Myths of permanence and the ephemeral
SITAC
Fourth International Symposium on Contemporary Art Theory - Mexico
January 20 -22, 2005
Teatro de los Insurgentes
Av. Insurgentes Sur # 1587
Mexico D.F.
T (52 55) 56 11 42 53
Patronato de Arte Contemporaneo AC
T (52 55) 55 53 14 04
info [at] pac.org.mx
www.pac.org.mx
Director
Pablo Helguera
Ponentes / Speakers
Marina Abramovic, Dawn Ades, Alexander Alberro, Tania Bruguera, Roger Buergel, Thierry de Duve, Alison Gingeras, Massimiliano Gioni, Rose Lee Goldberg, Serge Guilbaut, Hans Haacke, Paulo Herkenhoff, Vasif Kortun, Donald Kuspit, Cuauhtemoc Medina, Shirin Neshat, Anri Sala, Robert Storr
Myths of permanence and the ephemeral
The Fourth International Symposium on Contemporary Art Theory (SITAC), entitled Myths of Permanence and the Ephemeral, seeks to provide an analysis and critique about the various ways through which the use of the notion of “history” influences contemporary art practice. The presentations and discussions will focus on three fundamental aspects of the relationship between history and contemporary art, such as the way in which we envision, trace and produce texts about the history of recent art production; the current variables that modify our understanding and assimilation of history (such as a historical self-awareness and the production of ephemeral art); and the way in which history is shaped by economic and political forces that favour certain views about art.
These series of presentations and discussions will seek to trace the paradoxes faced by the art historical practice when it seeks to capture and interpret contemporary art in its permanent flux and fragmentation. The forum will also address the subject of multiple art histories, their endurance as valid narratives, and the ways through which these become the object of revisions.
Our understanding and appreciation of history (be it national, personal, or universal) as artists, curators, critics and art viewing audience, is complex and critical in our process of relating to the art of our time. It is this understanding that informs a wide range of attitudes about art and also influences art policy, economics, social and political thought.
Whereas history may be seen either as a lineal or multi-lineal narrative, and whether it is constructed through descriptions of movements, groups, phases or “isms”, it is impossible to bypass the need of a historical narrative of a certain nature, and to try to escape our own placement within that history. The understanding of the processes through which we make, interpret, remake and reinterpret history is vital to understand the very process of art making and the ongoing construction of our identity as a society.
The forum will include interspersed conversations with prominent artists whose work address some of the issues being discussed.
Thursday, January 20th
10-11 hrs. First conversation: Shirin Neshat with Pablo Helguera
11-14 hrs. History in the Light of Contemporary Art Lecturers:
Serge Guilbaut. Professor of Art History at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver
Donald Kuspit. Art Critic and Historian, USA
Paulo Herkenhoff. Director, Museum of Modern Art, Rio de Janeiro.
14-16 hrs. Lunch
16-18 hrs. From the Media towards History: Zones of Contention Lecturers:
Thierry de Duve. Art historian and theorist of Contemporary Art, University of Lille
Cuauhtemoc Medina. Associate Curator for Latin American Art, Tate Collections, U.K. Scholar. IIE. UNAM. Mexico
Friday, January 21st
11-13 hrs. History and Artists: from Challenge to Assimilation Lecturers:
Alex Alberro. Associate Professor of Art History at the University of Florida, USA.
Roger Buergel. Director of Documenta XII, Kassel
Alison Gingeras. Independent Curator and Critic based in Paris and New York
13-14 hrs. Second conversation: Hans Haacke with Pablo Helguera
14-16 hrs. Lunch
16-18 hrs. History vs. Histories (part 1: Contested Terrain’s) Lecturers:
Dawn Ades. Professor of Art History and Theory, University of Essex, UK.
Tania Bruguera. Artist, Cuba.
Massimiliano Gioni. Artistic Director,
Nicola Trussardi Foundation, Milan
Saturday, January 22nd
11-12 hrs. Third conversation: Marina Abramovic with RoseLee Goldberg
12-15 hrs. History vs. Histories (part 2: art history and politics) Lecturers:
Robert Storr. Artist and Independent Curator, USA
Vasif Kortun. Director, Platform Garanti Contemporary Art Center, Istanbul
Anri Sala. Artist, Albania.
