The Autumn School of Curating invites the public to attend a series of open talks and debates delivered by the speakers on the following topics: «NEW NOW» concept, curatorship, state of the contemporary arts and more fascinating subjects. The public sessions will be live-streamed and accessible on our Facebook Event page.
Organised by Art Encounters Foundation together with Cluj Cultural Centre, the Autumn School of Curating aims to give young artists and curators access to an international platform for dialogue, knowledge exchange and learning. Apart from the public talks, the «NEW NOW» Autumn School of Curating is an engaging ten-day online seminar led by curator Adrian Notz, aiming to give young curators access to an international platform for dialogue, knowledge exchange and learning. Participants from all over the world were selected as result of an international open call.
Schedule of the Public Talks
Friday, 20 November
12:50 – 13:00 Introduction by Art Encounters Foundation and Cluj Cultural Centre
13:00 – 14:10 Adrian Notz – «NEW NOW»
14:30 – 15:40 Heba Y Amin – Female Subjectivities and Technological Dystopias
16:00 – 17:10 Carlos Amorales – The Happy Uselessness of the Artist
17:30 – 18:40 Zheng Bo – Dao is in Weeds
18:40 – Closing session by Art Encounters Foundation, Cluj Cultural Centre and Adrian Notz
Saturday, 21 November
12:50 – 13:00 Introduction by Art Encounters Foundation and Cluj Cultural Centre
13:00 – 14:10 Ibrahim Nehme – The Possibility of Possibility
14:30 – 15:40 Joanna Warsza – You will never walk alone. A curatorial presentation by Joanna Warsza in the form of a stroll.
16:00 – 17:10 Tara Lasrado – Landscapes of (un)learning – on ecology, care and community
17:10 – Closing session by Art Encounters Foundation, Cluj Cultural Centre and Adrian Notz
Tuesday, 30 November
18:00 – 20:00 Public presentation and conclusions of The Autumn School of Curating 2nd edition «NEW NOW»
Guest speakers at the NEW NOW Autumn School of Curating
Adrian Notz (CH) – course leader
Talk topic: «NEW NOW»
Talk Summary: Adrian Notz will introduce his approach and idea of the «NEW NOW». Inspired by Dada and the avant-garde and their «End of History» a century ago he will be talking about our «End of Future» today and how this might lead into a «NEW NOW», that is crystalizing in the current situation even more and that hopefully might be similar to the visionary «New Art» the avant-gardists were searching for. Only, that our visions are not directed to a yet to come future, but to the now.
Carlos Amorales (MX)
Talk topic: The Happy Uselessness of the Artist
Talk Summary: At the beginning of this year, Carlos Amorales was invited to participate in a contemporary art biennial in Michoacán. Autonomous communities in that region and artists engaged in these communities gave his idea of the role of an artist and art a new perspective, which was very inspiring during the pandemic lockdown and beyond. How the project for the biennial changed and developed, and what kind of imaginary strolls he took, will be presented and discussed with Adrian Notz and the participants of the Autumn School of Curating.
Zheng Bo (CN)
Talk topic: Dao is in Weeds
Talk Summary: I will discuss, through my recent art practice, how I understand our contemporary crises, and how as an artist, I have been working with plants — weeds in Shanghai, ferns in Taipei, and orchids in Krabi — to cultivate ecological wisdom beyond the Anthropo-extinction event. Art can no longer be defined as anthropocentric creation. It needs to be seen as our collaboration with ten thousand happening.
Tara Lasrado (AU/ IN/ CH)
Talk topic: Landscapes of (un)learning – on ecology, care and community
Talk Summary: We are on the cusp of a global environmental movement. Tara Lasrado brings together artists, scientists, restoration specialists and local communities, cultivating new conditions and opportunities for transdisciplinary exchange. ecologyx supports new conversations, practices (un)learning; and co-creates «glocal» awareness and action that address one of the major challenges facing our planet and our society – the degradation of natural ecosystems. Tara will share her latest projects, practice and thinking across various sites in Switzerland, India and Bangladesh.
Ibrahim Nehme (LB)
Talk topic: The Possibility of Possibility
Talk Summary: Ibrahim Nehme will discuss, through his recent practice, the role of radical imagination in movements of resistance, and the impact of new memes on popular culture and politics..
Heba Y Amin (AE)
Talk topic: Female Subjectivities and Technological Dystopias
Talk Summary: Invested in the power of technology to generate a new future for humankind, OPERATION SUNKEN SEA initiates a large-scale infrastructural intervention which takes a proactive stance towards the reparation of Africa and the Middle East by relocating the Mediterranean Sea within the African continent. Referencing and expanding upon early twentieth century techno-utopian visions, OPERATION SUNKEN SEA is an ongoing research project and intervention by Heba Y. Amin that investigates significant transformations in territorial constructs and their impact on new geopolitical alliances and global politics. This presentation addresses how we got here.
Read more about each speaker here.
Organisers: Art Encounters Foundation and Cluj Cultural Centre, through the program ECCA (The European Centre for Contemporary Art)
Co-financers: Timișoara City Hall, Timișoara House of Culture
Action co-financed by Timiș County Council
With the kind support of Cluj-Napoca City Hall, Cluj-Napoca City Council and Cluj County Council
Partner: Banca Transilvania