Free access digital versions of books by J-Pedro Lorente (AICA Spain)

News from our members worldwide

Routledge has included two books by AICA member and Chair of Finance Committee of AICA International, J.Pedro Lorente (Spain) in a special campaign for the month of May.

Until the end of the month, anyone who registers has a 7-days free access to the digital version of PUBLIC ART AND MUSEUMS IN CULTURAL DISTRICTS (2018), and of THE MUSEUMS OF CONTEMPORARY ART. Notion and Development (2011).

After the free trial, users have the possibility to buy the books (£ 10 / $ 15 each).

Here you are:

- Public Art and Museums in Cultural Districts, available at the link: https://tfstore.kortext.com/public-art-and-museums-in-cultural-districts-334803

- The Museums of Contemporary Art available at: https://tfstore.kortext.com/the-museums-of-contemporary-art-149106

In memoriam: Myrna Rodríguez Vega

aica international deeply mourn the loss of Myrna Rodríguez Vega (1940 - 2020) | Lamentamos la partida de Myrna Rodríguez Vega (1940 - 2020)

Crítica, educadora, consultora y artista.

Fue cofundadora de AICA Puerto Rico y presidenta de AICA-PR de 1994 al 2000. Por 15 años fue Miembro del Consejo Ejecutivo Internacional de AICA Internacional. En 1961 obtuvo su bachillerato en Humanidades, en Bellas Arte de la Universidad de Puerto Rico. En 1966 obtuvo su Maestría en Arte y Educación en Arte de la Universidad Nueva York. Tuvo estudios doctorales de la New York Univesity y varios estudios más.

Como crítica de arte, publicó en el diario The San Juan Star desde 1978 al 1993, produciendo más de 800 artículos y decenas de ensayos críticos en diferentes medios. Como artista tuvo su primera exposición individual en el 1964; algunas de sus exposiciones se han presentaron en el Ateneo Puertorriqueño, con el grupo Borinquen 12 en el Museo de Universidad de PR y en el Museo de Arte de Ponce, Printmaking Workshop en New York University, Galería APRAG, Galería Caimán y Galería Tito en Nueva York.

A participado como jurado y curadora en múltiples proyectos, y una fuente de consulta constante. Como educadora, desde el 1968 se ha mantenido en la docencia en varias de nuestra universidades. Fue nombrada catedrática en 1971 hasta el 2009, nombrada al Senado Universitario, y Directora Departamento de Artes Liberales en la Universidad Interamericana. Ha recibido varias distinciones, becada por la Getty Foundation, homenaje de la Respetable Logia Femenina Julia de Burgos, homenaje por sus 6 años de Presidencia de AICA-Puerto Rico otorgado por la Asociación de Galerías de Arte y el Instituto de Cultura. Recibió el Homenaje por la Trayectoria en 2016 por la Asociación de Críticos de Arte de Puerto Rico (AICA-PR).

Myrna Rodríguez Vega (16.09.1940 - 29.04.2020) deja su legado a la cultura puertorriqueña y universal tanto en su obra literaria como en la plástica y la docencia.

***

Critic, educator, consultant and artist.

She was co-founder of AICA Puerto Rico and president of AICA-PR from 1994 to 2000. For 15 years she was a Member of the International Executive Council of AICA International, one of the first Latin American women to belong to this international council.

In 1961 she obtained her bachelor's degree in Humanities, in Fine Arts from the University of Puerto Rico. In 1966 she obtained her Master of Arts and Art Education from New York University. She completed her doctoral studies from the New York University.

As an art critic, she published in The San Juan Star newspaper from 1978 to 1993, producing more than 800 articles and dozens of critical essays in different media.

As an artist she had her first solo exhibition in 1964; some of her exhibitions have been presented at the Puerto Rican Athenaeum, with the group Borinquen 12 at the Museo de Universidad de PR and at the Museo de Arte de Ponce, Printmaking Workshop at New York University, Galería APRAG, Galería Caimán and Galería Tito in Nueva York.

She has participated as a jury member and curator in multiple projects, and she was a source of constant consultation.

As an educator, since 1968 she has been teaching at several of our universities. She was appointed professor in 1971 until 2009, appointed to the University Senate, and Director of the Department of Liberal Arts at the Inter-American University.

She has received several distinctions, a scholarship from the Getty Foundation, a tribute from the Respectable Women's Lodge Julia de Burgos, a tribute for her six years of Presidency of AICA-Puerto Rico awarded by the Association of Art Galleries and the Institute of Culture. She received the Tribute for her Career in 2016 by the Association of Art Critics of Puerto Rico (AICA-PR).

Myrna Rodríguez Vega (16.09.1940 - 29.04.2020) leaves her legacy to the Puerto Rican and universal culture both in her literary work as well as in plastic arts and teaching.

NEW DATE FOR AICA INTERNATIONAL BOARD MEETING

AICA International Board Members (Board members of National Sections, International Board, Chairs of Committee, International Vice-Presidents, International members, Honorary Presidents) are invited to participate in the next Administrative Meeting, which will take place on May 22nd 2020.

If you are part of the AICA International Board, log-in to your Member Access to know about all the details and please remember to confirm your attendance to the Office.

~~~

Los miembros de la Junta Internacional de la AICA (Presidentes de las Juntas Nacionales, Junta Internacional, Presidentes de Comité, Vicepresidentes Internacionales, miembros Internacionales, Presidentes Honorarios) están invitados a participar en la próxima Reunión Administrativa, que tendrá lugar el 22 de mayo de 2020.

Si usted forma parte de la Junta Internacional de AICA, entre en su Acceso de Miembros (Member Access) para conocer todos los detalles y por favor recuerde confirmar su asistencia a la AICA Office.

~~~

Les membres du Conseil d'Administration international de l'AICA (président.e.s des sections nationales, membres du Conseil d'administration international, président.e.s des comités, vice-président.e.s internationa.les.ux, membres internationaux, président.e.s honoraires) sont invité.e.s à participer à la prochaine réunion administrative, qui aura lieu le 22 mai 2020.

Si vous faites partie du Conseil d'administration international de l'AICA, connectez-vous à votre Accès Membres (Member Access) pour connaître tous les détails et svp n'oubliez pas de confirmer votre présence au Bureau.

REPORT - CONSTELLATION CRITIQUES

One-Day Conference Constellations critiques. 30 ans d’Archives de la critique d’art

by Henry Meyric Hughes

This event, organised by Antje Kramer-Mallordy and her colleagues at the Archives de la critique d’art, marked the culmination of the 30th anniversary celebrations of the founding of the ACA in 1989 and the end of a year-long programme of seminars, publications and public events. It was postponed from January 2010, on account of the strikes and public unrest at the time.

The organisers succeeded in bringing together some 30 representatives of the three  principal institutional   supporters of the ‘Groupement d’intérêt commun’ (GIS),  established in 2014 to protect the long-term interests of the archives – namely, the  Association des critiques d’art (AICA), whose members and networks have provided the (already) 2.3 linear kilometres of archival material that constitute the collection; the National Institute of Art History, in Paris (INHA, established after AICA, in 2000), which now legally owns the collection; and the University of  Rennes 2, which provides the  premises  and funds  the staffing and services; together with representatives, primarily, of Rennes Metropole, the City of Rennes and local artistic institutions, such as the Art School, Art Museum and  contemporary art spaces, including the FRAC (Fonds Régional d’Art Contemporain) and the Maison des Sciences de l’Homme en Bretagne (MSHB), which have supported the ACA, in varying measure, mostly from the very beginning. In addition to Antje Kramer-Mallordy, the ACA was represented by its former director, Nathalie Boulouch, who had skilfully guided the organisation through four years of change, uncertainty and expansion, and all their colleagues from the ACA: Jelena Le Magoarou (administration), Laurence Le Poupon (archives), Sylvie Mokhtari (review Critique d’art) and Emmanuelle Rossignol (library).

