Marcel Mauss et le don dans l’art contemporain

Mauss is a key reference to artistic practice in the second half of the 20th century, when contemporary art started to redefine its practice from the production of objects to the mediation of situations of social encounter. Although it may be argued that some readings of Mauss were superficial, my objective tin this paper will be less to criticize them than to assess how his work has opened a field of new possibilities in art theory and practice.