To view a video, please click one of the links below.
2008
Former West
Prompted by the need for reflection surrounding the twentieth anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall in 2009, the project explores two historical—however unfinished or even contested—chapters in art, culture, and society: one examining developments from 9 November 1989 to 11 September 2001, and the other speculating on the developments in the aftermath of this period through to today.
The project consists of a long-term international research project in collaboration with multidisciplinary national and international partners, including the Centre for the Humanities (CFH) at Utrecht University. The lectures found below are part of this collaboration and provide an important basis for our research. For more information on the project, please click here.
Etienne Balibar: European Citizenship: Democracy or Nothing
15.09.2008, 17.15 hrs
This lecture develops Prof. Balibar’s central theses on the “Idea of Europe,” and argues that the project to create a “post-national” Europe can only be considered feasible if it offers a democratic perspective by going beyond the “national democracies.” The lecture explores the issues and challenges involved in this project in the context of the current crisis of democracy in many countries, including the Netherlands.
Introduction by Prof. Dr. Rosi Braidotti, director, Centre for the Humanities – 4 min.
Etienne Balibar, philosopher, social theorist, Paris – 62 min.
Discussion – 40 min.
AICA Award 2004–2006
03.02.08, 15.00 hrs
On Sunday 3 February 2008, BAK, basis voor actuele kunst received the AICA Award 2004–2006 from AICA the Netherlands (International Association of Art Critics). The presentation of the award was followed by a lecture entitled “Taking Part” by Irit Rogoff, Professor of Visual Cultures at Goldsmiths College, University of London. For more information, click here.
Welcome by Maria Hlavajova, artistic director of BAK – 12 min.
Presentation of the AICA Award, Janneke Wesseling, president of AICA the Netherlands, Amsterdam – 9 min.
Appreciation speech, Marga van Mechelen, art historian and member of AICA the Netherlands, Arnhem – 17 min.
Irit Rogoff, art historian and theorist, London – 61 min.
Postsecularism Lecture Series
The academic year-long lecture series on postsecularism is a collaboration with the Faculty of Humanities at Utrecht University, marking part of the research trajectory of Concerning the Post-Secular, a long-term, multifaceted project at BAK.
The lecture series aims at investigating the “post-secular” as a central aspect of our current historical condition and the mutual engagements of secularism and religious discourses especially in contemporary Europe. It maps the intersections of the “post-secular” with social and political theory as well as cultural and artistic practices and movements with special emphasis on issues of political theory, Islam in Europe, ethics, human rights, feminist practices, contemporary art, and the European tradition of liberal humanism. For more information about this project, please click here.
On Secularism and Europe
14.11.2007, 14.00 hrs
Speaker: Simon Glendinning
Unfortunately footage of this lecture is not available.
On Religion and Feminism I
18.12.2007, 14.00 hrs
Speakers: Anne-Marie Korte and Ada Rapoport
Unfortunately footage of this lecture is not available.
On Religion and Feminism II
22.01.2008, 14.00 hrs
Introduction by Rosi Braidotti, philosopher, Utrecht – 1 min.
Chia Longman, Postdoctoral Fellow, Ghent – 30 min.
Sarah Bracke, Marie Curie Research Fellow, Utrecht – 51 min.
Questions – 16 min.
Discussion – 61 min.
On Islam in Europe
19.02.2008, 14.00 hrs
Nasr Abu Zayd, Professor Humanism and Islam, Utrecht – 55 min.
Discussion – 87 min.
On Secularism and Feminism
06.03.2008, 14.00 hrs
Introduction by Sarah Bracke, Marie Curie Research Fellow, Utrecht – 5 min.
Judith Butler, philosopher, Berkeley – 63 min.
Rosi Braidotti, philosopher, Utrecht – 46 min.
Discussion – 56 min.
2007
Citizens and Subjects: Practices and Debates
Citizens and Subjects: Practices and Debates is part of the Dutch contribution to the 52nd International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, 2007. Taking the work Citizens and Subjects by Aernout Mik as its point of departure, Practices and Debates is a series of lectures, seminars, conversations and a master course envisioned as an extension of the Dutch Pavilion ‘back’ to the Netherlands and to other sites of ‘practices’ and ‘debates’ invested in the urgent task of contributing to a new imaginary about the world.
The lecture series is developed by BAK, basis voor actuele kunst in collaboration with Utrecht University and its Studium Generale. For more information about this project, please click here.
Citizens and Subjects
Kathrin Rhomberg, curator, Vienna – 36 min.