AICA was represented by Jean-Marc Poinsot, the founding President of  the Archives and Professor Emeritus of Art History  at the University of Rennes 2, and Jacques Leenhardt, a past president of AICA International and AICA France,  who represents AICA on the Governing Board of the GIS, along with Elisabeth Couturier, the current  president and Christoph Domino, a past president of AICA France, Elisa Rusca, from AICA Switzerland and Henry Meyric Hughes, past international president of AICA UK and international president of AICA, who represents AICA on the  Scientific and Cultural Council of the Archives, along with  numerous members of AICA France – many of them, from Paris -  who stayed on for a lively , free-wheeling debate the following day, at the Art School in Rennes, on the theme: ‘Critiques d’art, commissaires d’exposition: contamination’.   READ MORE

See the whole podcasts of the day-event here: https://www.lairedu.fr/media/video/conference/constellations-critiques/

"Tomás Strauss: Beyond the Great Divide" is OUT and available

We are happy to announce that the book  Tomáš Štrauss: Beyond the Great Divide, Essays on European Avant-Gardes from former East and West (AICA’s series Art Critics of the World), edited by Daniel Grúň, Henry Meyric Hughes and Jean-Marc Poinsot  is out. It was proposed by our Slovak colleagues at the forty-sixth International Congress, “White Places – Black Holes” in Slovakia, September 2013.  The Strauss book was partially funded by The Art Collection of Erste Group and ERSTE Foundation and published by Presses du Réel and AICA Press.

Get your copy here

Nous sommes heureux d'annoncer la sortie du livre Tomáš Štrauss : Beyond the Great Divide, Essays on European Avant-Gardes from former East and West (série Art Critics of the World de l'AICA), édité par Daniel Grúň, Henry Meyric Hughes et Jean-Marc Poinsot. Il a été proposé par nos collègues slovaques lors du quarante-sixième congrès international "White Places - Black Holes" en Slovaquie, en septembre 2013.  Le livre de Strauss a été partiellement financé par la collection d'art de Erste Group et la Fondation ERSTE et publié par les Presses du Réel et AICA Press.

Obtenez votre copie ici

Nos complace anunciar el lanzamiento del libro Tomáš Štrauss : Beyond the Great Divide, Essays on European Avant-Gardes from former East and West (serie Críticos de Arte del Mundo de la AICA), editado por Daniel Grúň, Henry Meyric Hughes y Jean-Marc Poinsot. Fue propuesto por nuestros colegas eslovacos en el 46º Congreso Internacional "White Places - Black Holes", celebrado en Eslovaquia en septiembre de 2013.  El libro de Strauss fue financiado parcialmente por la colección de arte de Erste Group y la Fundación ERSTE y publicado por Presses du Réel y AICA Press.

Obtenga su copia aquí

AICA ACADEMY PROGRAMME

Within the frame of:

MASTER 1 – Creative process – D4011416

Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne and AICA International have partnered to open an academic window between art criticism and creation through a series of weekly seminars dedicated to the question of transformations.

Under the guidance of Yann TOMA, this seminar of transversal research is conducted this year with AICA International in codirection with Marc PARTOUCHE (Secretary-General of AICA International).

‘Yann TOMA - Art & Globalism at the time of SDGs – Monday  4-6pm – 2nd semester.

This Master 1 methodological course is concerned with interaction, conduction, and even induction in resonance with the world’s current disruptions. The seminar Art & Globalism at the time of SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) – which is a possible prefiguration of an International Master of Creation (Master in Arts & Vision) – questions, on a resolutely international scale, the abilities of each student to Think/Create, answer and evolve both artistically and conceptually by taking into account the socio-political environment of climate crisis, and the world’s subsequent geo-political changes. This year’s new partnership with AICA International is notably about evaluating what would be an art with a political impact. From this perspective, this course aims to explore how we can Think/Create and call in, today, more contemporary and innovating references within a reflection regarding issues of ecological transition, transformation even, all the while staying consistent with the rigorous methodological models of academic writing and research. While the seminary will unfold in close relationship with human, social and legal sciences, students will further benefit from interventions by professionals of art and literature, thanks to the mediation of the International Association of Art Critics.’

Weekly seminars (room D632 at the Sorbonne, from 4pm to 6pm, unless otherwise specified):

Monday 3 February – François Salmeron.

+ BIS (Sorbonne) – (In)errance - MAVI (promotion Greta Thunberg) at Sorbonne Artgallery BIS, 6pm

Monday 10 February – Marc Uzan.

+ opening of Dayoung Jeong / Prix AMMA 2019 at Sorbonne Artgallery BIS, 6.30pm

Monday 24 February – Marion Zilio

Monday 2 March – Marion Zilio

Monday 9 March – Marc Partouche

Monday 16 March – Paul Ardenne

20 and 21 March: meetings of AICA Int. CANCELED

Monday 23 March – Lisbeth Rebollo Gonçalves, Clément Thibault

+ opening of Lucien Murat at Sorbonne Artgallery BIS, 6.30pm

Monday 30 March – Jacinto Lageira

Monday 20 April – Julien Verhaeghe

Monday 27 April – Riason Naidoo

52 AICA Congress report in L'art même by Mathilde Roman

AICA Board member Mathilde Roman (France) has published on the Belgian magazine L’art même a report about the 52 AICA International Congress in Cologne and Berlin, co-organized by AICA Germany and The German Federal Foundation for Culture.

Find her article here (sorry, French only)

~~~

Mathilde Roman (France), membre du Conseil d'administration de l'AICA, a publié dans le magazine belge L'art même un rapport sur le 52ème Congrès international de l'AICA à Cologne et Berlin, co-organisé par l'AICA Allemagne et la Fondation fédérale allemande pour la culture.

Consultez son article ici (en français uniquement)

~~~

La miembro de la Junta Directiva de la AICA, Mathilde Roman (Francia), ha publicado en la revista belga L'art même un reportaje sobre el 52 Congreso Internacional de la AICA en Colonia y Berlín, co-organizado por la AICA Alemania y la Fundación Federal Alemana para la Cultura.

Lea su artículo aquí (lo siento, sólo en francés)

SEASON'S GREETINGS

AICA International wishes you Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!

AICA International vous souhaite Joyeuses Fêtes et une Bonne Année!

AICA International les desea ¡Felices Fiestas y Feliz Año Nuevo!

Pieter Bruegel the Elder, WInter Landscape with Ice-Skaters and Birds-Trap, 1565, painting on wood, 37 x 55,5 cm, The Royal Museum of Fine Arts of Belgium, Brussels

AICA ACADEMY, Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne

AICA Academy

News regarding the first stage of the establishment of the seminar of art criticism

AICA International – Sorbonne 2020

Within the frame of: MASTER 1 – Creative Process – D4011416, Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne and AICA International have partnered to open an academic window between art criticism and creation through a series of weekly seminars dedicated to the question of transformations.

Under the guidance of Yann TOMA, and in collaboration with Marc PARTOUCHE (Secretary General of AICA International)

Yann TOMA - Art & Globalism at the time of SDGs – Monday 4-6pm – 2nd semester.

This Master 1 methodological course is concerned with interaction, conduction, and even induction in resonance with the world’s current disruptions. The seminar Art & Globalism at the time of SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) – which is a possible prefiguration of an International Master of Creation (Master in Arts & Vision) – questions, on a resolutely international scale, the abilities of each student to Think/Create, answer and evolve both artistically and conceptually by taking into account the socio-political environment of climate crisis, and the world’s subsequent geo-political changes. This year’s new partnership with AICA International is notably about evaluating what would be an art with a political impact. From this perspective, this course aims to explore how we can Think/Create and call in, today, more contemporary and innovating references within a reflection regarding issues of ecological transition, transformation even, all the while staying consistent with the rigorous methodological models of academic writing and research. While the seminary will unfold in close relationship with human, social and legal sciences, students will further benefit from interventions by professionals of art and literature, thanks to the mediation of the International Association of Art Critics.

Download the description with seminar’s dates (.pdf) HERE

—————————

AICA Académie

Information sur la première étape de mise en place du séminaire de critique d’art

AICA International – Sorbonne 2020

Dans le cadre du : MASTER 1 – Processus de Création – D4011416, l’Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne et l’AICA International s’associent pour ouvrir une fenêtre académique entre la critique d’art et la création à travers une série de séminaires dédiés à la question des transformations.

