ART = FREEDOM

THURSDAY 15 SEPTEMBER 2022, 18:00-19.30

# GALLERI THOMASSEN, Götabergsgatan 32, Gothenburg

Moderator : Thomas OLDRELL

Artists :

John COURT, United Kingdom/ Finland

John HALPERN, USA

Kubra KHADEMI, Afghanistan/ France

Emelié STERNER, Sweden

"Art is the science of freedom" said Joseph Beuys with a certain philosophical depth. It is, of course, an idea that is open to discussion. But its meaning has a powerful potential. What is freedom, what is science and what is art? These questions are probably too broad to be discussed this evening and in this format, but may provide a conceptual background.

What we want to explore here is how artists relate to the art world and its economy, its economy of attention and aesthetics. How do they relate to the art system, the market and its frameworks? Have they developed any strategies to deal with this? How have they designed their artistic and personal survival strategies?

 

ART = GEOPOLITICS

FRIDAY 16 SEPTEMBER 2022, 18:00-19.30

# GALLERI THOMASSEN, Götabergsgatan 32, Gothenburg

 

Moderator : Thomas OLDRELL

Artists :

Kaveh AYREEK, Afghanistan/Norway

Chuyia CHIA, Malaysia/Sweden

Diana SORIO HERNANDEZ, Mexico/Finland

Ali THAREB, Sweden/Iraq

 

The current Documenta exhibition in Kassel has brought to light an art world beyond the Western hemisphere. Documenta was criticised quite immediately in our media from political, aesthetic and professional setpoints. Whatever the reason for this criticism, this year's Documenta provides a conceptual backdrop for this evening's discussion, which aims to explore the geopolitical aspects of art in relation to the artists' own practice. What is it like to practice as a foreign artist in a new country? As an émigré artist, does one's artistic articulation or social mission change? Or does it remain constant ? How does the powerbalance look like and how is it overcome ? Do you feel a Western aesthetic-historic domination in contemporary art ? If so, how does it formulate itself ?

 

PUBLIC SPACE vs WHITE BOX

SATURDAY 17 SEPTEMBER 2022, 18:00-19.30

# GALLERI THOMASSEN, Götabergsgatan 32, Gothenburg

Moderator : Thomas OLDRELL

Artists :

Markus HENSLER, Switzerland

Sara NABIL, Afghanistan/Germany

Pavana REID, Thailand/Norway

Nigel ROLFE, Ireland

For Live Action, public space is a social space, a meeting place for all, a common ground that is also the name of our outdoor program. In fact, it is a space where people from different social categories can meet by chance. It is also an arena for a cultural democracy that give everyone access to contemporary art, with its passion and social mission to convey images of the spiritual and poetic, political and social.

This evening's dialogue aims to explore what it is like to work outdoors in the commonality and social context of public space in relation to the art institution as arena ? How does the artist think and what happens in practice in these two different contexts? Do they think about the physical architectural framework or the history and function of the place or is it more in relation to its users?