“And Others” - building intersectional feminist methodologies of collectivity: gender, labour, value

This chapter explores the inception and evolution of the research project “And Others: The Gendered Politics and Practices of Art Collectives.” Initiated by the author in 2019, the project has developed into an informal network of 18 cultural workers examining the dynamics of collectivity through gender, labour, and value. It addresses the historical exclusion of women from art collectives, starting with the former Yugoslavia, later expanding into a broader intersectional analysis of contemporary collective practices. The research challenges the notion that collective practice is inherently emancipatory, advocating for an epistemic shift to dismantle dominant norms and values which shape how collectivity is historicised. By challenging established linguistic and structural framings, “And Others” proposes new terms and methods, inspired by feminist and decolonial methods. By studying collectivity collectively and incorporating diverse experiences and voices across the network, the project seeks to build a new framework for understanding and valuing collective practices in art. The project has evolved through collaborative writing, “flipped” panel discussions, ongoing editorial work, workshops, talks, and discursive gallery displays, presented across Europe. The network continues to develop new tools and methods for an intersectional feminist art history and practice, generating rich exchanges and new theoretical insights. The project emphasizes the importance of destabilizing and dismantling restrictive categories and institutional practices. Through micropolitical actions and practice-led collective exploration, the network is building as a lexicon of collectivity, aiming to effect structural change.