Sociological Cultural Studies

Sociological Cultural Studies

From Archaeology to Foucault's Genealogy in Art Research

Document Type : .

Authors
1 Professor of the Department of Philosophy, Islamic Azad University, Central Tehran
2 دانشجوی دکتری تاریخ تحلیلی تطبیقی هنر اسلامی
3 Institute of Humanities and Cultural Studies
4 Assistant Professor, Art Research Department, Faculty of Art, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
10.30465/scs.2025.51852.3010
Abstract
The present study aims to design a practical framework for the simultaneous application of Michel Foucault’s archaeological and genealogical methods in the analysis of artworks. Despite the profound influence of Foucault’s theories on power, discourse, and subject formation within the humanities, the structured use of these approaches in contemporary art studies remains methodologically challenging. This qualitative research adopts a descriptive-analytical method and gathers data through systematic review of academic literature and library resources. Initially, key concepts such as “discourse,” “rupture,” “power,” and “subjectivation” were identified and categorized into conceptual clusters. Subsequently, the application of these concepts in the analysis of selected artworks was examined. The findings reveal that integrating archaeology and genealogy enables researchers to move beyond aesthetic analysis and uncover the underlying systems of knowledge and power embedded in artworks. This practical framework offers a novel strategy for examining artistic discourses and is applicable to the study of traditional, contemporary, and digital media art. As such, the study contributes to filling the methodological gap in art research and paves a new path for scholars interested in discourse analysis of art from a Foucauldian perspective.
Keywords


Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 22 June 2025