Pic.: John Jordan/Isabelle Fremeaux, still from: Paths Through Utopias, 2011.

>>    ABSOLUTE DEMOCRACY
prolonged until 9th of February 2013!

Opening of the exhibition:
Saturday, September 29, 2012, 12 noon
Opening speech by Gerald Raunig

Photos of the opening
Photos of the exhibition

Film programme for download
Film screenings in the frame of the exhibition

Lecture & Workshop with Leo Kühberger

Participating artists:
Julieta Aranda & Anton Vidokle, Petra Bauer, Lenin Brea & Nuria Vila, Miklós Erhardt & Claudio Feliziani, Isabelle Fremeaux & John Jordan, Mariam Ghani, Carles Guerra, Nicoline van Harskamp, Jim Hubbard, Vladan Jeremic & Rena Rädle, Alejandro Landes, Nikolay Oleynikov, Fernando Solanas, Ultra-red

Curated by:
Carlos Motta & Oliver Ressler

Duration: 30.9. - 21.12.2012 & 7.1.-9.2.2013

Opening hours: MO – FR 10am - 6 pm, SA 12am - 4pm
Closed on Sundays and bank holidays

Extended opening hours during steirischer herbst festival:
30.9.-14.10.2012: SA & SO 10.30 - 18:00

Dialogic tours through the exhibition for school classes and other groups by prior appointment:
rotor@mur.at, 0316/ 688306

Free entrance!

The idea of an absolute democracy entails a thorough rethinking of the linear, fixed and orthodox production of historical knowledge and narratives. It is an idea that suggests the need for the redistribution of wealth and power and the need for new systems of rule. Additionally, it denounces the effects of capitalism and in that way challenges normative understandings of class, race, gender and sexuality. The notion of an 'absolute democracy' was initially used by philosopher Baruch Spinoza and was reactivated by Antonio Negri and Michael Hardt, in an attempt to envision "a republic based on the broadest possible cooperation between citizens, and on the development of common goods. These are the terms in which we can really talk about freedom for all."1

The exhibition Absolute Democracy presents the work by artists who critically investigate or problematize "democracy," as a concept whose social, political and economic implications play an important role in the formation of individual and collective subjectivity. Some of the artists in the exhibition propose alternative readings of repressed histories while others denounce traditional structures of discrimination based on gender, ethnicity, political orientation, etc. Some of the works in the exhibition could be thoughts of as activist, while others use artistic language in order to reflect on these issues.
1 Antonio Negri & Michael Hardt, Social Struggles in Italy, 2002

Coproduction steirischer herbst & < rotor >

Shuttleservices

steirischer herbst offers a shuttle service from Vienna to Graz and back on 29th of September and 13th of October.
On September 29th, there will also be a shuttle bus service from and to Linz, organised by forum - art university Linz.

All information can be found here: http://www.steirischerherbst.at/2012/english/service/journey.php

Please note
Artists & curators of the exhibition "Absolute Democracy“ are also involved in the 24/7 marathon camp of steirischer herbst festival:

Wednesday, September 26, 2012, 8pm - midnight
Black Cube / Festival Centre, Opernring 5-7, 8010 Graz

Session 1: Forms of Democracy: Activism, Art and Cultural Production
Hosted by Carlos Motta
With Mariam Ghani, Jennifer González, Miguel López, Nikolay Oleynikov / Chto Delat, Manuela Bojadzijev & Dont Rhine & Janna Graham / Ultra-red

Session 2: Thinking Politics Freed From the State
Hosted by Oliver Ressler
With Nicoline van Harskamp, Isabelle Fremeaux & John Jordan, Sofía Olascoaga, Marco Scotini

For further information see: www.truthisconcrete.org

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