Performance and the politics of landscapes

Seeking to unpack the politics of situating artistic work and explore specific practices that emerge when thinking/working with the landscape, in this event we will consider questions of relevance, situatedness, specificity, groundation, intervention, wayfinding and persistence. How may an engagement with complexities of the landscape offer new ways of doing as well as give rise to modes of practice that rethink modus operandi, social imaginaries and sedimented practices? In what ways are socio-political and ecological landscapes, institutions and curatorial/performance methods mutually interconnected? Through this event we seek to elaborate on the potential of artistic practice to form new social habits, critical publics and pedagogies of the common in and with the landscape. The discussion is facilitated by Gigi Argyropoulou, curator, writer, practitioner and post doc researcher at Malmö Theatre Academy.

Shannon Jackson is the Cyrus and Michelle Hadidi Professor of the Arts and Humanities, where she currently serves as department chair of History of Art. Jackson’s research focuses on cross-disciplinary arts practices as well as the relation between the arts and social justice. Her current work focuses on video and media art as well as on artistic projects that engage ecological themes. Past publications include: Back Stages: Essays on Art, Performance and Public Life (2022), Public Servants: Art and the Crisis of the Common Good (2016), The Builders Association (2015); Social Work: Performing Art, Supporting Publics (2011), and many other books, essays, and collaborative platforms.                                                                                            

Grounding Relevance in Place

In a short lecture Jackson uses the Tippet Rise Art Center in Montana, United States, as ground for understanding the situated nature of place. Tippet Rise is a new art center committed to performance and public art, sited near Yellowstone National Park, in a so-called ‘red state,’ and on land formerly stewarded by the Crow/Apsáalooke Native people. With the “Relevance of Place” project, we invited artists and designers were engaged in dialogues about the nature of landscape and the role of the arts in engaging multiple histories and communities. Jackson will share reflections and short clips to ground a discussion of the complexities and possibilities of establishing a shared sense of place in such a context.

Milena Høgsberg is a Danish-American curator, institutional leader and writer based in Copenhagen. She is the Director of Wanås Konst, Knislinge, a foundation dedicated to producing site-sensitive contemporary art works rooted in Wanås, a site with a medieval castle, an organic farm and a wild forest with 80 art works.  A vital part of Høgsberg’s practice is to work closely with artists at different stages of their careers and establish a generous and authentic space of thinking together through exhibitions, publications and talks. Most recently she co-curated Carola Grahn: Trädgränsen and Young-jun Tak: Have A Lovely Sunday at Wanås. Høgsberg holds an MA from The Center for Curatorial Studies, Bard College and a BA in Art History from Columbia University, New York City.

Practical information

The event will take place at Inter Arts Center, Bergsgatan 29, fourth floor. The space is accessible by stairs or elevator. We will serve snacks and beer for the Friday feeling. Welcome!

It will also be possible to take part of the event through Zoom: 
https://lu-se.zoom.us/j/69883448331