Who's in town?
Xenia Kalpaktsoglou
Co-opted or Standing in the Way of Control?
Salt Galata
February 9, 2017 19.00
Tyrannus Mundi, South-up map of Europe, 2012 ©Wikipedia
SALT Galata, Workshop IV
In her “Who’s in town?” talk at SALT Galata, Xenia Kalpaktsoglou will focus on the biennial as an institution par excellence, and link the exhibition to its organizational support structures, as well as to the operational strategies of the host institution.
According to Kalpaktsoglou, biennials play a role in deciding who or what has cultural value, and attempt to manoeuvre between established codes. Taking into account the much debated, albeit, intrinsic “open-endedness” origination from its temporality and “guest” artistic directors, she will critically assess the political potential of the biennial exhibition. In addition, Kalpaktsoglou will also discuss the biennial’s ability to become part of the different processes of “becoming” in an unambiguous and lasting way, beyond its event-based quality.
The talk will be held in English.
Xenia Kalpaktsoglou is a curator and writer. In 2005, together with Poka-Yio (Polydoros Karyofyllis) and Augustine Zenakos, she founded the Athens Biennale, a non-profit independent organization, which she co-directed until July 2016. During this time, she (co-)curated two editions (Destroy Athens, 2007 and MONODROME, 2011). Her curatorial practice has evolved to focus on two primary functions: that of an initiator of artistic platforms and networks, and that of a facilitator of artists’ projects while her process is heavily rooted in collaborations. Currently she is involved in the organization of LUC (Laboratory for the Urban Commons), an Athens-based research laboratory constituted by local and international researchers, activists, and cultural producers which aims to operate as platform across different solidarity economies, grassroots movements, knowledge and cultural communities.
In her “Who’s in town?” talk at SALT Galata, Xenia Kalpaktsoglou will focus on the biennial as an institution par excellence, and link the exhibition to its organizational support structures, as well as to the operational strategies of the host institution.
According to Kalpaktsoglou, biennials play a role in deciding who or what has cultural value, and attempt to manoeuvre between established codes. Taking into account the much debated, albeit, intrinsic “open-endedness” origination from its temporality and “guest” artistic directors, she will critically assess the political potential of the biennial exhibition. In addition, Kalpaktsoglou will also discuss the biennial’s ability to become part of the different processes of “becoming” in an unambiguous and lasting way, beyond its event-based quality.
The talk will be held in English.
Xenia Kalpaktsoglou is a curator and writer. In 2005, together with Poka-Yio (Polydoros Karyofyllis) and Augustine Zenakos, she founded the Athens Biennale, a non-profit independent organization, which she co-directed until July 2016. During this time, she (co-)curated two editions (Destroy Athens, 2007 and MONODROME, 2011). Her curatorial practice has evolved to focus on two primary functions: that of an initiator of artistic platforms and networks, and that of a facilitator of artists’ projects while her process is heavily rooted in collaborations. Currently she is involved in the organization of LUC (Laboratory for the Urban Commons), an Athens-based research laboratory constituted by local and international researchers, activists, and cultural producers which aims to operate as platform across different solidarity economies, grassroots movements, knowledge and cultural communities.
