The Age of Less: Nostalgia? - International two-day symposium
01.03–02.03.13
With participation of Emiliano Battista, Curro Claret, Catherine David, Thea Djordjadze, Elie During, Moritz Küng, Pierre Leguillon, Jasper Morrrison, Manfred Pernice, Muck Petzet
The collapse of the investment bank Lehman Brothers, the cost explosion of the Elbe Philharmonic Hall in Hamburg, the egocentric escapades of Italy’s former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi or the mystified sale of Damien Hirst’s diamond skull: these are just a few examples of our overheated cultural, economic, political and social system.
We cannot but be aware today that neoliberalism, till recently praised as the engine of universal wealth and prosperity, is a pure ideology of justification, a tool to concentrate more and more wealth at the top. Years of neoliberalism have plunged us into a deep crisis, and everywhere people are trying desperately to hold on to a status quo that, in the face of generalized government paralysis and unwillingness to confront the causes of the crisis head on, is rapidly dissolving under their feet. The old adage, Less is More, is no more… in part because less is getting less and less.
The Age of Less—Nostalgia, a two-day symposium that brings together the fields of visual art, design, architecture and theory, aims to discuss existing or past values in relation to possibly new behaviours that have emerged within the framework of, and in response to, the financial crisis. In particular, our focus will be on questioning how the so-called “creative industry” is dealing with and reacting to the present situation.
Collaboratively conceived by Moritz Küng and Anne-Claire Schmitz.
Lectures:
Unfortunately, lectures by Manfred Pernice and Thea Djordjadze were cancelled due to illness.
Friday, March 1st
15:30:Welcome - introduction by Moritz Küng & Anne-Claire Schmitz
16:00: Left-Wing Melancholy: Rancière on the Politics of Critique by Emiliano Battista
17:00: Diane, Ad and Tupperware an autobiographical lecture by Pierre Leguillon
18:00: Against the grain? by Catherine David
19:00: Q & A - guests and audience
19:30: eat & drink - buffet at La Loge (open to all)
Saturday, March 2nd
12:00: lunch - buffet at La Loge (open to all)
13:00: Reset by Manfred Pernice
14:00: Making furniture with people in risk of exclusion by Curro Claret
15:00: break - tea time
15:30: Reduce Reuse Recycle by Muck Petzet
16:30: Conversation with Thea Djordjadze
17:30: The Prospects of Retro-Futurism by Elie During
18:30: Q & A - guests and audience
19:00: drinks
Exhibition:
Friday & Saturday
12:00-20:00
The Good Life by Jasper Morrison
