TJ Demos, Marta Kuzma, Pablo Lafuente, Joanna Warsza
Moderator: Andrea Kroksnes
What is the relationship between art and politics today? In recent years, many artists have refrained from articulating political views and withdrawn into atavistic worlds far removed from the real predicaments of the world they live in. At the same time there are artists who still use their artistic production as a medium of political struggle and counter-articulation. There are many facets of political artwork. Commentaries, social engagement, critique and the imaginary transcending of existing conditions can all be regarded as forms of political articulation, in so far as they adopt a stance on real, existing political circumstances.
The exhibition space has also turned into a political arena. The main focus of the panel will center on alternative ways of exhibition making as format and platform for political articulation. The political focus and divergent curatorial practice of this year‟s Berlin Biennial will be the main axis of the panel. The other axis will be Marta Kuzma and Pablo Lafuente‟s lecture series The State of Things, co-curated as part of Norway’s contribution to last year’s Venice Biennial. The State of Things was conceived as a critical counter practice to the conventional exhibition format of national representations at the Biennial.
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