Sous l’autorité de Toma, Yann et en collaboration avec Partouche, Marc (Secrétaire Général AICA Int.)

TOMA, Yann - Art & Mondialité au temps des ODD ------- lundi 16h-18h - 2d semestre.

Dans ce séminaire de méthodologie de master 1 il est question d’interaction, de conduction, voire d‘induction en résonance avec les bouleversements du monde. Ce séminaire de recherche « Plasticité et mondialité au temps des ODD » (ODD pour Objectifs du Développement Durable), résolument situé sur une fréquence internationale (possible préfiguration du Master International de Création - Master in Arts & Vision - pour l'étudiant(e)) met en jeu les capacités de chaque étudiant à Penser/Créer, à répondre, à évoluer artistiquement et conceptuellement en prenant en compte l'environnement politique et social des changements climatiques, avec en perspective un regard sur l’international et les bouleversements géopolitiques du monde. Il s’agit notamment cette année, à travers un partenariat avec l’AICA international, de réévaluer ce que serait un art à portée politique. Dans cette optique, tout en exigeant une démarche méthodologique rigoureuse et conforme aux modèles d’écriture et de recherche universitaires, ce séminaire entend s’interroger sur la manière dont on pourrait aujourd’hui Penser/Créer et convoque les références les plus contemporaines et les plus innovantes, ce dans le cadre d’une réflexion en liaison aux problématiques de la transition, voire de la transformation écologique. Si ce séminaire se déroulera au contact des sciences humaines, sociales et juridiques de l’Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, les étudiants bénéficieront d’interventions de professionnels du monde de l’art et de la littérature, notamment grâce à l’entremise de l’Association Internationale des Critiques d’Art.

Télécharger le descriptif avec les dates du programme (.pdf) ICI

——————

Academia AICA

Noticias sobre la primera fase de establecimiento del Seminario sobre Crítica de Arte

AICA International – Sorbona 2020

En el marco del MASTER 1 – Proceso Creativo – D4011416 la Universidad Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne y AICA International se han asociado para abrir una ventana académica entre la crítica de arte y la creación a través de una serie de seminarios semanales dedicados a la cuestión de las transformaciones.

Bajo la guía de Yann TOMA, y en colaboración con Marc PARTOUCHE (Secretario General de AICA Internacional)

Yann TOMA - Arte & Globalización en época de Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible – Lunes 4 -18.00h – 2o semestre.

Este curso metodológico de Master 1 se ocupa de la interacción, la conducción e incluso la inducción en resonancia con las rupturas actuales del mundo. El seminario Arte y globalismo en el momento de los ODS (Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible), que es una posible configuración previa de un Máster Internacional de Creación (Máster en Artes y Visión), cuestiona, en una escala decididamente internacional, las habilidades de cada estudiante para pensar/crear, responder y evolucionar tanto artística como conceptualmente teniendo en cuenta el entorno sociopolítico de la crisis climática y los subsecuentes cambios geopolíticos del mundo. El nuevo partenariado de este año con AICA International se dedica principalmente a evaluar lo que sería un arte con impacto político. Desde esta perspectiva, este curso tiene como objetivo explorar cómo podemos pensar/crear e invocar, hoy en día, referencias más contemporáneas e innovadoras dentro de una reflexión sobre temas de transición o incluso transformación ecológica, todo ello a la par que nos mantengamos fieles a los rigurosos modelos metodológicos de la escritura e investigación académicas. Si bien el seminario se desarrollará en estrecha relación con las ciencias humanas, sociales y jurídicas, los estudiantes se beneficiarán aún más de las intervenciones de profesionales del arte y la literatura, gracias a la mediación de la Asociación Internacional de Críticos de Arte.

Descargue la descripción con las fechas del programa (.pdf) AQUÍ

Letter of endorsement to AICA Hong Kong

The International Office

Paris, 24 June 2019

The international Association of Art Critics (AICA) is a global organisation, established in 1948 by UNESCO, comprising art critics who are actively engaged in improving International cooperation in the fields of artistic creativity, mediation and endeavour.

AICA believes that freedom of expression and thought is an important principle and as a basic civil right must be defended. A hallmark of any democracy is its willingness to allow, consider and withstand critical as well as benign points of view and to accommodate divergent artistic expressions.

We are concerned the Hong Kong government has proposed a fugitive/extradition legislation to the People's Republic of China. We therefore endorse the open letter by AICA Hong Kong of 13 June, which expresses the concern the proposed law enables extradition to a country where human rights, judicial independence and freedom of expression do not currently fulfil international standards, according to the UN's Human Rights Council in March 2019. 

Although the proposed law was repealed, AICA International calls upon the Hong Kong government to refrain from introducing the law in the future.

 Yours sincerely,

Lisbeth Rebollo                                    Robert-Jan Muller

President AICA international                AICA Committee on Censorship and Freedom of Expression (Chair)

——-> Downloadable version (.pdf) HERE

Letter of endorsement to the Japan branch of aica

                    32 rue Yves Toudic – 75010 Paris – FRANCE

The International Office

 Paris, 14 October 2019

Letter of endorsement to the Japan branch of the International Association of Art Critics (AICA) concerning its statement on the closure of “After ‘ Freedom of Expression?’ ” at Aichi Triennale 2019. 

Subject: Closure of “After ‘Freedom of Expression?’” at Aichi Triennale 2019 

cc.                               Index on Censorship 

The international Association of Art Critics (AICA) is a global organisation, established in 1948 by UNESCO, comprising art critics who are actively engaged in improving International cooperation in the fields of artistic creativity, mediation and endeavour. 

On August 7 AICA Japan issued a statement, signed by its president Fumio Nanjo,  on the closure of a section “After ‘Freedom of Expression?’ ” within the Aichi Triennale 2019.

AICA Japan's statement expresses grave concern about the situation, firmly stating that “the suppression of expressive activities by violence and threats is unacceptable.” It continues, “Although it is the role of local authorities, including the police, to protect citizens’ activities from violent acts, giving in to violent demands for the closure of the exhibition on the grounds of protecting citizens from that violence is problematic.”

AICA International underlines emphatically the conclusion of the letter: "AICA Japan observes the developments at the Aichi Triennale 2019 with great concern. We hope that proper social conditions can be created in Japan in which all the works originally displayed at the opening of this international contemporary art exhibition could be freely shown again."

AICA International hereby endorses the protest of AICA Japan. We add that AICA believes that freedom of expression and thought is an important principle and as a basic civil right must be defended. A hallmark of any democracy is its willingness to allow, consider and withstand critical as well as benign points of view and to accommodate divergent artistic expressions.

Yours Sincerely,

Lisbeth Rebollo Gonçalves

President AICA International

Robert-Jan Muller

Chair, AICA Committee of Censorship and Freedom of Expression

52 nd AICA INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS DECLARATION ON OSMAN KAVALA

The membership of AICA International (International Association of Art Critics) is global and culturally diverse and we believe firmly in the principle of freedom of expression.  Mr. Osman Kavala who is a businessman and philanthropist has been remanded in custody for almost two years with an indictment that is not based on any concrete evidence. Kavala has always supported civic engagement, democratic forms of expression and equality of access for arts and culture. Osman Kavala has been active in fostering culture and education in Turkey. As a member of numerous boards and president of the cultural institution Anadolu Kültür, which he founded 16 years ago, he has constructed bridges in civil society from Turkey to Europe and neighboring countries. We, as members of AICA International and participants of the 52nd International AICA Congress 2019 in Cologne & Berlin, are stating that Osman Kavala must be released immediately.

Berlin, 5 October 2019

Lisbeth Rebollo Gonçalves

President AICA International

Robert-Jan Muller

Chair, AICA Committee Censorship and Freedom of Expression

Winners of the 2019 AICA Incentive Award for Young Critics

The Jury of the AICA Incentive Award for a young critic is pleased to announce the winners of its 2019 edition.

The AICA Incentive Award 2019 goes to

• Wenting TAO, with her text "How the Curatorial Stereotyping of Chinese Art Essentializes the Work of Zheng Guogu".

Mrs Tao will be joining us in Berlin to present her text during the award ceremony on October 5th at Berlinische Galerie.

