Art reflection »On«: On art critique

Thursday 19/06/2008 at 8 pm, Kibla - the sixth event in Petra Kapš curator project Art reflection »On« - On art critique.

Guests: Petja Grafenauer Krnc and Rok Vevar

Charles Baudelaire appealed to the critics to be 'biased, passionate and political' – and what is critique like today? The sixth "On" event, this time exceptionally on Thursday and not Wednesday, will pertain to and analyze the topic of art critique through opinions, viewpoints and experience of the critics and the audience.

The Slovenian Ministry of Culture states the response of media as one of the key criteria for evaluation and the related hierarchization as well as support of artists and critics in terms of finance and status. Among others, art critique belongs in the range of media. Yet ever again the practice as well as theory of critique proves to be a controversial area. What are the main axes of this topic? Do problems originate in writers, their (self)censorship, in the media space or maybe in the phenomenon itself, about which the critics are to discuss in public? Art critique is an indicator of art and its systems and thus often in a power position, having the authority to classify and the possibility to manipulate - works of art as well. Being open to such influences constantly forces critique to reflect on itself. How does critique today establish the context and theoretical support to art? Does it reflect or include key artistic phenomena; what is it affected by? where can it be found – in which media does it appear? What sets contemporary criteria to assess quality artistic production, which are the relevant issues that are related to contemporary art and critique and in what way Which are the relevant methodologies of dealing with and interpreting artistic production? Which topics stand out? What is the reaction of the critical apparatu to changes in the creation methodology of an exhibition or a work of art?
Key terms: art critique / visual art critique / critic / interpretation / contemporary art / media

Petja Grafenauer Krnc (1976) is a freelance art critic andcurator. She has been completing her doctoral study of Historical anthropology of visual arts at the ISH Institute in Ljubljana and theundergraduate study of Comparative literature and literary theory atthe Faculty of Arts in Ljubljana. In years 2006 and 2007 she was the editor of the Department of Culture and Humanities at Radio Student.She has been cooperating with the Ganes Pratt Gallery since 2007, she conducts a Seminar on contemporary art at the Famul Stuart School of applied arts, she is a co-leader of the World of art lab at SCCA Ljubljana. She regularly writes articles for newspapers, magazines and her own publications.

Rok Vevar (1973), a critic and publicist, has studied comparative literature at the Faculty of Arts inLjubljana, and theatre directing at the AGRFT Academy. As a publicist he has been writing for daily papers (Delo, Večer, Finance) as well as expert periodical publications (Lutka, Maska, Frakcija (Zagreb),Literatura, Dialogi Deloskop), contributed articles to theatrical playbooks and edited catalogues for several festivals of contemporary performing arts (Exodos, Ex Ponto, Gibanica). He participated in several expert juries and was one of the three selectors for Gibanica2005 - the 2nd Slovenian dance festival. He used to be a member ofeditorial of Maska, magazine for contemporary stage arts (1998 – 2006)as well as Lutka magazine (1994 – 1996). As dramaturg he participated in several projects, often being a member of dramaturg teams at coachings around Europe. He directed three plays in cooperation withSimona Semenič. He leads the programme of Pre-glej Lab. In the last two months he led two critic workshops in Krakow and Helsinki as part of the Mobile Lab Project.

The Art reflection »On« curator project focuses on the reflection and research of topical issues and themes, contained and addresses by contemporary art. Promoting and keeping track of artistic production, establishing meaningful, systemic and sociopolitical contexts, verifying possible interpretation models, seeking and creating new media and environments for distribution, transfer and circulation of information, opening up spaces in which art is happening, as well as analysis of individual artistic terms and concepts are issues to be included in the Art reflection »On«. By establishing the conditions and options for each event to be open (experimental), the way for an interdisciplinary approach of discussion and realization is being paved; individual situations as well as the integral project will be made up of artistic and discursive presence.
Key terms: art / artist / curator / critic / reflection / interpretation / discussion / context / onThe Art reflection »On« project will include a series of ten events in 2008.