Alfred Gell

Alfred Gell was an anthropologist known for his work on art and agency. He proposed that artworks function as "social agents" that influence relationships and social dynamics within cultures. Instead of viewing art as mere decoration or representation, Gell saw it as actively mediating interactions, status, and power among people. His ideas helped us understand how objects, like sculptures or jewelry, can carry social and symbolic significance, shaping relationships and social structure over time.