In addition to the winning prize, the Jury decided for two special mentions.

• A Special Mention goes to Jaka Lombar, for his text "Reactivating the Archive Must Entail Tearing Down the Palimpsest of Populism"

• The second Special Mention goes to Qianfan Gu, for her text "Whose China?"
  

AICA-International Office

Nathalie Rousselle quitte ses fonctions au sein du bureau AICA International à compter du 12 juillet 2019. 

Il y a plusieurs mois, elle nous avait fait connaître sa décision de s'ouvrir de nouvelles perspectives professionnelles. J'ai malheureusement peu travaillé avec elle mais suffisamment pour mesurer la qualité de son travail, son engagement, sa rigueur et son souci de l'intérêt général ; de même, ses qualités d'écoute et sa disponibilité. 

Après plus de trois années passées à l'AICA, elle s'engage désormais sur de nouvelles voies et nous lui souhaitons le meilleur.

Sonia Recasens la remplace à compter du 17 juillet. 

Sonia Recasens est critique d'art affiliée à AICA France et conduit à ce titre une importante activité de critique (lauréate du Prix spécial du jury AICA France 2019) et de direction de publication. Par ailleurs, elle a développé une forte pratique dans le domaine de la coordination, la production et la médiation de projets culturels. Cette double expérience et ses qualités humaines seront précieuses pour AICA International.

Nous lui souhaitons la bienvenue.

Marc Partouche, Secrétaire Général de l'AICA International

————————-

Nathalie Rousselle leaves her position in the AICA International Office on July 12th, 2019.

Several months ago, she had let us know her decision to open up new professional prospectives. Unfortunately, I didn't work with her much but enough to measure the quality of her work, her commitment, her rigor and her concern for the general interest; similarly, her listening skills and her availability.

After more than three years at AICA, she is now embarking on new paths and we wish her all the best.

Sonia Recasens replaces her on July 17.

Sonia Recasens is an art critic affiliated with AICA France and leads in this capacity an important critical activity (winner of the Special Jury Prize AICA France 2019) and publishing management. In addition, she has developed a strong practice in the field of coordination, production and mediation of cultural projects. This dual experience and her human qualities will be valuable to AICA International.

We welcome her.

Marc Partouche, General-Secretary of AICA-International

————————-

Nathalie Rousselle deja su puesto en la oficina de AICA International a partir del 12 de julio de 2019.

Hace algunos meses ella anunció su decisión de buscar nuevas perspectivas profesionales. Desafortunadamente, he trabajado poco con ella pero lo suficiente para medir la calidad de su trabajo, su compromiso, su rigor y su preocupación por el interés general; Asimismo, sus habilidades de escucha y su disponibilidad.

Después de más de tres años en AICA, ahora ha adquirido otros compromisos y le deseamos lo mejor.

Sonia Recasens la reemplazará a partir del 17 de julio.

Sonia Recasens es una crítica de arte afiliada a AICA Francia con una importante trayectoria (galardonada con el Premio Especial del jurado AICA Francia 2019). Además, ha desarrollado una práctica sólida en el campo de la coordinación, producción y mediación de proyectos culturales. Esta doble experiencia y sus cualidades humanas serán muy valiosas para AICA International.

Le damos la bienvenida.

Marc Partouche, Secretario General de AICA Internacional

AICA Congress in Germany - REGISTRATION

Welcome to the 52nd International AICA Congress, a project by AICA Germany in Cooperation with the German Federal Cultural Foundation.

The Congress will take place from October 1st – 7th October 2019 in Cologne and Berlin.

The Highlight in Cologne will be granting the Prize for Distinguished Art Criticism to a well-known art critic in Germany at Museum Ludwig in Cologne. The first two days in Cologne are dedicated to the administrative tasks of AICA International. If you want to join the congress in Cologne and are not involved with commissions as well as the administration council, you will be able to register for visits at prominent regional galleries and institutions. (only if there are at least 8 participants) Guests are welcome.

On Thursday morning, (Oct. 3rd) we will take the rapid train ICE at 8.44 a. m., which arrives at 1.05 p. m. at Berlin main station. Please book your reservation asap, as there are no other good connections in order to arrive in Berlin in time for the beginning of the congress at 3.30 p.m.

The opening ceremony of the congress itself will take place on October 3rd at Hamburger Bahnhof in Berlin. On the 4th and 5th the congress will be hosted by the Berlinische Galerie.The Congress theme Art Criticism in times of Populism and Nationalism addresses some virulent issues concerning the role of art criticism from different points of views.

Populism shapes the contemporary media landscape and the field of art as well as cultural criticism. There are many discussions about the removal of controversial works of art and the influence of the #MeToo debate in the art. Ethical evaluation criteria are implemented, where women artists* consciously make provocative or seemingly naïve cultural appropriations with their works and actions. But where and how far do limitations of artistic freedom of expression go? What does the clash between the ethical and aesthetic say about our understanding of politically "responsible" art and „responsible“ art-critical approaches?

Our congress is dedicated to the possibilities of critical commitment for art as a socially embedded yet aesthetically free form of expression.

It is based on a diversity of points of views and provides moderated discussions after each presentation or after two controversial lectures. We want scientists, artists, authors, journalists to have their say and actively involve the audience. Not only the lectures, but also the resulting discussions will be recorded in the congress files.

Our programme currently envisages asking first about nuances in the conceptual understanding of populism in culture and politics, discussing populist lines of argument in the context of post-colonialism and investigating the effects of populism and nationalism in art-critical practice on the basis of case studies - both nationally and internationally. The thematic complex of censorship will also be introduced to the congress in reports by colleagues from various countries. The last day will be devoted to methods and formats of art criticism that may be considered as experiment in a special way by addressing or involving their audience. It will also deal with the role of (digital) distribution and the instrumentalization of art criticism in connection with the opening and closing of democratic public spaces.

From the 39 applicants who answered the call for papers, our international jury has selected 11 participants. We are looking forward to having long discussions with them and speakers invited and hope that you will get involved in these debates.

PROGRAMME

Pre-Congress 1 /2 October, Cologne

TUESDAY, 01 Oct., Cologne

Morning
09.00 – 01.00 p. m. Meetings of AICA Committees at Stiftung Horbach
01.00 – 02.00 p. m. Lunch Break

Afternoon
02.00 – 05.00 p. m. Meetings of AICA Committees at Stiftung Horbach
Excursion to Düsseldorf with visits to K20, K21 and Kai 10 for members not involved committees

Evening
05.30 – 06.00 p. m. Reception at the town hall, Hansasaal
07.00 – 10.30 p. m. Evening event with award ceremony:
“Prize for Distinguished Art Criticism” at Museum Ludwig
Lecture Performance by Jürgen Stollhans „elf 100%“, audiovisual installation piece Diewke Boersma & Vanja Smiljanić: „I don’t think you’re ready for this jelly“
reception in the Foyer


WEDNESDAY, 02 Oct., Cologne

Morning
09.00 – 12.00 a. m. Board meeting at Stiftung Horbach
12.00 – 02.00 p. m. Lunch Break
Visits Galleries in the Belgian Quarter, Temporary Gallery, Kölnischer Kunstverein in Cologne for members not involved in the administration council

Afternoon
02.00 – 06.00 p. m. General assembly at the Academy of Media Arts, Cologne

Evening
06.30 – 08.30 p. m. Evening reception and Prelude to the Congress at the auditorium of the
Academy of Media Arts, Cologne
Hans Ulrich Reck (Director Academy of Media Arts, Cologne)
08.30 – 10.00 p.m. Reception

Congress 03 - 05 October, Berlin

THURSDAY, 3. Oct., Transfer from Cologne to Berlin

Morning
08.44 – 13.09 h Transfer from Köln main station to Berlin Hbf with ICE 555

Afternoon Congress Opening, Hamburger Bahnhof, Berlin
03.30 – 04.45 p. m. Welcome
Udo Kittelmann/Dr. Gabriele Knapstein
Audrey Azoulay, Director-General UNESCO (tbc), patron of the congress
Lisbeth Rebollo, President AICA International
Introduction
Danièle Perrier, President AICA Germany

Jacques Leenhardt: On the History of the German AICA

05.00 – 06.15 p. m. Session 1
Nuances of Populism: Political and Cultural Dimensions
Oliver Marchart
Ana Teixeira Pinto

06.30 – 07.50 p. m. Session 2
The Humboldt Forum and its “Cultural Heritage”
Jörg Häntzschel
Thomas E. Schmidt
Arlette-Louise Ndakoze

Evening
08.00 p. m. Shuttle to Palais Populaire: Exhibition and reception

FRIDAY, 04 Oct., Berlinische Galerie, Berlin

Morning
10.00–11.30 a. m. Session 3
Institutions of Critique – Critique of Institutions
Harry Lehmann: Art criticism in times of political polarization
Leena-Maija Rossi: Between benevolent naiveté and populism:
Art institutions in the age of neo-liberalism
Mischa Kuball & Gregor Lersch: Populism vs Democracy and Social Media. And other Disasters.

