After the collapse of the Soviet block, communism as idea, image or problem has been regarded as "outmoded, absurd, deplorable or criminal, depending on the case". Today, it is often presented by the mainstream media as a parenthesis of history, an aberration of the 20th century, as "a completely forgotten word, only to be identified with a lost experience". Although the communist hypotheses of previous eras may no longer be valid, their histories, narratives and key notions have never ceased to spark attention and inform recent discussions such as the communal versus the common, and material versus immaterial property, to name just a few. Perceived from a greater distance today, communism has re-emerged as a topic for investigation in artistic and exhibition production, that reflects it in diverse ways, addressing the relevance of the term today or inviting provocative comparisons with the present.

This seminar aims at presenting various works that recast ideas related to communism and revisit it as a complex and diverse arena of political and aesthetic attitudes, which varied between nations, communities and historical periods. By no means does the seminar intends to take a nostalgic tour through the past decades, but rather seeks to address the topic through concrete art and exhibition projects realized recently. All of them are trying to deconstruct the idea of monolith, still very present in today's reception, and to recuperate various episodes, stories and notably, the "communist apocrypha" - texts, music, visual production - which have never been part of the established ideological canon, and whose intellectual patterns shed new light on what the contemporary uses of the notion of communism might be. Instead of treating communism as pure political abstraction, the projects presented by the seminar deal with concepts, events and/or particular personalities related to communism and its history which have survived the Bildersturm of the recent past and can be artistically reactivated.

The language of the conference is English. Admission is free.

Since there are only a limited number of seats, it is strongly recommended to book seats from: http://brussels.thepublicschool.org/

This event is organized by Komplot in residency at Nadine

http://www.nadine.be

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Wednesday 10 February 2010, 19:30

Nadine, 80 rue Gallaitstraat, 1030 Brussels

'The Art-Jackpot?'

Strategies of Meaning-Production and Staging the Self in the Art World

Berlin based art critic Barbara Buchmaier and artist Christine Woditschka invite you to a dinner where they will discuss their current working situation and talk about scenarios and attitudes being confronted with the rules and anti-rules of the art system.

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'Y-The Black Issue'

Exhibition until 14th March, 2010

Ystads konstmuseum, Sweden

The exhibition Y is a decor, a mise-en-scène for action whilst the publication Y is a script for a project motivated by the desire to combat the darkness and cold. For the exhibition, which takes place in the context of a small seaside city, deserted in the winter by tourists, the artists will assemble material to create a large scale installation. The workshop is their modus operandi and the audience are invited to continue it after their departure. The publication Y is conceived as a collectively created artists book, a black and white reader in which the contributions overlap to mirror its process of creation. In pocket book form, it highlights the relationship between the curators, artists and designers through the gathering of fragments of conversations, poetry and images about SAD (seasonal affective disorder), melancholy, northern lights, weather, countryside, second residencies...

A project curated by Sonia Dermience In residency at Far Away So Close

www.farawaysoclose.se

With Patrik Aarnivaara, All The Way To Paris, Félicia Atkinson, Fabienne Audéoud & France Valliccioni & John Russell, Constance Barrère Dangleterre, Anne Bossuroy, Jean-Daniel Bourgeois, Matthew Burbidge, Ellen Cantor, Isabelle Cornaro, Jonathan Dewinter, Thibaut Espiau, David Evrard, Sofie Haesaerts & Colombe Marcasiano, Jean-Paul Jacquet & Loic Vanderstichelen, Kosten Koper, Lang/Baumann, Erwan Mahéo, Gérard Meurant, Karl Larsson, Jonas Locht, Jaro Straub, Charlotte Walentin

www.konstmuseet.ystad.se

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www.kmplt.be