Jag är konstnär!: en studie av erkännandeprocessen kring konstnärskapet i ett mindre samhälle

Sammanfattning: I am an artist! describes the process of recognition that surrounds being an artist in a local art world; how boundaries are drawn up not only by the artists themselves, but also others in the art world. It also describes the advantages and restrictions of a local art world as far as the artist´s possibilities to be seen, mentioned, judged and distributed, and also the specific general view which characterises this world. The material consists of interviews with the artists and others associated with the local art world, the observations of participants and some analysis by the local press, art columns etc. In my analysis I start out from an interactive approach which specially emphasises the collective actions. The romantic myth of the isolated artist fighting alone to produce his art, is kept alive by the artists themselves. Interviews show that most artists describe themselves as estranged from the community. They assert that to be an artist one must use one´s inner driving force to overcome social and institutional obstacles.