12.00–1.00 p. m. Session 4
Art Criticism and Gender
Miguel Rivas Venegas: “Yihadismo de Género”: Anti-Feminist Lexical Arsenals of Spanish National-Populism
Belinda Grace Gardner: RE/WRITING HISTORY. Art Criticism as a Vehicle of Change in the Era of #MeToo

Afternoon
02.30 – 03.30 p. m. Session 5
The Public and the Popular
Paul O’Kane: The Carnival of Popularity – wresting the popular from populism
Franck Hermann Ekra: Sur les ailes de la Liberté. Parcours
transafricains, les nouveaux visages de la contestation.
03.50 – 04.50 p. m. Session 6
Art Criticism in Eastern Europe (Hungary, Poland)
Maja & Reuben Fowkes: Democracy in on the Defensive: East European
Art Criticism in the Era of Illiberal Globalisation
Malgorzata Stepnik: Vox populi – politicians as art critics.

05.10 – 06.40 p m. Roundtable on Censorship: Focusing Africa & Afro-Latin America


SATURDAY, 05 Oct., Berlinische Galerie, Berlin

Morning
10.00 – 11.30 a. m. Session 7
Art Criticism and/as/against Discrimination
Sabeth Buchmann
François Jullien (tbc)
Julia Pelta Feldman & Antje Stahl

11.50 – 01.15 p. m. Session 8
Art Criticism and/as/against Judgement
Thomas Edlinger
Florian Arnold
Rez@Kultur (Ulrich Heid/Claudia Roßkopf)

Afternoon
02.45 – 04.15 p. m. Session 9
Arts and Politics Between Avant-Garde and Propaganda
Marek Wasilewski: From self-defence to counterattack, how the populists in Poland reclaimed the language of contemporary art
Sarah Wilson: CROWDS AND POWER: Two Polish artists in London
Julia Voß (tbc)

04.30 – 05.00 p. m. Awards Ceremony “Incentive Prize”

05.00 – 06.15 p. m. Boris Groys (tbc)

06.15 p. m. Thanks, presentation of next Congress and Closing

Evening
07.00 – 10.00 p. m. Closing Ceremony

Sessions chaired by:
Elke Buhr, Jörg Heiser, Liam Kelly, Alexander Koch, Cathrin Lorch, Kolja Reichert (tbc)

Post-Congress 06 / 07 October, Berlin

SUNDAY, 06 Oct., Berlin

Morning
09.00 a. m. breakfast visits in Potsdamerstraße 77–87: Gallery Judin, Blain Southern, Esther Schipper
11.00 a. m. Martin Gropius Bau
12.30 p. m. Lunch Break

Afternoon
03.00 p. m. KOW Galerie, meeting the artist Hiwa K
04.30 p. m. visit of choice: Boros Collection or Konrad Fischer Galerie

Evening
07.00 p.m. Kewenig Galerie - visit and reception


MONDAY, 07 Oct., Berlin

Morning
09.00 a. m. Studio visit with Heba Y. Amin, Kreuzberg
11.30 a. m. N.B.K. (Neuer Berliner Kunstverein) reception by Marius Babias, Director, and meeting with artist Candice Breitz
1.00 pm Salon Frieder Burda and Galerie Michael Fuchs
01.30 p. m. Lunch at Clärchens Ballhaus

Afternoon
03.00 p. m. visit Sprüth Magers
05.00 p. m. SAVVY Contemporary- The Laboratory of Form-Ideas

Evening
07.30 p. m. Julia Stoschek Collection

(this programme may be subject to changes)

REGISTRATION GUIDELINES

Registration fee for the congress
Before July 27th: members 80 €, guests 100 €
After July 3rd: members 100 €, guests 120 €
Students 35 €
The AICA International Secretariat (3 persons), AICA International Office (1 person), Chairs of AICA International Committees (10 persons), speakers and special guests are exempted.

Participation to the post-programme Berlin October 6th and 7th 2019:
All attendants (AICA members, their guests and invited persons) pay the fee of 70 € and hotels accommodation. Those 70 € will be used for meals and transports.

Registration deadline: 31st August 2019.
Thereafter registration will be possible at the congress by cash.

Transfer
For the transfer from Cologne to Berlin, we offer the possibility to book your reservation with us at the price of 70 €. Owner of a Deutsche Bahncard should by their trip individually.
We encourage you to book as early as possible, as the 3rd of October is a National Holyday and the prices for trains and rooms may raise soon.

Hotels
in Cologne
Coellner Hof, Hansaring 100, 50670 Cologne 80 € per night

in Berlin
Our Congress Hotel in Berlin is the famous Ellington Hotel, close to the Ku’damm, where Duke Ellington used to play. It is a four star hotel which concedes a special rate to participants of the AICA Congress.
Ellington Hotel BERLIN, Nürnberger Strasse 50-55 | 10789 Berlin
Price 118 Single / 148 Double Breakfast included
Please note that hotel rooms are reserved for us only until July 11th. After this date, registration will be open to public and the prices may raise.

Other recommendations:
Motel One Berlin-Upper West, Kantstr. 163-165 · 10623 Berlin (close to Ellington Hotel)
Actual price (17th June 2019) 90,50 € / per night incl. Bio-breakfast (11,50 €)

IBIS Budget Berlin Alexanderplatz, Mollstraße 30 · 10249 Berlin
Actual price (17th June 2019) 59,00 € / per night plus 7,50 € for breakfast

Important addresses in Cologne
Kunsträume der Michael Horbach Stiftung, Womrser Str. 23, 50677 Köln
Hansasaal im Historischen Rathaus, Rathausplatz 2, 50667 Köln
Museum Ludwig, Heinrich-Böll-Platz, 50667 Köln
Kunsthochschule für Medien Köln, Peter-Welter-Platz 2, 50676 Köln

Congress adresses in Berlin:
Hamburger Bahnhof, Invalidenstraße 50-51, 10557 Berlin
Berlinische Galerie, Alte Jakobstraße 124, 10969 Berlin (Kreuzberg)
Palais Populaire, Unter den Linden 5, 10117 Berlin

REGISTER NOW!

AICA members meeting in Venice May 9th, 9am

Alfredo Cramerotti (UK, international vice-president) is co-curating with Elsa Barbieri the exhibition IDEAL-TYPES [Chapter 2], opening on May 7th at 5pm at Marignana Arte, and including artists Athanasios Argianas, Maurizio Donzelli, Nancy Genn, Artur Lescher, James Lewis, Alice Pedroletti, Antonio Scaccabarozzi and Verónica Vázquez.

If you'll happen to be in Venice, you are cordially invited to join us at the opening on May 7th.

Moreover, a special guided tour of the exhibition for AICA members only is planned on May 9th at 9am.

Inspired by Max Weber’s theory, whereby for studying a social action without reducing its particularities to a collection of individual events we must start from the perception that the individual has of the real world, IDEAL-TYPES [Chapter 2] is an ongoing exhibition project designed as a speculative tool which makes possible to measure reality: the ideal-type (Idealtypus).

The eight international artists are invited to formulate an artistic language that visually translates the thought relationships when trying to set out a concept; they do so through the dialogue between their respective art works, and with gallery spaces.