The Temperature of the Netherlands
22.11.2007, 20.00 hrs
23.11.2007, 12.30 hrs
29.11.2007, 20.00 hrs
29.05.2007, 20.00 hrs
Sopawan Boonnimitra, artist and guest of the Research-in-Residence program (RIR), presents her research and work in progress on the construction of immigrant identity in the Netherlands. Following the presentation, art theorist and art historian Sarat Maharaj engages in conversation with the artist and audience.
Introduction by Maria Hlavajova – 6 min.
Sopawan Boonnimitra, artist, Bangkok – 46 min.
Sarat Maharaj, art theorist and art historian, London – 35 min.
Discussion – 45 min.
Roman Ondák – Lecture by Jessica Morgan
19.04.2007, 20.00 hrs
Jessica Morgan, curator of Tate Modern, London, gives a lecture on the work of Roman Ondák.
For more information about this project, please click here.
Introduction by Binna Choi – 1 min.
Jessica Morgan, curator, London – 40 min.
Discussion – 17 min.
Althea Thauberger – Artist’s talk
06.02.2007, 20.00 hrs
A conversation between Althea Thauberger, Fergal Gaynor, and Victoria Scott around the issues raised in her works including the notion of community, “unkillability,” and vulnerability, and the definition of collaboration, performativity, and theatricality. Moderated by Maria Hlavajova. For more information about this project, please click here.
Introduction and screening by Maria Hlavajova – 10 min.
Victoria Scott, art historian, Vancouver/New York – 32 min.
Fergal Gaynor, art critic and poet, Cork – 31 min.
Discussion – 36 min.
2006
Concerning “Knowledge Production”
(Practices in Contemporary Art)
A multifaceted project consisting of research, discussions, publications, a series of lectures and dialogues by and with artists, curators, and scholars, as well as a series of public readings, screenings, and presentations that evolve around current articulations of the notion "producing knowledge" in contemporary art practices. Developed by Binna Choi, Maria Hlavajova, and Jill Winder. For more information about this project, please click here.
Processing "Knowledge Production" in Art
25.11.2006, 16.00 hrs
Introduction by Maria Hlavajova and Jill Winder – 6 min.
Simon Sheikh, art critic and curator, Berlin/Kopenhagen – 48 min.
Clementine Deliss, curator and writer, Edinburgh – 56 min.
Vincent Meessen, artist, Brussels – 39 min.
Discussion – 38 min.
Inter-discipline or Non-discipline?
02.12.2006, 16.00 hrs
Introduction by Maria Hlavajova and Jill Winder – 9 min.
Lonnie van Brummelen, artist, Amsterdam – 26 min.
Bruno Latour, philosopher, sociologist, curator, Paris – 32 min.
Mariana Castillo Deball, artist, Amsterdam/Berlin/Mexico City – 31 min.
Discussion – 35 min.
Anne van der Zwaag, art historian, Utrecht – 72 min.
Unclaimed Knowledge
09.12.2006, 16.00 hrs
Introduction by Maria Hlavajova and Jill Winder – 9 min.
Eva Meyer, philosopher, Berlin – 21 min.
Eran Schaerf, artist, Berlin – 24 min.
Sven Lütticken, art critic and art historian, Amsterdam – 30 min.
Discussion – 41 min.
Introduction – 1 min.
Screening of video of performance by Ivana Müller, artist and choreographer – 60 min.
Performance Claire Harvey, artist, Amsterdam – 28 min.
Artists as (Public) Intellectuals
16.12.2006, 16.00 hrs
Introduction by Maria Hlavajova and Jill Winder – 5 min.
Thierry de Duve, art theoretician, Brussels – 55 min.
Discussion – 49 min.
Aernout Mik: Raw Footage/Scapegoats
31.10.2006, 20.00 hrs
Ralph Rugoff, curator, writer, and director of the Hayward Gallery in London gives a lecture on the work of Aernout Mik. Moderated by Maria Hlavajova. For more information about this project, please click here.
Introduction by Maria Hlavajova and Danila Cahen - 5 min.
Ralph Rugoff, curator and writer, London - 38 min.
Discussion - 37 min.
Concerning War: A Critical Reader
10.09.2006, 16.00 hrs
Martha Rosler gives a lecture on the occasion of the book launch of Concerning War: A Critical Reader. Martha Rosler is an eminent artist, critic, writer, and activist who has dealt extensively with crucial issues such as global conflict, the manipulations of mass media, gender, and democratic action. Moderated by Maria Hlavajova. For more information about this project, please click here.
Introduction by Maria Hlavajova - 6 min.
Martha Rosler, artist, critic, writer and activist, New York - 89 min.
Discussion - 38 min.
Haegue Yang: Unevenly
For more information about this project, please click here.
The Measure of Community
23.05.2006, 19.00 hrs
Lectures and discussions on the notion of community with Nina Möntmann; Marcus Verhagen; and Haegue Yang. Introduced by Binna Choi and moderated by Jeremiah Day.
