The Active Part of Art

At present, we see that authoritarian national developments are taking place in various European countries, which also affect the freedom of art, so in Hungary, Serbia, Poland and also outside Europe – e. g. in Turkey. Similarly, socio-political developments are also taking place in Germany, which also give cause for concern in view of our history, or require artistic action or artistic positioning.

Having just discussed whether art production is still possible in view of the devastating global warlike conflicts, it becomes apparent that politically connoted art took up more space at this year‘s major exhibitions, such as Documenta 14 or the Venice Biennale. A tried and tested, but above all necessary means of achieving this is to create publicity: be it on the curatorial or artistic level, in order to draw attention to social and socio-political conditions of different kinds and to create transparency. The existence of these public spaces guarantees the preservation of democratic structures, which include freedom of expression and freedom of art.

Together with national and international artists, curators and philosophers we will discuss following questions: To what extent can contemporary art affect and strengthen democratic structures? Does art have the power to influence and move societies? How can we bring these questions into the mediation and make it productive for a wider audience and enable more cultural participation?

The following experts have been invited from Germany, Hungary, Serbia and Turkey:

Dr. Zoran Erić, Belgrad; Gerrit Gohlke, Berlin; Mischa Kuball, Düsseldorf; Beral Madra, Istanbul; Christiane Mennecke, Dresden; Gergely Nagy, Budapest; Marina Napruskina, Berlin; Prof. Dr. Oskar Negt, Hannover Uta M. Reindl, Köln; Hajnalka Somogyi, Budapest, Marcus Steinweg, Berlin.

The overarching content-related goal is cultural education at the interface to political education. After all, cultural education always is political education.

Programme director:
Dr. Sabine Baumann, Head of the Department of Visual Arts, ba•


PROGRAM

Thursday

1.00 pm
opening and welcome
Dr. Sabine Baumann, ba•
Meike Behm, Vorsitzende der ADKV, Direktorin Kunstverein Lingen

2.00 pm
keynote
Prof. Dr. Oskar Negt, Hannover

2.45 pm
feedback & debate

3.30 pm
coffee break

4.00 pm
short lectures I
Dr. Zoran Erić, Belgrade
Beral Madra, Istanbul
Gergely Nagy, Budapest
Hajnalka Somogyi, Budapest

6.30 pm
dinner

8.00 pm
panel I
Dr. Zoran Erić, Beral Madra, Gergely Nagy, Hajnalka Somogyi
moderation: Gerrit Gohlke, Berlin


Friday

8.00 am
breakfast

9.00 am
keynote
Marcus Steinweg, Berlin
feedback & debate

9.45 am
short lectures II
Mischa Kuball, Düsseldorf
Christiane Mennicke-Schwarz, Dresden
feedback & debate

11.30 am
coffee break

12.00 am
panel II
Christiane Mennicke-Schwarz, Marina Naprushkina, Berlin, Mischa Kuball, Marcus Steinweg
moderation: Uta M. Reindl, Köln

1.30 pm
debate and conclusion

2.00 pm
snack and farewell


conference language: German
short lectures I and panel I: English