A methodological paradigm that is never traceable empirically in its conceptual purity, the ideal-type is intended as a utopia that shares characteristics with real objects, even if it does not correspond to any specific example. With it, the materiality of existence must be compared in order to illustrate the significant elements of its empirical content.

It is thus a matter of adopting something imaginary or intangible to better understand the concrete. The concept does not copy real life but underlines its most intrinsic connections. Without any expectation of objectivity, the artists build a kind of seductive, meticulous and inconsistent verisimilitude to verify empirically. By isolating a particular phenomenon from the complex of interactions, and catching uniform elements in the repetition of the same, each one proceeds in structuring the ideal-type that operates as a unilateral and rational measuring device of reality.

The artworks on display question the viewers by encouraging them to develop always new readings on the being within a visual and spatial conversation.

The exhibition is accompanied by a bilingual Italian-English catalogue.

IDEAL-TYPES [Chapter 2]

Curated by Alfredo Cramerotti and Elsa Barbieri

Marignana Arte Venice, from 7 May to 7 September 2019

Opening: Tuesday, 7 May, 5:00 - 10:00 pm

Special openings: from Wednesday 8 to Sunday 12 May, 10:00 am - 8:00 pm

Opening hours: Tuesday - Wednesday, 2:00 - 6:30 pm; Thursday - Saturday, 11:00 am - 1:30 pm / 2:00 - 6:30pm; Sunday and Monday closed or by appointment

Dorsoduro 141, Rio Terà dei Catecumeni

Vaporetto stops: Salute - Line 1, Spirito Santo - Lines 5.1 / 5.2

Image: Alice Pedroletti, Study for a Sculpture, 2016 (courtesy of the artist)

Notre-Dame de Paris

AICA International expresses its deepest feelings for the fire that hit Notre-Dame de Paris, a cultural heritage of humanity, a historical reference for all the citizens of the world.

Our hearts are filled with sorrow and mourning.

Lisbeth Rebollo Gonçalves, President

The AICA Prize for Distinguished Contribution to the Visual Arts in Taiwan and the 6th AICA Incentive Award for Young Art Critics, Taipei, Taiwan 2018

The Awards Committee of the International Association of Art Critics (AICA) awarded prizes in two categories at the 51st International AICA Congress in Taiwan on 18 November 2018. The ceremony was organised and directed by Sophie Allgårdh, Chair of the Awards Committee and marked the closure of the AICA Congress in Taiwan 2018.

Download this communication here.

---

DISTINGUISHED CONTRIBUTION TO THE VISUAL ARTS IN TAIWAN

Proposed by AICA Taiwan, the Taiwanese professor and curator Huang Hai-ming (b. 1950) received the Award for Distinguished Contribution to the Visual Arts in Taiwan. Huang Hai-ming has since the 1980s greatly contributed to shaping artistic and curatorial practices, especially in the field of art in the public domain including outdoor spaces which are recurrent topics in his critical writing and curatorship. He has served as a curator at the Taipei Fine Arts Museum and worked as an independent exhibition manager sought by institutions and art initiatives in Taiwan. On receiving the diploma from AICA International President, Lisbeth Rebollo Gonçalves, Huang Hai-ming expressed his gratitude and spoke of the significance of an international organisation’s recognition of critical curatorship in Taiwan.

The aim of the Distinguished Prize is to honour a senior critic from the country hosting the annual AICA Congress and to introduce that critic to a wider network. Published work should be of international stature and may be translated into English and anthologised for publication in the AICA series Art Critics of the World. This year AICA International chose to rephrase the prize to “Distinguished Contribution to the Visual Arts in Taiwan”. Previous recipients of the AICA Award for Distinguished Contribution to Art Criticism are Ticio Escobar (Paraguay, 2011), Annemarie Monteuil (Switzerland, 2012), Tomáš Štrauss (Slovakia, 2013), Lee Yil (South Korea, 2014), Sarah Wilson (United Kingdom, 2015), Adelaida de Juan (Cuba, 2016) and Georges Didi-Huberman (France, 2017).

---

INCENTIVE PRIZE

The winner of the 6th AICA Incentive Award for Young Art Critics is Felix Ho Yuen Chan (b. 1994 in Hong Kong), who graduated from New York University's Gallatin School of Individualized Studies in 2017 with a focus on avant-garde art in China and Japan and the social history of photography. Living and working in New York, he is currently a curatorial assistant at The Walther Collection, where he is assisting Brian Wallis in organising a series of exhibitions investigating vernacular photography.
The AICA Awards Jury praises Chan’s winning submission A Theater—In Absence as a “well-researched evaluation of artworks and their institutional and social contexts, with a fair and reflective judgment as a whole. His essay demonstrates art criticism at its best – identifying the uneven powers that art and artists may be immersed in and contextualising art and artists in the complexities of institutional, social, cultural, political, and economic realities.”

Download article here.

The Awards Committee also congratulates the two recipients of an Honorable Mention: Alana Victoria Hunt (b. 1984 in Australia) for her paper A mere drop in the sea of what is, and Enkaryon Ang (family name: Mu-Cheng Hung, b. 1981 in Taiwan) for his essay Return to the Psychogenic Theatre: A discussion about Chen Che-wei’s `Yang-Shen-Yuan’.
Alana Hunt lives in Miriwoong country in the remote north-west of Australia. She makes art, writes, and works with a variety of media across public, gallery and online spaces. The jury praises her work as “documenting the compelling reality in Kashmir in terms of representation in daily life as well as in evoking artistic justice, by boldly pushing the limits of artistic discourse which tend to stay within existing orthodoxies.”
Enkaryon Ang studied Chemistry and Life Sciences and is now a PhD candidate in chemical biology and biophysics. He has published two poetry collections Rorschach Inkblot (2009) and Hedgehog (2014). The jury praises his essay From bio-politics to Psychoanalysis for “a wide and deep analysis of the modernity of Taiwan.”

After receipt of his diploma from the Awards Chair, Sophie Allgårdh, Felix Ho Yuen Chan gave a presentation of his winning essay which offers new perspectives on Dogs That Cannot Touch Each Other –a complex work by the Chinese duo Sun Yuan and Peng Yu. Moderator Damian Smith, curator of Words for the Art, Melbourne, Australia, conducted a Q&A. Juror, Yang Yeung, curator and founding member and artistic director of Soundpocket in Hong Kong, shared insights of the democratic working process of the jury, selected by AICA Taiwan and composed of seven critics and academics from the Asian Pacific region. Prizewinner Felix Ho Yuen Chan receives expenses paid travel to Taipei to follow the Congress. Previous AICA Award winners of the Incentive Prize are Franck Hermann Ekra (Ivory Coast), Alessandra Simões Paiva (Brazil), Sebastian Baden (Germany), Lee Sun Young (South Korea), and Victor Wang (Canada/UK).

The purpose of the Incentive Prize is to recognise and support emerging voices in contemporary art criticism. Young art critics, maximum 40 years old, were invited from around the world to submit a text discussing contemporary art produced in the Asia Pacific region. There were 18 entries from nine countries and a multitude of backgrounds. AICA thanks all participants and the jury for its exemplary work.

The Awards Jury 2018

Ching-Wen CHANG
PhD, Assistant Professor, National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan

Chien-Mei LIU
Professor, Department of East Asian Studies, University of Toronto

Damian Smith 
Curator, Director of Words for Art, Melbourne, Australia

Mariko Takeuchi 
Curator, and Associate Professor, Kyoto University of Art and Design

Jeannine TANG 
PhD, Curator, Art Critic, CCS Bard core faculty & Graduate Committee

Nhung WALSH 
Executive Director and Chief Curator of Indochina Arts Partnership

Yang YEUNG 
Curator, Founding Member & Artistic Director of Soundpocket

Sophie Allgårdh
Chair of Awards Committee

AICA Congress 2019 Theme and Call for Papers

52nd International AICA Congress Germany 2019
Art Criticism in Times of Populism and Nationalism
1–7 October 2019
Cologne – Berlin
A project by AICA Germany in cooperation with the German Federal Cultural Foundation

Download CALL FOR PAPERS in English, French, Spanish. Also listed below.
For the most up to date news on this Congress, please consult: https://aica-international.squarespace.com/upcoming-congress

Congress Theme
Due to globalisation, migration and ecological problems, critical voices and politicised statements get more and more popular in this world. The increase of nationalism and the rejection of alien cultures, guided by fear and uncertainty due to real threats like civil wars and terrorist attacks, are part of this. Artists pay more and more attention to phenomena like these, the politically motivated focus of investigation thereby poses a particular challenge for art criticism. The curatorial practice of major events and exhibitions like the Manifesta, the biennials and the Documenta show us the reactions of artists.

