[artinfo] KLARTEXT! The Status of the Political in Contemporary Art and Culture

[RonAmber]

KLARTEXT! The Status of the Political in Contemporary Art and Culture


Conference January 14-16 2005
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Kunstlerhaus Bethanien and VolksbUhne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz, Berlin


Workshops January 17-20 2005
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Kunstlerhaus Bethanien, Kunstraum Kreuzberg/Bethanien,
Interflugs/UniversitE4t der Kunste, Berlin



***Information and registration www.klartext-konferenz.net****



With (selection): Inke Arns, Berlin/Dortmund; B+B, London; Marius
Babias, Berlin; Jochen Becker, Berlin; Bernadette Corporation, New
York/Paris; Anita Di Bianco, New York; Sezgin Boynik, Prizren; Gerd
Brendel, Berlin; Boris Buden, London; Roger M. Buergel, Vienna/Kassel;
Fulvia Carnevale, Paris; Chto delat?, St. Petersburg/Moscow; Catherine
David, Paris/Rotterdam; Susanne von Falkenhausen, Berlin; Fiambrera
Obrera/Yomango, Madrid; Alex Foti, Milano; Grupo de Arte Callejero,
Buenos Aires; Hans Haacke, New York; Brian Holmes, Paris; Jakob
Jakobsen, Copenhagen; Deborah Kelly, Sydney; KpD, Berlin; Holger Kube
Ventura, Halle; Maria Lind, Stockholm; Shaheen Merali, Berlin; Nina
MF6ntmann, Hamburg/Helsinki; Chantal Mouffe, London; Francesco
Jodice/Multiplicity, Milan; Marion von Osten, Zurich/Berlin; Jacques
RanciE8re, Paris; Oliver Ressler, Wien; Irit Rogoff, London; Ilaria
Vanni, Sydney; Claudia Wahjudi, Berlin; Paola Yacoub/Michel Lasserre,
Berlin; Yes Men, New York.



Klartext! means "straight talk" in German. The international conference
Klartext! The Status of the Political in Contemporary Art and Culture
will be taking place over a three day period -January 14-16 2005-at the
KUnstlerhaus Bethanien and the theatre VolksbUhne am
Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz, Berlin. The aim of the project, initiated by
Berlin-based independent curators Marina Sorbello and Antje Weitzel, is
to explore the current use-and sometimes misuse-of the category
"Political" as applied to contemporary art and culture. Especially since

September 11 and Documenta 11 in Kassel, one encounters the claim that
art is becoming increasingly politicised or re-politicised and that
political questions have returned to the arena of culture and
contemporary art. In a variety of ways-and with varying results-current
exhibition projects and publications are taking this thesis into
consideration. Is it just a new trend? Such approaches tend on the whole

to neglect the inherent questions that necessarily attend such a
proposal and take for granted an implicit understanding of the terms art

and politics, of their social functions and effects.

The conference brings together in Berlin international artists,
activists, curators, workers in the cultural sector and theoreticians to

discuss the relationship between art and politics, and provides a
platform and context for the exchange of thoughts, strategies and
approaches. Klartext! is also an exhortation to the participants and the

audience to engage in the analysis of the aforementioned themes and
issues. Are we really dealing with the politicisation of art or is it
more a matter of an aestheticisation of political themes and contents?
How influential is art? What is activism today, and how does the
interchange between art and activism function? Does it make any sense to

use art as a means to articulate social and political concerns? What
manifestations should this kind of art assume? And in what context can
it be effective?



Concept and organization

Marina Sorbello and Antje Weitzel

In cooperation with

KUnstlerhaus Bethanien and VolksbUhne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz

Funded by

Hauptstadtkulturfonds and Bundeszentrale fUr Politische Bildung



Press conference

14 January 2005, 10 am, KUnstlerhaus Bethanien, Studio 1.

Press contact

presse at klartext-konferenz.net



For further information, please visit

www.klartext-konferenz.net