What is the (Art)Work of Care? Close-Reading the Artistic Labour of Institutional Transformation in the Work of Marina Naprushkina and Caroline Woolard

Authors

  • Janette Helm Collaborative Research Centre Intervening Arts, Humboldt University of Berlin
  • Sophie Mak-Schram University of Leeds / Cardiff Metropolitan University
  • Lena Pozdnyakova Collaborative Research Centre Intervening Arts, Free University Berlin
  • Luise Marie Willer Collaborative Research Centre Intervening Arts, Free University Berlin

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37522/aaav.118.2025.311

Keywords:

Care, institutional critique, para-institution, socially engaged art, collaboration, institutional possibility

Abstract

Caroline Woolard and Marina Naprushkina are praxis-oriented artists whose (art)works are often categorised as socially engaged art. Both collaborate with and establish institutions as part of their artistic practices. In this article, we situate their approaches within the broader context of collaborative dynamics between academic institutions and artistic prac­ tices and reflect on our own practical experiences of collaborating with these artists. In doing so, we address how collaborative practices are reshaping conceptions of artistic labour, (art)work, and institutional forms. Drawing on work conducted with both artists in the framework of two academic projects—the Collaborative Research Centre (CRC) Intervening Arts and The Future of European Independent Art Spaces in a Time of Socially Engaged Art (FEINART)—this article examines different artistic modes of care-informed organising and their implications for labour practices within institutional contexts.

Author Biographies

Janette Helm, Collaborative Research Centre Intervening Arts, Humboldt University of Berlin

is a cultural researcher exploring the intersection of arts and academia, with a focus on their engagement in the public sphere. She is a Research Associate at Humboldt University and the Collaborative Research Centre (CRC) Intervening Arts at FU Berlin, where she works on the Reflection sub-project, examining intervention logics and the relationships between academic and artistic collaborators. Her research investigates networks of artists, researchers, and cultural institutions, emphasizing their role in societal discourse. She has also worked as a research assistant and curator in various museums, such as the Württemberg State Museum and the Linden Museum in Stuttgart.

Sophie Mak-Schram, University of Leeds / Cardiff Metropolitan University

is an art historian, producer, educator, and occasional practitioner. She holds a Research MA (cum laude) in Arts and Culture from Leiden University, a Postgraduate Certificate (merit) in Arts Fundraising and Philanthropy from the University of Leeds, and a BA (hons) in English Literature and History of Art from the University of York. She has worked with a wide range of organizations, including the immersive theatre company Punchdrunk, the global university Minerva Schools, the artists development organization – UK New Artists, and the art platform for the global South – the Cera Project, as well as with various arts collectives and initiatives.

Lena Pozdnyakova, Collaborative Research Centre Intervening Arts, Free University Berlin

is a Berlin-based artist, curator, and doctoral researcher at Freie Universität Berlin. An alumna of the SCI-Arc in Los Angeles, she holds a BA from the University of Sheffield and an MA in Architecture from DIA University. Her research project focuses on socially oriented art, with a particular interest in practices that manifest through various forms of organizing, services, and affective labour. As an artist, her work has been exhibited at the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, Ars Electronica, Bauhausfest, Unsound, and CTM Festivals. In 2024, she participated in the Kazakhstan Pavilion at the 60th Venice Biennial.

Luise Marie Willer, Collaborative Research Centre Intervening Arts, Free University Berlin

is an organizer and research associate at the CRC Intervening Arts. She is pursuing a PhD in art history at Freie Universität Berlin on the notion of assembly in contemporary art. In both theory and practice, she focuses on socially oriented artistic practices, particularly their performative moments and organizational forms. Her research examines these practices in order to better understand their visions of the future, collaborative processes, and critiques of institutions. She holds MA degrees from Heidelberg University and the École du Louvre and has worked as a research assistant at the Centre Pompidou in Paris.

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Published

21/12/2025

How to Cite

Helm, J., Mak-Schram, S., Pozdnyakova, L., & Willer, L. M. (2025). What is the (Art)Work of Care? Close-Reading the Artistic Labour of Institutional Transformation in the Work of Marina Naprushkina and Caroline Woolard. Acta Academiae Artium Vilnensis, (118), 42–77. https://doi.org/10.37522/aaav.118.2025.311

Issue

No. 118 (2025): The Art–Labour Relationship in Contemporary Art

Section

Articles

Categories

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Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.