What effects do such developments have on art criticism and its traditional evaluation criteria? How can we adequately discuss questions concerning the aesthetics in political contexts or rather politics in aesthetics? And how does art criticism react on art positions differentiating from the political context?

Besides these problems, art criticism today faces the challenge of an art scene influenced by pop culture and commercialism more than ever before. Boundaries of art forms disappear, the interaction of artistic practice and activities alien to art has to be addressed increasingly.

Can art criticism still offer orientation? How does art criticism position itself between a “winner-takes-all” art market, institution critical exhibition formats and theoretical standards? This concerns its role and autonomy in and towards the media which seems to let the art critical discourse in the diversity of opinions fall into decay and which scarcely gives art critics any prospect of professional survival in the digital age.

It is questions and problems like these which we want to address at the congress. We hope to find answers on the future social role of art criticism, and in this context an appropriate approach towards pluralism and the social challenges in the field of art.

---

CALL FOR PAPERS

---

52nd International AICA Congress Germany 2019
Art Criticism in Times of Populism and Nationalism
1–7 October 2019
Cologne – Berlin
A project by AICA Germany in cooperation with the German Federal Cultural Foundation

Call for Papers

Populist tendencies, regardless of their colour, characterise the contemporary media landscape and the field of art and cultural criticism. Discussions about the removal of controversial works of art or the infiltration of the "Me Too" debate into the art discourse take their place in reporting. Ethical evaluation criteria are brought into the field, where male and female artists consciously make provocative or seemingly naive cultural appropriations through their works and actions. But where and how does the border to the curtailment of artistic freedom of expression run? What does the course of disputes between ethical and aesthetic fronts say about our understanding of politically "responsible" art and art-critical approaches that seem "appropriate" to this art.

The 52nd International AICA Congress is dedicated to the possibilities of critical engagement with art as a socially embedded yet aesthetically free form of expression. If simplification no longer serves to convey complex contexts and turns into the simplifying rhetoric of those who address their audience with the aim of defending their own claims to power, popularity becomes populism. How can art criticism help to shape spaces of seriously divided public spheres and thus assume a central role in social processes? How can it accept the challenge of dealing sensitively with political questions and self-confidently intervening where political correctness threatens to restrict the freedom of art and art criticism?

In order to be heard and to position art as an expression of society rather than as a luxury good and financial investment, the intervention of critique in cultural-political debates about "populist" decisions by influential actors seems unavoidable – with a view to international developments as well as to one's "own front door". What other power does art criticism have in dealing with neo-nationalism, racism and discrimination? What path does it take in the debate about colonialism and the associated calls for reparation? How can it position itself in the field of tension between identity politics and criticism of identity politics?

We observe that populism has become part of our daily business not only in politics, but also in artistic practice. It can be the subject of artistic criticism, but it can also be used as a strategy that promises to attract attention to a position by one-sidedly inclining towards a certain political alignment or by deliberately choosing polarising forms of representation. But how can art criticism find formats to react to such art?

How criticism can remain independent when a large part of the precariously working freelancers are dependent on every job seems like a mystery. The economic necessity of constantly finding paying clients may be a possible reason why many critics are increasingly writing about popular or even populist themes and exhibitions. The contributions are intended to differentiate which manifestations of populism become relevant for art criticism, how exhibiting institutions or critics present themselves in a "populist" manner, and what role the uncritical adaptation to an assumed majority taste plays in the cultural sphere.

The concern of the Congress is to enter into conversation about art, its conditions and possible consequences, thinking and speaking openly to oneself and others without having to submit to censorship or attention-economic necessities – a Congress, which dedicates itself to this thematic field through democratic-theoretical, art-scientific, journalistic and artistic approaches.

The following topics can be addressed:

• the concept and history of populism, particularly in the cultural field

• art criticism as a reaction to populist tendencies in (cultural) politics

• interaction and conflicts between ethical and aesthetic approaches in art and art criticism

• the tension between freedom of expression and political correctness

• censorship, iconoclasm and terror as strategies of cultural populism

• effects of populism, Neo-Nationalism and censorship in art critical practice challenge of critique through populism as a topic and style of artistic practice

Art critics, creative artists and scholars are invited to submit proposals for a 20-minute contribution and, if possible, to assign them to one of the listed topics.

Please send your abstract (max. 2000 characters) in English and optionally also in German, French or Spanish with a short biography (and a statement on the Congress topic in one sentence, approx. 600 characters in total) including a portrait photo and corresponding copyright information to Marja-Terttu Kivirinta (mtkivirinta@mac.com) by 7 April 2019.

The Notification about acceptance of contributions can be expected at the beginning of May 2019. If the proposal is accepted, the abstracts and biographies with photos will be used online and in print as part of the publicity work of the Congress. The speakers will be accommodated during the Congress days.

---

La Critique d’art au temps du populisme et des nationalismes

52e Congrès international d’AICA International en Allemagne 2019
1 au 7 octobre 2019
Cologne – Berlin
Un projet d’AICA Allemagne en coopération avec la Fondation Fédérale pour la Culture

Appel à communications

Les tendances populistes, de quelque couleur politique qu’elles soient, déterminent le paysage contemporain des médias dans les domaines de la critique d’art et de la culture. Les polémiques concernant le retrait d’œuvres d’art controversées et l’intervention du débat « me too » dans le champ artistique se sont imposées dans les bulletins d’information. Les critères d’évaluation ethnique tentent de s’imposer, là où les artistes s’approprient dans leurs œuvres des valeurs culturelles, ingénument ou avec l’intention de provoquer. Mais où et comment tracer les limites de la liberté artistique ? Que disent toutes ces polémiques entre adeptes de l’ethnicité et de l’esthétique sur notre compréhension d’un art « responsable » et d’une approche de la critique d’art qui puisse paraître politiquement « adéquate » ?

Le 52e Congrès International de l’AICA s’interrogera sur la possibilité d’une approche critique de l’art qui l’insère dans le contexte social tout en le laissant néanmoins libre dans la réalisation esthétique. Le caractère « populaire » se transforme en populisme lorsque la simplification cesse de servir la communication de relations complexes et tombe dans la rhétorique réductrice de ceux qui s’adressent à leur public dans le but de défendre leurs propres ambitions de pouvoir. Comment la critique d’art peut-elle participer à l’élaboration d’un espace public diversifié pour une société profondément divisée et ainsi s’assurer un rôle central dans la construction de la société ? Comment peut-elle relever le défi d’aborder avec sensibilité les débats politiques et d’intervenir avec autonomie et confiance lorsque le « politiquement correct » menace de restreindre la liberté artistique et celle de la critique d’art.

L’intervention de la critique d’art dans les débats politico-culturels concernant le « populisme » d’acteurs influents est inévitable afin de se faire entendre et de positionner l’art en tant qu’expression de la société plutôt que comme produit de luxe et bien d’investissement – et ceci en regard de l’évolution de la situation sur le plan international et « devant sa porte ». Quelle influence la critique d’art peut-elle avoir dans les débats sur le néo-nationalisme, le racisme et la discrimination ? Que propose-t-elle dans les débats sur le colonialisme et les appels à la restitution d’œuvres patrimoniales et aux réparations liées à l’histoire coloniale ? Comment s’affirme-t-elle dans le champ de contraintes entre une politique identitaire et la critique de celle-ci ?

Nous observons qu’il n’y a pas qu’en politique que le populisme fait partie du quotidien. Il s’infiltre aussi au sein de la pratique artistique – comme objet de critique artistique, mais aussi comme stratégie. Comment la critique d’art peut-elle trouver des formats qui permettent non seulement un jugement de valeur sur ces formes artistiques, mais encore de focaliser l’attention sur la relation entre l‘art et le contexte politique ?

