Matter of Art Biennale Symposium Explores Institutional Unlearning and Feminist Instituting in Prague
The 'Who are we talking with? What can institutions (un)learn from artists?' symposium of the Matter of Art Biennale took place in Prague from May 17-18, 2019, under the direction of Tereza Stejskalová and Vít Havránek. It aimed to rethink art institutions through critical self-reflection and promote sustainable, community-oriented models. Topics discussed included feminist institutional practices and utopian visions, featuring contributions from artists such as Dmitry Vilensky and Lucy Lopez. The forthcoming Matter of Art Biennale, set to launch in 2020 at Prague City Gallery, will focus on the pre-1989 era, showcasing artists like Eva Kotátková and Lada Gažiová. The symposium highlighted the need for institutional critique and actionable strategies to foster sustainable art frameworks that prioritize social and ecological aspects.
Key facts
- The Matter of Art Biennale Symposium occurred in Prague on May 17-18, 2019.
- Organizers Tereza Stejskalová and Vít Havránek have worked with Tranzit Czech branch for over a decade.
- The forthcoming Matter of Art Biennale exhibition opens in 2020 at Prague City Gallery and abandoned brutalist buildings.
- Invited artists include Institute of Anxiety (Eva Kotátková and Barbora Kleinhamplová), Lada Gažiová, Tuan Mami, Sung Tieu, and Volodymyr Kuznetsov.
- The symposium explored institutional models: feminist, community-based, archive-based, and utopian instituting.
- Central and Eastern European biennales like Biennale Warszawa, Off Budapest Biennale, and Kiev Biennale were discussed as forms of institutional critique.
- Lucy Lopez presented feminist instituting principles based on care, transparency, and anti-patriarchal structures.
- The Matter of Art Biennale aims to operate beyond neoliberal paradigms and implement sustainable, ethical practices.
Entities
Artists
- Karolina Majewska-Güde
- Vít Havránek
- Tereza Stejskalová
- Eva Kotátková
- Barbora Kleinhamplová
- Lada Gažiová
- Tuan Mami
- Sung Tieu
- Volodymyr Kuznetsov
- Dmitry Vilensky
- James McAnnaly
- Brea McAnnaly
- Mark Wilson
- Jonas Staal
- Alex Martinis Roe
- Andang Kelana
- Jiří Skála
- Illia Gladstein
- Lucy Lopez
- Zdenka Badovinac
- Bojana Piškur
- Jesús Carrillo
- Gerald Rauning
- Gene Ray
- Okwui Enwezor
- Félix Guattari
Institutions
- ARTMargins Online
- Matter of Art Biennale
- Tranzit
- Moderna galerija
- Biennale Warszawa
- Off Budapest Biennale
- Kiev Biennale
- MayFly Books
- Documenta
- Hatje Cantz
- Prague City Gallery
- Institute of Anxiety
- Chto Delat' collective
- Luminary Center for the Arts
- People's History Museum
- Feminist (Art) Institution
- transit.cz
- Festival of Film and Urbanism '86'
Locations
- Prague
- Czech Republic
- Central and Eastern Europe
- Ljubljana
- London
- Ostfildern-Ruit
- St. Louis
- Manchester
- Jakarta
- Slavutych
- Ukraine
- Switzerland