[artinfo] 'The New Europe. Culture of Mixing and Politics of Representation'

[e-Flux]

The New Europe. Culture of Mixing and Politics of Representation
20 January through 24 April 2005

Generali Foundation
Wiedner Hauptstrasse 15
1040 Vienna, Austria
Phone +43 1 504 98 80
Fax +43 1 504 98 83
foundation at generali.at
<http://foundation.generali.at>http://foundation.generali.at

The New Europe. Culture of Mixing and Politics of Representation

In their exhibition created for the Generali Foundation, the two 
guest curators, Marius Babias and Dan Perjovschi, thematize the 
spectrum of artistic production in "New Europe" following the end of 
the East-West confrontation. Focus is on artistic positions that 
produce new connections between a culturally defined Europe and the 
underlying idea of political uniformity. A central line of 
questioning inquires how, in light of Europe's future 
self-definitions, a new "culture of mixing", liberated identities, 
and options for action might arise.

With works by: Renaud Auguste-Dormeuil, John Miller, Oda Projesi, Dan 
Perjovschi, Lia Perjovschi, Natascha Sadr Haghighian, Hito Steyerl, 
Marlene Streeruwitz, Silke Wagner, Jasmila Zbanic, and also projects 
and initiatives from the European area.

The artistic works represented in the exhibition deal with the 
following aspects of "New Europe": consquences of the Yugoslavian 
wars from the perspective of the female subject (Jasmila Zbanic); art 
activism as an integral component of democracy and civil society 
(Silke Wagner); surveillance of public space and competition between 
Europe and the U.S. in the field of military technology (Renaud 
Auguste-Dormeuil); the artist's changing role under post-communist 
conditions (Dan Perjovschi); art as a recording media for knowledge, 
experience, and memory in a transforming European landscape (Lia 
Perjovschi); Europe's sealing off in a supposed world without borders 
(Hito Steyerl); activation of public space as a prerequisite for 
political participation in decision-making processes (Natascha Sadr 
Haghighian); intensification of phenomena of social community in a 
new type of trade (Oda Projesi); production of racism through 
language and media (Marlene Streeruwitz); and documentation of 
everyday life in different European and U.S.-American cities (John 
Miller). In addition to the artistic works, 15 projects and 
initiatives from throughout the entire European area will be 
introduced. The presentation display is available for visitors to use 
as a pool of materials and information. The documented projects and 
initiatives join with the artistic positions, emphasizing the claim 
of the exhibition; to give new impetus to the discussion of Europe.

Publication (Ger./Engl.) published by Verlag der Buchhandlung Walther 
Koenig, Cologne, Germany, foreword by Dietrich Karner and Sabine 
Breitwieser, essays by Marius Babias, Mirko Heinemann, Jean-Luc 
Nancy, Dan Perjovschi, and Hito Steyerl.

Guest Curators: Marius Babias, Dan Perjovschi
Curatorial Assistant, Exhibition Coordination: Isabella Marte

Press contact: Susanne Buder, +43 1 504 98 80-24, found.presse at generali.at
For further information please visit: 
<http://foundation.generali.at>http://foundation.generali.at