Introduction by Binna Choi - 4 min.
Nina Möntmann, curator and art historian, Hamburg - 36 min.
Marcus Verhagen, art critic and art historian, London - 27 min.
Haegue Yang, artist, Frankfurt am Main, Berlin, and Seoul - 39 min.
Discussion - 74 min.
Opening of the exhibition Unevenly
22.04.2006, 20.00 hrs
Byungjun Kwon & Yamila Rios, musicians - 15 min.
David Michael DiGregorio, artist and musician - 3 min.
Sung Hwan Kim, artist - 11 min.
David Michael DiGregorio & Byungjun Kwon, artists - 20 min.
Lecture by Haegue Yang
14.02.2006
Introduction by Maria Hlavajova - 1 min.
Haegue Yang (part 1), artist, Berlin - 58 min.
Haegue Yang (part 2), artist, Berlin - 29 min.
Discussion - 19 min.
Adrian Paci
14.03.2006, 20.00 hrs
A conversation with artists Adrian Paci, Anri Sala and Sislej Xhafa. Moderated by Danila Cahen.
For more information about this project, please click here.
Introduction by Danila Cahen - 4 min.
Sislej Xhafa, artist, New York/Italy - 42 min.
Anri Sala, artist, Berlin/Paris - 36 min.
Adrian Paci, artist, Milano - 17 min.
Discussion - 42 min.
World Question Center (Reloaded)
08.01.2006, 16.00 hrs
The presentation of the publication World Question Center (Reloaded) with excerpts of the performance curated by Jens Hoffmann and realized by BAK at the end of 2003. On the occasion of the book launch, a discussion takes place with Jens Hoffmann, curator of the project and head of exhibitions at Institute of Contemporary Arts in London and the artists Ulay and Tino Sehgal. Moderated by Maria Hlavajova. For more information about this project, please click here.
Introduction by Maria Hlavajova - 12 min.
Jens Hoffmann, curator, London - 28 min.
Ulay, artist, Amsterdam - 37 min.
Tino Sehgal, artist, Berlin - 19 min.
Discussion - 24 min.
2005
Concerning War – Undercurrents
A series of talks on the underlying forces behind the current state of warfare, including how we define “war”, the impact of the media and its manipulations, and what role critical artistic and intellectual practices may play in addressing these issues, by artists and theorists. Developed by Danila Cahen, Binna Choi, and Maria Hlavajova.
For more information about this project, please click here.
On Documenting (truth and politics)
12.11.2005, 16.00 hrs
Renzo Martens, artist, Brussels - 38 min.
Hito Steyerl, filmmaker and writer, Berlin - 43 min.
Boris Buden, writer and cultural theorist, Berlin/Vienna - 35 min.
Discussion - 28 min.
On Crisis (emergency and new heroism)
19.11.2005, 16.00 hrs
Introduction by Maria Hlavajova - 2 min.
Klub Zwei, artists collective, Vienna - 57 min.
Jan Verwoert, art critic and writer, Berlin - 43 min.
Performance by Jeremiah Day, artist, Amsterdam - 10 min.
Discussion - 54 min.
On Fear (war machine and threat)
26.11.2005, 16.00 hrs
Introduction by Maria Hlavajova - 3 min.
Henk Oosterling, philosopher, Rotterdam - 34 min.
Kendell Geers, artist, Brussels - 34 min.
Pavel Büchler, artist, Manchester - 50 min.
Discussion - 58 min.
On Rhetoric (language and new warfare)
03.12.2005, 16.00 hrs
Introduction by Maria Hlavajova - 4min.
Bregje van Eekelen, cultural theorist and editor, Amsterdam - 28min.
Ayreen Anastas, artist, New York - 38min.
Rene Gabri, artist, New York - 71min.
Discussion - 49min.
On Mutation (post-Cold War and new order)
10.12.2005, 16.00 hrs
Introduction by Maria Hlavajova - 6 min.
Young-Hae Chang Heavy Industries, artists collective, Seoul - 50 min.
Sean Snyder, artist, Berlin - 74 min.
Viktor Misiano, art critic and curator, Moscow - 57 min.
Discussion - 35 min.
On Imagining (options and strategies of resistance)
17.12.2005, 16.00 hrs
Introduction by Maria Hlavajova - 7 min.
Benda Hofmeyr, philosopher, Rotterdam - 29 min.
Lars Bang Larsen, curator and art critic, Copenhagen - 34 min.
Zoran Terzic, philosopher and art critic, Berlin - 40 min.
Sagi Groner, artist, Amsterdam - 29 min.
Discussion - 44 min.