A new season of the AICA Podcast is starting!

A new season of the AICA Podcast promises fresh insights and engaging discussions. Tune in for the new episodes featuring expert interviews, industry updates, and thought-provoking topics, moderated by Mihaela Ion.

In her exploration of AICA’s global network, Mihaela Ion identifies key areas of interaction by selecting curators and cultural professionals whose expertise and interests reflect current trends and challenges in the art world. Her thoughtful approach fosters meaningful exchanges, encouraging collaborations that advance curatorial practices, promote cultural dialogue, and address themes such as multidisciplinary integration, digital innovation, and social engagement.

This season will also spotlight the AICA International Congress, underscoring its role as a pivotal event for professionals. The congress offers vital opportunities for knowledge exchange, networking, and the presentation of the latest research and developments in the field.

The first episode of the new series features an engaging conversation with Ana Lúcia Beck, who explores the often solitary role of curators and cultural workers. The discussion emphasizes the value of independence and reflection in their practices and highlights the importance of freedom of cultural expression in fostering diverse and authentic artistic dialogues.

AICA Podcast with Ana Lucia Beck

ABOUT THE MODERATOR: MIHAELA ION

Mihaela Ion holds a Ph.D. in History and is a curator, cultural manager, and art researcher based in Bucharest. Since 2021, she has been a member of AICA and has served as an International Board Member since 2022, as well as a member of the Digital Strategies Committee. Over the past 18 years, she has presented papers on Communist art, cultural wars, and contemporary artwork at leading conferences across Europe. Mihaela collaborates with several art galleries and museums throughout the continent. Her Ph.D. thesis focuses on the heritage of Communist-era artworks.

Mihaela has also worked as a cultural manager in London with body>data>space, and in Paris, Sélestat, Strasbourg, and Nancy during her Courants du Monde grant from the French Ministry of Culture. In 2010, she co-founded Atelierul Magazine, an active international online and offline platform that fosters intercultural dialogue between design creators and the public. Her recent cultural expertise in project evaluation was demonstrated through her work with Apexart in New York.

 ABOUT THE SPEAKER: ANA LÚCIA BECK

Ana Lúcia Beck is a Brazilian visual artist by education, comparatist researcher by destiny, teacher and critic by heart, traveler, and wondering wanderer. She holds a PhD in Literary Studies, a Master’s in Art History, Theory and Criticism, and major in Drawing, all from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Brazil.

Since 2020, Ana Lúcia has been a lecturer in Art History at the Federal University of Goiás (UFG), teaching both undergraduate and graduate courses in Art, following extensive experience at institutions such as USAC Florianópolis, UDESC Florianópolis, and ULBRA Canoas. She is a member of AICA International and the Brazilian Association of Art Critics (ABCA), where she currently serves as Vice-President for the Midwest region. She is also affiliated with the European Society of Comparative Literature (ESCL), the Brazilian Committee of Art History (CBHA), and the Brazilian National Association of Art Researchers (ANPAP).

Ana Lúcia’s teaching and research primarily focus on Contemporary Art. Her main interest lies in the relationship between art and literature and the creative process, which has led to investigations of artists such as the Brazilian José Leonilson and the French-American Louise Bourgeois. Notably, she contributed the essay “Voilà mon Cœur: it’s been to hell and back! José Leonilson’s and Louise Bourgeois’ poetic images on longing and belonging” to (Re)Writing Without Borders – Contemporary Intermedial Perspectives on Literature and the Visual Arts, edited by Nina Schiel and Brigitte Le Juez, published by Common Ground in 2018.

She has also published articles in both Brazilian and international journals, as well as book chapters on Brazilian art, and occasionally engages in small curatorial projects. Many of her publications can be accessed via her edu.com page.

AICA protests against the violation of Khalid Sabsabi's artistic rights

The global art community is very alarmed by the indefinite postponement of the exhibition featuring artist Khalid Sabsabi by Monash University Museum of Art. It is even more concerning that it comes just after Creative Australia arbitrarily dropped him as the artist chosen to represent Australia at the next Venice Biennale without giving a chance for the artist to respond to the accusations. This confirms fears that the Creative Australia decision will have an impact on his art practice and livelihood.

The art community and all who believe in freedom of expression find this act of silencing the artist unacceptable.

We feel the artist deserves to be given equal rights to show his work freely in different forums and the State and art institutions should acknowledge the long standing practice of Khalid Sabsabi and contribution to the field.

Australia is a signatory to the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. This is one of seven UNESCO conventions that deal with the four core areas of creative diversity: cultural and natural heritage, movable cultural property, intangible cultural heritage and contemporary creativity.

Cultural freedom enshrined in this convention is the right to express, practice, and share one's culture without fear of censorship or persecution.