Comment la critique d’art peut-elle être autonome, alors qu’une grande partie des indépendants vivent dans des conditions précaires et sont obligés d’accepter n’importe quelle commande, c’est un mystère. La nécessité économique de trouver constamment de nouveaux commanditaires pourrait bien être la cause expliquant pourquoi de plus en plus de critiques d’art écrivent sur des thèmes et expositions populaires, voire populistes. Les diverses contributions chercheront à distinguer quelles manifestations populistes sont pertinents pour la critique d’art, pourquoi des lieux d’exposition et certains critiques se présentent de façon « populiste », et quel rôle l’adaptation peu critique à un goût supposé majoritaire joue dans la sphère culturelle.

L’intention du Congrès d’entrer en conversation sur l’art, sa contextualisation et les suites qui en découlent, tout en restant ouvert de pensée et de parole envers soi-même et les autres, sans égards à la censure et à des nécessités d’ordre économique – c’est le sens de ce Congrès dédié aux aspects théoriques de la démocratie, de l’histoire de l’art, des approches journalistiques et artistiques.

Les thèmes suivants seront abordés :

• populisme – notion et historique, en particulier dans le contexte de la critique d’art)

• réactions de la critique d’art face aux tendances populistes en politique (culturelle)

• interaction et conflits entre une approche éthique et esthétique de l‘art et de la critique d’art

• prise de position entre la liberté d’expression et le politiquement correct

• censure, iconoclasme et terreur face aux stratégies d’une culture populiste

• effets du populisme, du néo-nationalisme et de la censure sur la critique d’art

• le populisme comme thème et style de la pratique artistique, défit pour la critique d’art.

Les critiques d’art, artistes et intellectuels, scientifiques et académiciens sont invités à présenter leur proposition pour une contribution de 20 minutes et si possible de la placer dans l’un des thèmes proposés.

Nous vous prions d’envoyer un résumé de 2.000 caractères (maximum) en anglais – avec l’option d’y joindre le texte original en allemand, en français ou en espagnol – une courte biographie incluant en une phrase un énoncé sur la thématique du Congrès (pas plus de 600 caractères en tout) et un portrait photographique avec mention de droit d’auteur s’il y a lieu à Marja-Terttu Kivirinta (mtkivirinta@mac.com) d’ici le 7 avril 2019.

La notification d’acceptation des contributions est prévue pour début mai 2019. Si la proposition est acceptée, les résumés, biographies et le portrait photographique seront publiés en ligne et imprimés dans les documents de présentation du Congrès. Le séjour des intervenants sera pris en charge durant le Congrès.

---

52º Congreso Internacional de la AICA en Alemania
La Crítica de arte en tiempos de populismo y nacionalismos
del 1 al 7 octubre de 2019
Colonia – Berlín
Un proyecto de AICA Alemania en cooperación con la Fundación Cultural Federal

Convocatoria de papel

Las tendencias populistas – sean del color que sean – determinan al paisaje contemporáneo de los medios de comunicación y al campo del arte y la crítica cultural. Las discusiones acerca del retiro de controvertidas obras de arte o la permeabilidad del discurso del arte para con el debate “Me Too” se imponen en la agenda noticiosa. Los criterios de evaluación ética son llevados al plano en el que las y los artistas ejecutan apropiaciones culturales que son provocadoras de manera consciente o aparentemente ingenua. Pero, ¿por dónde y cómo es trazado el límite que separa a esto de la reducción de la libertad de expresión artística? ¿Qué es lo que esta seguidilla de debates – que oscilan entre frentes éticos y estéticos – puede expresarnos acerca de nuestra concepción del arte y sobre la crítica de arte “responsable” políticamente y “adecuada”?

El 52º Congreso Internacional de la AICA se enfoca en las posibilidades de la discusión crítica en torno al arte como forma de expresión que se aloja en lo social y que, sin embargo, es forma de expresión estéticamente libre. La popularidad se vuelve populismo cuando la simplificación deja de servir a la comunicación de relaciones complejas y cae en la retórica reductora de aquellos que se dirigen a su público con el fin de defender sus propias ambiciones de poder. ¿Cómo es que la crítica de arte puede participar en la formación de una esfera pública diferenciada de forma seria y, así, asumir un rol central en los procesos sociales? ¿Cómo puede aceptar el desafío de abordar de manera sensible las cuestiones políticas y, con autonomía y seguridad, cumplir con su función cuando la corrección política amenaza con restringir la libertad del arte y de la crítica de arte?

La intromisión de la crítica en los debates de política cultural en torno a las decisiones “populistas” de actores influyentes parece inevitable para que este sea escuchada y para posicionar al arte como expresión de la sociedad – y mirando a los desarrollos internacionales como también a aquellos que se dan “en casa”.

Más allá de esto: ¿cuál es el poder que la crítica de arte tiene en el debate en torno al neo-nacionalismo, el racismo y la discriminación? ¿Cuál es la vía que propone en el debate sobre el colonialismo y con sus llamados al resarcimiento y la reparación? ¿Cómo puede posicionarse en el punto crítico entre políticas de identidad y la crítica a estas mismas?

Hemos podido observar que el populismo se ha vuelto parte del día a día – no solo en la política, sino también en la práctica artística, pudiendo llegar a ser tanto objeto de crítica por parte del artista y su obra, como también pudiendo ser usado como una estrategia. 

La pregunta en este sentido es: ¿cómo debería reaccionar al respecto la crítica del arte?

Hasta el día de hoy, el dilema es si la crítica puede seguir siendo independiente en momentos en los que una gran parte de los autónomos que trabajan bajo precarias condiciones depende de cada encargo que recibe. La necesidad económica, la búsqueda constante de clientes que paguen son motivos posibles por los cuales muchos críticos escriben con más ahínco acerca de temas y exposiciones que gozan de popularidad o que son llanamente populistas.

Diferentes ponencias intentarán diferenciar cuáles son las manifestaciones del populismo y cuáles son relevantes para la crítica de arte; cómo es que los centros de exposiciones o los críticos se comportan de manera “populista” y cuál es el rol que juega la adaptación poco crítica del ámbito cultural a lo que se supone es un gusto mayoritario.

El tenor del Congreso será el iniciar conversaciones acerca de arte, sus condiciones y consecuencias posibles; al mismo tiempo, poder pensar y hablar de manera abierta para consigo mismo y con los otros. El Congreso se concentra en aproximaciones tanto periodísticas y artísticas como desde la teoría de la democracia y los estudios del arte.

Los siguientes campos temáticos pueden ser abordados:

• Concepto e historia del populismo, en especial en el área cultural

• La crítica de arte como reacción a tendencias populistas en la política (cultural)

• Interacción y conflictos entre aproximaciones éticas y estéticas en el campo del arte y en el de la crítica del arte.

• Punto crítico entre la libre expresión de opinión y la corrección política

• Censura, iconoclasia y terror como estrategias de un populismo cultura

• Efectos del populismo, el neo-nacionalismo y la censura en la práctica de la crítica de arte

• El populismo como tema y estilo de la práctica artística, desafío para la crítica de arte

Las y los críticos de arte, artistas, intelectuales, científicos y académicos están invitados a presentar propuestas de ponencias de 20 minutos y, dentro de lo posible, categorizarla en uno de los campos temáticos mencionados en esta lista.

Por favor envíe su resumen (no más de. 2,000 caracteres) en inglés, así como – opcional y adicionalmente – en alemán, francés o español junto a una biografía breve y un Statement de una oración que se relacione con el tema del Congreso. Incluya a su postulación una foto de retrato con las normas de Copyright correspondientes y envíe su postulación hasta el 7 de abril de 2019 a Marja-Terttu Kivirinta (mtkivirinta@mac.com).

A comienzos de mayo del 2019 se comunicará la resolución de las ponencias aceptadas.

En caso de que la propuesta sea aceptada, los resúmenes y biografías con foto serán usadas en línea y de forma impresa en el marco de la difusión del Congreso.

Se dispondrá de alojamiento para las y los ponentes durante las fechas del Congreso.

---

Also published on AICA Germany website: http://www.aica.de/52nd-international-aica-congress/index.html