Populism

Prosjekt: Populism

The Populism project tries to formulate concrete spaces for experience, reflection, and discussion linked to a contemporary political phenomenon that is as complex as it is widespread. There is little doubt that populist movements gain large parts of their persuasive power from their ability to play on emotions and desires that are supposedly exempt from the procedures of official democratic politics. It is at this level that an art exhibition can provide a space for reflection and experience that differs from that of other public forums.

The point of departure is the idea that the emotions and desires that characterize populist politics are not necessarily separate from the ones that find expression in the sphere of art. In this way, key questions are how forms of populism - whether left wing or right wing, progressive or reactionary - promote themselves and their quest for mass appeal through a stylistic and aesthetic consciousness. It is in these economies of signs and desires that the political imagination of visual art can get involved, and address current cultural discussions by creating spaces and images for remodelling democracy.

Europeiske partnere:

• NIFCA, Nordic Institute for Contemporary Art (Leder)(FI)
• Nasjonalmuseet for kunst, arkitektur og design (Museet for samtidskunst) (NO)
• Contemporary Art Centre (LT)
• Frankfurter Kunstverein (DE)
• Stedelijk Museum (NL)

Varighet: 2003-2006

Tilskudd fra Kultur 2000: Ca. 1 087 624 kroner