AICA is calling for Khalid Sabsabi's long-planned exhibition to be rescheduled without delay, so that justice can be done for the artist.

On behalf of AICA
Malgorzata Kazmierczak, President of AICA International
Niilofur Farrukh, Chair of the Censorship Committee

AICA protests against the destruction of the works of Greek artist Christoforos Katsadiotis

The art community around the world is appalled and disturbed by the deliberate destruction of the art of Christoforos Katsadiotis at the National Gallery. This crime was committed by Nikos Papadopoulos, a member of parliament, and his accomplice, who claim that the four works of art offend their religious sensibilities.

This act has raised two important questions: can individuals be allowed to carry out arbitrary acts of censorship? Should a national gallery of a country that is considered a safe space, where diverse voices within the country are hosted and protected, treat the perpetrator, who is a powerful politician, any differently?

The inability of the Alexandros Soutsos Museum (the National Gallery) to act swiftly and effectively to punish the perpetrator is a matter of grave concern to art professionals.

AICA International stands in solidarity with the artist and have urged the Director and Board of the National Gallery, The Minister of Culture of the Hellenic Republic and the Representative of UNESCO in a letter of protest respectively,  to intervene and protect the artistic rights of Christoforos.

As a signatory to the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, the Hellenic Republic is committed to upholding its four core areas of creative diversity: cultural and natural heritage, movable cultural property, intangible cultural heritage and contemporary creativity.

Cultural freedom, as enshrined in this Convention, is the right to express, practise and share one's culture without fear of censorship or persecution.

AICA calls for a suitable punishment for the perpetrators according to the law of the land. A public apology and appropriate compensation should also be provided by the perpetrators to the artist whose works have been vandalized at the Gallery.

On behalf of AICA International
Malgorzata Kazmierczak, President AICA International
Niilofur Farrukh, Chair of the Censorship and Freedom of Expression Committee

SAVE THE DATE: 57TH AICA INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS

 
 

We are pleased to announce that the 57th AICA International Congress will take place at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa, from October 27 to October 31, 2025.

More information coming soon!

AICA Condemns Censorship and Vandalism of Ruth Flores's Artwork in Paraguay

AICA would like to express solidarity with the artist and register a protest against the censorship and vandalism of the work of Paraguayan artist, Ruth Flores, Tentacles of Power while on public display at Plaza de los Desaparecidos in Asuncion, was torn and stamped upon by Ms Vanessa Vázquez, a state official. This act of destroying the work has been called “political violence” against the artwork by El Nacional, the local newspaper.

The work, according to the artist, aimed to bring into focus, the ongoing political corruption and power abuse since the time of the dictator Alfredo Stroessner, whose family and allies are still in political leadership. The objective of the project was to "make visible the main responsible figures of the Stroessner regime through a mural, a digital platform, and live- printed posters," as explained by the artist to El Nacional. The artist collaborated with communicator and historian Jazmín Duarte and Joaquín Risso to create the mural that was attacked. This case of censorship on November 30, 2024, has led to public outrage particularly because it is seen as an officially supported act of erasure of Paraguay's dark history associated with Stroessner and his painful legacy.

AICA International joins the public and art organizations like AICA Paraguay and Gente de Arte and Artistas Visuales del Paraguay (AVISPA) to condemn this act against artistic freedom.

AICA is a representative body of art critics based in Paris since the 1940s. It is active across the world with around 5 500 members in 95 countries. One of its objectives is to protect the ethical and professional rights of its members and defend impartiality and freedom of artistic expression worldwide. The Censorship and Freedom of Expression Committee of AICA actively monitors cases of censorship and violation of freedom of expression, and artistic rights. It extends support to its members, through advocacy and visibility of their cases.

The fact that the artist's request to display Tentacles of Power at public art museums was declined and the attack on it at Plaza de los Desaparecidos by a government official, who enjoys impunity, is an indicator of the environment that is a threat to freedom of expression. This is a violation of the National Culture Law, No. 3051/08, and the Protection of Heritage Law, No. 5621/17 enshrined in the Paraguay's National Constitution.

The intimidation of artists and art professionals, and policies of censorship at cultural institutions is unacceptable to all organisations that support the UNESCO Charter of Freedom of Expression.

We urge your office to request the Government of Paraguay to grant artistic freedom and protection to artists and art in accordance with its constitution.

Appropriate action is urged against Ms Vanessa Vázquez, she should extend an apology to the artist and have the art work restored and re-installed at Plaza de los Desaparecidos in Asuncion.

This action will not only restore confidence in the government's support of The National Cultural Law and protection of Cultural Heritage in the Constitution but also make artists and their work respected and safe.

On behalf of AICA

Malgorzata Kazmierczak, President of AICA Internationa

Niilofur Farrukh, Chair of the Censorship Committee