SALVAGING SOLIDARITIES

ARTISTIC RESEARCH // WORKSHOP
06.07.2024
Exhibition Hall of PLATFORM @Kistlerhofstraße 70


The art of solidarity in times of austerity politics, nationalism and authoritarian tendencies?

Workshop (lectures are held in German):
6 July 2024
2 – 10 pm
No Registration required!

Accompanying exhibition:
1 – 19 July
Mon – Fri: 10 am – 5 pm

Participating artists:

Speakers: Initiative München OEZ Erinnern, Patrik Thomas, Lisa Jeschke, Maria VMier, Cana Bilir Meier, Nuray Demir, Michael Annoff & Justin Lieberman.

Socially engaged art? Community-based art? Arte útil? Social practice art? For some time now, international discourses have been diagnosing a ‘social turn’ in contemporary art. But what does that mean? And how does this trend relate to initiatives that politicise the cultural sector itself as a place of exploitation, discrimination, invisible (care) work and structural violence? Moreover, the combination of art and social engagement in question is taking place in the midst of growing inequality, increasingly precarious living conditions, harsh austerity programms, and authoritarian-nationalist to neo-fascist ‘management’ of the crises of the present.

This conjuncture suggests a questioning of the involvement of critical art practices in the prevailing capitalist organisation of social life. Against this background, what might an art practice look like that is dedicated to the exploration, reflection, salvaging and cultivation of solidary relationships? What could ‘Salvaging Solidarities’ mean? What are the potentials and pitfalls of collective artistic expression? To what extent can works of art incorporate the idea of solidarity in form and content as well as the process of artistic production? Can the art field become a battleground for the ‘captive word’ (Mustapha Khayati) of solidarity?

With this in mind, the workshop invites various theoretical, artistic and activist positions to a debate in solidarity. The contributions will be followed by audience discussions.

Program:

14:00 – 14:30           Meet & Greet

14:30 – 15:30         Patrik Thomas: Film und das Kollektiv

15:30 – 16:00           Pause

16:00 – 17:30         Lisa Jeschke & Maria VMier: Heimliche Arbeit – Lecture und Dialog

17:30 – 18:00            Pause

18:00 – 18:45         Cana Bilir-Meier: Künstlerische Strategien und widerständige Narrative in „This makes me want to predict the past“

18:45 – 19:30         Initiative München OEZ Erinnern: Erinnern heißt, sich verbünden. Solidarität gegen rechten Terror, Rassismus und Antisemitismus

19:30 – 20:30            Pause

20:30 – 22:00         Nuray Demir & Michael Annoff: The Dreams of the Arty Class

 

Accompanying exhibition: With a group of works by Justin Lieberman, the video work ‘This Makes me want to predict the past’ by Cana Bilir-Meier and a short film montage by Patrik Thomas.

Organisation: Chris Reitz