Curator´s Text /
MeetFactory Gallery / Universal Hospitality 2
Opening:
3 March 2017, at 6pm in Center For Contemporary Art Futura, at 8:30pm in
MeetFactory Gallery within Public House eventExhibition
duration: 3 March 2017 – 28 May 2017
Artists:
Tomáš Rafa, Pavel Sterec, Michal Moravčík, Csaba Nemes, Lörinc Borsos, Gülsün
Karamustafa, Anca Benera / Arnold Estefan, Selda Asal, Dante Buu, Ferenc Gróf,
Yevgeniy Fiks, Damian Le Bas, András Cséfalvay, Société Réaliste, Oliver
Ressler, Victor López Gonzáles, G.R.A.M., Halil Altindere, Rafani, Marina
Naprushkina, Hito Steyerl, Martin Krenn, Núria Güell, Artur Zmijewski, Szabolcs
KissPál The
joint exhibition in MeetFactory and Futura Gallery is an updated version of
Universal Hospitality curated within
the framework of Wiener Festwochen, 2016. The Vienna show focused on migration
in accordance with the political situation of the time. The Prague exhibitions,
just a year later, are facing a much more devastated landscape of political
turmoil after Brexit, the Turkish coup and its retaliation, and are witnessing
populism becoming mainstream even in affluent countries. The European Union is
crumbling; threatened by Brexit, by the agendas of far-right parties and by
Eastern European nationalisms and corruption. As a result, dismantling of
democracy, authoritarianism and state control are emerging in different
countries on both sides of the Atlantic.
The
title of the exhibition refers to the humanistic ideas of enlightenment and the
Kantian idea of cosmopolitanism. The exhibitions address the inherent paradox
of being hospitable within the framework of the nation-state, while also trying
to keep alive the need, even if only symbolically, for ‘absolute hospitality’¾ with
Derrida’s words ¾ in order to foresee a better
solution for living together with a ‘stranger.’ While Derrida directs the
attention to the shared etymology of the word with its opposite, hostility, he confronts us with the
reality of existing hospitality; limited and mastered by the institutions of border
patrolling, policing and the administrative control over exclusion and
inclusion.
The
exhibitions aim to stimulate the deeper understanding of the elements
behind the present proceedings, offering a sort of visual analysis of the
complex social processes of our turbulent times. They focus on Europe,
especially East-Central Europe, and partly on the Middle East; Syria and Turkey
(Oliver Ressler, G.R.A.M., Halil Altindere) with an outlook on the global scope of the issues
at hand (Anca Benera and Arnold Estefan).
Artists address the topics from diverse positions; they provide ironic or
playful criticism, but also offer altered perspectives, and insights.
Invisible
structures beyond the confines of nation states are revealed and scrutinized (Oliver Ressler), as well as global
capitalism with its latent surveillance and controlling system (Núria Güell). The influence of the
global economy on local communities (Victor
López
Gonzáles) is also evoked. Borders are crossed, and
closed, throughout the continent. Old and new democracies are relying on the
fear and insecurity of their population, while huge masses of people are
condemned to statelessness¾ a status which
can’t be earned by choice (Núria Güell).
The personal stories of the people who are forced to leave their countries are
also evoked (Halil Altindere).
Empowering those who are deprived of their basic rights is demonstrated by
collaborative art projects (Marina
Naprushkina). The clashes, violent conflicts, and demonstrations are
chronicled by artists from different angles than what is presented by the
sensationalized and alienated media coverage while the mechanisms of the media
are also scrutinized (Rafani).
Strategies of resistance show old and new ways out of the repressive and vastly
inhumane scenarios (Hito Steyerl, Martin Krenn). Some artworks go back in
time to research the historical roots of the current phenomenon in order to
work through the traumatic past, rehabilitating the memory of those groups who
were not offered redemption in the past (Artur
Żmijewski).
Szabolcs KissPál
in his fictive museum within the walls of Kostka
Gallery investigates the process of the rise of fascism worldwide through
its Hungarian trajectory spanning from recent signs back to their historical
roots.
A performance, playing the Universal Anthem, the
‘average national anthem’ of the 193 member states of the United Nations
compiled by Société Réaliste, opened the MeetFactory exhibition.
The
exhibition continues in Futura Gallery.
Edit
András
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Open daily
from 1pm – 8pm (depends on the evening program), free entrance
Contact and more information: Šárka Maroušková → PR Manager → +420 723 706 249sarka.marouskova@meetfactory.cz
MeetFactory is supported in 2017 by a grant from the City of
Prague amounting to 10.000.000 CZK.
CT_Universal Hospitality 2_final.pdf