3.06.2022
Contested Histories, Shared Futures
To be able to think about the future, one must know the past, so the conventional wisdom goes. Narratives about the past, however, have become increasingly controversial. The reasons for this are manifold, as are the ways in which this contestation is articulated. Whether it is monuments in public spaces, the renaming or redesigning of art institutions, or even national history, the discourse around past and future narratives is omnipresent. Ultimately, the debate can lead to geopolitical conflicts. But it can also help shape new, shared perspectives.
The third conference of the European Alliance of Academies „Contested Histories, Shared Futures“ invites the European public to Amsterdam. Using examples from across Europe, practioners and artists explore the potential of this debate for dealing with the future challenges of European societies.
With Bruno Alves de Almeida, Liesbeth Bik, Vasyl Cherepanyn, Charles Esche, RAAAF, Andreja Kulunčić, Jeanine Meerapfel, Amina Menia, Joanna Rajkowska, Wendelien van Oldenborgh, Fernando Sánchez Castillo, Paul Spies et al.
Internal working group sessions and discussions will be led by Nele Hertling (Akademie der Künste), Holk Freytag (Sächsische Akademie der Künste) and Valerio Rocco Lozano (Cículo de Bellas Artes).
Programme
Tuesday, 28 June, 4 – 8 pm
Welcome: Liesbeth Bik, visual artist and Chair Akademie van Kunsten, Amsterdam and Jeanine Meerapfel, filmmaker and President Akademie der Künste, Berlin
Panel 1: “Contested institutions: Making the Past Productive”
Over the past few years, cultural institutions have, partly under the influence of public opinion and partly out of own desire, started to critically assess their own histories. Sometimes this concerns a location or a building, but at other times this focuses on the collection or even the name of an institution. This panel discussion will explore ways from museum practice that try to make history productive.
with Charles Esche, Director Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven
Wendelien van Oldenborgh, visual artist and member Akademie van Kunsten, Amsterdam
Paul Spies, Director Stadtmuseum Berlin and chief curator Federal State of Berlin at the Humboldt Forum
Moderation: Bruno Alves de Almeida, curator and architect
6:15 pm
Panel 2: “Contested Monuments: How to Deal with Controversial Monuments in Public Spaces?”
Debates on a controversial past do no only take place around cultural institutions, monuments in public space can lead to lively debate as well. Sometimes this leads to a statue being taken down, sometimes a counter monument is put into place, and sometimes this leads to entirely new interventions. The artists on this panel will present examples of how they in their practice deal with controversial monuments in public space.
with Andreja Kulunčić, visual artist (Croatia)
Amina Menia, visual artist (Algeria)
Joanna Rajkowska, visual artist (Poland)
RAAAF experimental studio operating at the crossroads of visual art, architecture and academic philosophy (Netherlands)
Fernando Sánchez Castillo, visual Artist(Spain)
Moderation: Bruno Alves de Almeida, curator and architect
Wednesday, 29 June, 2 – 3:30 pm
Lecture and Talk: “The War in Ukraine and the Future of European Memory”
In the first place, the war in Urkaine forms a deep tragedy for the citizens of this European nation. Not only are numerous people being killed or wounded, and buildings being demolished, memory and the future of commemoration in Europe is at stake as well. Statues and cultural objects are being wrapped up in order to protect them from devastation. Other monuments are being removed as they refer to a past that one no longer wants to see as shared. New forms of commemoration will eventually take shape. In this final lecture, the speaker will shed light on the current situation in Ukraine and its relevance for the future of European Memory.
with Vasyl Cherepanyn, Director Visual Culture Research Center, Kyiv
Moderation: Maria Hlavajova, General and Artistic Director of BAK, Utrecht
The public programme is streamed live from the Trippenhuis Amsterdam.
An event of the European Alliance of Academies, organised by the Akademie der Künste and the Akademie van Kunsten (KNAW). Funded by the German Federal Agency for Civic Education (bpb)
For the livestream and greeting of the president please see here