Book presentation 'de mentaliteit is van plastiek'

Expo / presentation

Wed 23.01 → 18:00-…


Sociologist and photographer Jakob Van den Broucke showcases his photographs, artist book de mentaliteit is van plastiek (2019) and an accompanying article

At the end of 2017, sociologist/photographer Jakob Van den Broucke embarked on a project without a particular end or calculated goal in mind. Intrigued by the phrase “the mentality is plastic” – confided in him by a complete stranger during a hazy night out – these simple but enigmatic words became the starting point for a visual and conceptual investigation now bundled in a self-published book: de mentaliteit is van plastiek (2019).
Initially using the phrase as a guiding principle to make a thematic selection of his personal archive, he quickly began supplementing existing work with new images. When these photographs later gradually started relating to quotes, strands of texts and social observations, what began as an artistic exercise slowly developed into an in-depth and structured exploration of the mysterious statement. As a result, words and images now interlinked in a perpetual flux of semi-deliberateness, offering endless takes on the elusive concept, never fully conceding to either the word or the image.
While working on the book, Van den Broucke’s artistic process became subject to scientific self-reflection, leading him to approach his own project from the perspective of a social scientist. Questioning and exploring his role as a creator producing a cultural artefact, his formal training as a sociologist offered a framework to disentangle the constitutive elements to what he was doing. Critiquing the artificial distinction between sociological and artistic representation, between the merits of objectivity and subjectivity, these epistemological issues presented opportunities to understand the fundamental ambiguity of all imaginaries – whether visual or written – and the potential value of photography for sociology. Consequently, the auto-ethnographic dimension of his work became an explicit quality to the project: self-reflection and academic writing collide with valuing immediate experience and spontaneous evaluation.
Relating these conflicting dispositions to contemporary methodological discussions in auto-ethnography in an article, de mentaliteit is plastiek establishes an explicit link to the scientific practice wherein Van den Broucke was formally trained. Highlighting the continuities between artistic and traditional research practice in the social sciences, the essay offers an interdisciplinary contribution to the theoretical and epistemological underpinnings of auto-ethnography. While certainly complementary to the book itself, the essay does not provide any answers to the questions raised, nor does it explain any hidden truths in the work. Rather, the scientific appendix adds to and stresses the particularly sociological reflection and imagination meandering the artistic project itself.
Through the course of the evening, these three dimensions are brought to attention. The exhibition accentuates the associative approach of the project, combining images, spoken word and written text. The article – “Autoethnography: Subjectivity and experimental strategy in the social sciences” – in turn, will be presented to comment on the practice of autoethnography and its relevance to the project.
Pictures by Jakob Van den Broucke.
Pictures of the event by Leontien Allemeersch
Program of the evening
18:00 → Opening of the exhibition (continuously open during the reading and presentation as well)
20:30 → Reading of de mentaliteit is van plastiek
21:30 → Presentation of the article “Autoethnography: Subjectivity and experimental strategy in the social sciences”
Music provided by Maurice Goossens and Lee Scratch Gerry
Credits

Author: Jakob Van den Broucke
Title: de mentaliteit is van plastiek
Appendix: “Autoethnography: subjectivity and experimental strategy in the social sciences”
Self-published by Jakob Van den Broucke and Topo Copy
Introduction and handout text by Florian Vanlee
In cooperation with Gouvernement, Leontien Allemeersch, Alles Kan and Topo Copy
If you want to keep up to date about this book presentation, please go to the facebook event.
If you wish to discover more about Jakob Van den Broucke’s work, he’s got a website too.