معرفی
Professor John Roberts is a leading academic in Art and Aesthetics at the University of Wolverhampton's Faculty of Arts, Business, and Social Sciences. He heads the research cluster 'Art Philosophy and Social Practice' and serves as Principal Investigator for the Marie Curie Innovative Training Network 'FEINART', focusing on European independent art spaces and social engagement. His work spans three decades of critical theoretical exploration of art's autonomy, realism, and emancipatory potential.
- Born: 1973-1974 Foundation Art Course (Northwich College of Art & Design)
- 1974-1977 BA Hons Art History and English Literature (Middlesex Polytechnic)
- 2003-2005 PhD 'The Logics of Deflation: Autonomy, Negation and the Avant-Garde' (University of Wolverhampton)
Roberts' research examines art's critical autonomy within capitalist frameworks, focusing on negation, non-compliance, and immanent emancipation. He contributes to debates on political economy of art, value-form theory, and socially engaged practices. His recent publications explore free speech spatial politics, avant-garde negation, and cultural resistance.
His teaching encompasses Enlightenment philosophy (Kant, Hegel, Rousseau), avant-garde theory, photographic history, and political aesthetics. He supervises PhD research on topics including participatory art, political philosophy of culture, and critical sociology. As second supervisor, he guides projects on micro-politics, cinema theory, and digital labor reproduction.
Professional activities include editorial roles at Art and the Public Sphere, Philosophy of Photography, and Third Text, extensive peer review work, and organizing the CADRE public lecture program since 2000s with speakers like Esther Leslie, Claire Bishop, and Alberto Toscano.
He leads pan-European research networks (FEINART) and has received multiple grants including FABSS Feinart (2023-2025), Feinart (2019-2024), and EGAP (2017-2020). His artistic collaborations include organizing symposia at Tate Gallery and Documenta 12.
