Migracije kot humanistični in umetniški izziv / Migrations as a Humanistic and Artistic Challenge
Srečanje ekspertne komisije in konferenca / meeting of the Expert Commission and conference
17. 11. 2016
ACE KIBLA / KIBLA PORTAL, Valvasorjeva ulica 40, Maribor

The international conference Risk Change “Migrations as a Humanistic and Artistic Challenge” attended by the following internationally acclaimed curators from the field of contemporary art, who will present their authorial contributions:
– Barnabas Bencsik, independent curator (HU),
– Ghislaine Boddington, creative director, reader, University of Greenwich, London (UK),
– Henriette Horny, independent curator and art critic (AT),
– Sanja Kojić, curator and director of the Museum of Contemporary Art Vojvodina (RS),
– Peter Tomaž Dobrila, producer, writer, and curator (SI),
– Sabina Salamon, curator at the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Rijeka (HR) and
– Rasa Smite , co-founder of E-LAB/RIXC, curator, editor and researcher, Riga (LT).

The term migration has, sometime around the turn of the millennium, lost its positive connotation in the sense of implying opportunities and the freedom of movement, of traveling from one point to another, or changing one environment for another. Today, the idea of migration is linked exclusively to the discourse of master, who, in the name of the weak, defines not only the possibilities, but also the right to free movement and actions. Delimiting open spaces with barbed wire introduces an intriguing aspect to the sphere of humanistic discussion, namely the one about the categorical imperative: act as if the maxim of your action were to become through your will a universal law of nature. The European humanistic spirit is thus facing a severe test: to follow Kant’s maxim of freedom as the general one, or to represent it as the maxim “of the free” – which is, however, hypocritical and selfish.

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Report from the conference:

Speakers from the Expert Consortium Risk Change:

  • Barnabas Bencik / independent curator, Budapest, Hungary
  • Ghislaine Boddington / creative director body>data>space, reader at the
    University of Greenwich, London, United Kingdom
  • Henriette Horny / independent curator, art critic, Vienna, Austria
  • Sanja Kojič / curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art
    Vojvodina, Novi Sad, Serbia
  • Sabina Salamon / curator at the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art,
    Rijeka, Croatia
  • Rasa Smite / co-founder of E-LAB/RIXC, curator, editor and researcher,
    RIXC – Center for New Media Culture, Riga, Latvia

The EC members’ goal is to choose 10 best artworks and 5 best approaches
to informal education in the field of contemporary art and the final two
best for The White Aphroid Award.

Time table of the meeting and a conference:

Wednesday, 16.11.2016

  • 13:00 – 17.00 Maribor locations
    A guided tour of the exhibition at MMC KIBLA, MFRU locations (guided by a
    selector and a curator Miha Horvat) + ARTKIT, KIBLA PORTAL Maribor, guided
    by curators and selectors Nina Jeza, Peter Tomaz Dobrila and Peter Lubej
  • 17:00 – 19:30 KIBLA PORTAL
    Overview of recordings of the performances, AV events, art installations,
    and workshop presentations.

Thursday, 17.11.2016

  • 9:00 – 13:00 MMC KIBLA
    Final selection of the six members of the jury (individual) with short
    explanations to support each nomination (10 best artworks and 5 best
    approaches to non-formal education in the field of contemporary art) /
    arguments should be recorded in writing or audio / final discussion with
    the aim to select 2 winners
  • 17:00 – 20:00 KIBLA PORTAL
    Migration as Humanistic and Artistic Challenge – a conference
    an active contribution to the conference on members’ behalf, in the form
    of a short lecture /10 min/ and active participation in the debate
    (related to the wider issue of migrations).

Friday, 18.11.2016

  • 19:00 KIBLA PORTAL
    Finalists and winners will be announced at the White Aphroid Award
    Ceremony, which will take place at KIBLA PORTAL, where two White Aphroid
    sculptures will be presented to the winners by one of the members of the
    expert board. The financial value of the prize in both categories is 1.500
    euros. International artists may be unable to join us on such short
    notice. One of the options is to communicate with them via Skype.