Nothing is Nothing

This paper provides critical background and insight into the practical and theoretical context of my artistic practice, by focusing on the concept of nothing. In contemporary contexts nothing is seen as a void of being, doing or even existing – but paradoxically nothing also contains the values and choices defned as negative by dominant ideological forces. Embracing the power and subversive potential of this paradox, however, transforms nothing into a progressive political position. My research spans several relevant histories and modes of practice, including the theoretical work of Jean Baudrillard, Guy Debord, Raoul Vanigem and the Situationist International, as well as DIY, conceptual art, punk and zine culture. This investigation is connected to a creative methodology featuring a focus on text, listing, the absurd, and the momentary. It seeks to develop an understanding of the subversive potential of the everyday in an artistic practice which challenges dominant modes of production for gallery exhibition. To achieve this, this paper explores the possibilities of subjective meaning in the concept of nothing.