12/6/2010
Correct me if i'm critical
Different venues, Berlin
Correct me if i'm critical was created as a response to an invitation of a closed curatorial competition organized by the Swedish Embassy in Berlin. Responding to the Scandinavian context of political correctness, and the German culture behind the discussion, it aims to investigate the question of how critical knowledge - and criticality - has been positioned by artistic practices. The opening event, 'critical sunday', takes place on the 13th of June 2010 during the opening week of the Berlin Biennale. Nordic and International artists such use form, ideas and a contemporary approach to 'stage' art as a critical observer, executed with both humor and subtleness.
Curated by Adnan Yıldız
"Action without a name, a who attached to it, is meaningless."
Hannah Arendt
"correct me if i'm critical" was created as a response to an invitation of a closed curatorial competition organized by the Swedish Embassy in Berlin. Responding to the Scandinavian context of political correctness, and the German culture behind the discussion, it aims to investigate the question of how critical knowledge - and criticality - has been positioned by artistic practices. The project departs from the relationship between the terms agent and action, as proposed by Hannah Arendt. These are the main elements bridging Arendts unique feministic language to a social critique.
The conceptual framework of the project develops by a curatorial grammar that defines itself as an audience position, stating that there is no difference between "what we do" and "who we are". This shift between states of reception and production, or more the ability to consciously make this shift, is what characterizes us as agents - a term used in the sense carried by Hannah Arendt's concept of the human as agent of her/his existence, as one who simultaneously has the ability to make choices and impose those choices onto the world.
"correct me if i'm critical" approaches the institution of exhibition-making through a critical perspective that brings diverse forms, languages and collaborations together in the same program. It maps alternative spaces and collective initiations located in the Kreuzberg area of Berlin via its satellite projects. For instance, Skulpturen Park will host some site-specific projects, discussion sessions and a program for young Berlin based artists, "Summer Studio", in order to meet them with the participants of the project. Basso will design the publication as part of its Basso edition, and host some events. The architectural ground of the main installation for the Fellehus in Tiergarten, plus its links to the city, will be designed by Markus Degerman, a Stockholm based artist and a member of the Swedish collective "uglycute". Towards the end of the exhibition program, Program Gallery will host a solo project by Markus Degerman as the post-scriptium of the project or as the exhibition of the exhibition.
Including many other interesting projects and collaborations, "correct me if i'm critical" will present a sound piece by Olof Dreijer from the Knife; a new work by Berlin based Swedish artist Annika Eriksson, who will make research for it in İstanbul in collaboration with Apartman Projesi; a special screening program from İstanbul based Turkish artist CANAN, as well as works from international artists whose studios are located in Kreuzberg, such as Daniel Knorr and Florian Zeyfang. The project will be launched during the opening week of the 6th Berlin Biennial with a one day event, "Critical Sunday", mapping a critical triangle in the city.
12. September - 4. November 2010
----------------
Critical Sunday
The Swedish Embassy in Berlin is proud to open the doors of the Nordic Embassies Felleshus to young Nordic and international artists and their art that will hopefully provoke some lively discussion and ongoing debate.
Art used as criticism is the focus of the large exhibition 'correct me if I'm critical' that runs from the 12th of September until the 2nd of November 2010.
Nordic and International artists such as Annika Eriksson, Daniel Knorr, Florian Zeyfang, Slavs and Tatars, Marcus Degerman, CANAN and Olof Dreijer use form, ideas and a contemporary approach to 'stage' art as a critical observer, executed with both humor and subtleness.
How is an open and critical word possible in today´s society?
How can art avoid the strong undercurrent of consensus thinking or 'groupthink' so prevalent in the Nordic mentality, without finding itself side-stepped or simply disregarded?
The exhibition is pre-staged by an extensive summer program of art events in various locations throughout Berlin.
The opening event, 'critical sunday', takes place on the 13th of June 2010 during the opening week of the Berlin Biennale, where participating artists include Daniel Knorr, Slavs and Tatars, Annika Eriksson and Olof Dreijer.
Felleshus at the Nordic Embassies, Skulpturenpark Berlin_Zentrum/ KUNSTrePUBLIK, and the Basso in Berlin-Kreuzberg will thus form a 'critical triangle' in the city.
Contact
Mareike Rőper Phone: +49 30 5050 6658 Fax: +49 30 5050 6656 mareike.roper@foreign.ministry.se
Image: Slavs and Tatars, Friendship of Nations: Polish Shi'ite Showbiz (fig. 1), 2010.
Program:
NORDIC EMBASSIES FELLESHUS,
2:00 p.m. Daniel Knorr welcomes the audience!
3:00 p.m. LECTURE 79.89.09, Slaves and Tatars
KUNSTrePUBLIK e.V., Kőpenicker Str. 36/38, 10179 Berlin-Mitte
5:00 p.m. DISCUSSION: Is there a Berlin style? at the Skulpturenpark Berlin_Zentrum / KUNSTrePUBLIK
BASSO, Kőpenicker Str. 187-188, 10997 Berlin-Kreuzberg
10:00 p.m. FILMSCREENING 'The Bus' (Tunc Okan) & Annika Eriksson's 'Hannah Arendt Band' & Olof Dreijer/dj-set
Opening event 13th of June 2010, 2-4p.m. at the Nordic Embassies Felleshus, Berlin.
During the opening week of the Berlin Biennale
Felleshus der Nordischen Botschaften Berlin
Rauchstrasse 1, 10787 Berlin-Tiergarten
+
Ballhaus Naunynstrasse
Basso
Galerie Opdahl Berlin
Program Gallery
Motto
Nest
Skulpturenpark Berlin_Zentrum
Supportico Lopez