting with the utopian.
An example of this is the project ada_kantine in the old Akademie der Arbeit in Frankfurt am Main, which illustrates the theory that was put forward in advance. The analysis of the project according to the three areas of reproduction, commons and aesthetic practices based on interviews with project participants shows that the collective kitchen can be seen as a “practical utopia”. Transforming a capitalist ideology of labour into collective care work is art.