As part of this project, we will discuss the topic of art for social change and its role in the development of the V4 region. We propose to focus on the slogan “Unlearning” taken from the quote “The illiterate of the 21st century are not those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and learn anew” by Alvin Toffler. Thus, together with partner organizations, through a series of presentations and exhibitions, we will celebrate the 20th edition of the SURVIVAL Art Review, one of the largest public art festivals in Central Europe.
The SURVIVAL Art Review is an artistic venture aimed at maximum confrontation with the viewer, held outside exhibition institutions – in abandoned places, public buildings and open spaces.One of the elements of the 20th edition of SURVIVAL is Unlearning, a project in which we consider the relationship between artistic activities and social change from the perspective of Central and Eastern Europe. Referring to a statement attributed to Toffler, which is a paraphrase of a quote from his bestselling 1970 book Future Shock, we assume the perspective of “unlearning” to revise our habits connected with functioning in the field of art. The activities planned in cooperation with partners from the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia were initially intended to discuss the similarities and differences in art practices aimed at exerting a social impact in these countries. However, the invasion of Ukraine dramatically altered questions about the distribution of resources, capital and support that need to be asked within the geopolitical context of the Visegrad Group. The presentation of works by four artists from Ukraine is more than just an attempt to share resources or increase the visibility of Ukrainian culture – it is the starting point for a conversation on regional solidarity in the creative field, the role of art in the process of post-war reconstruction and, most importantly, the purposefulness of pursuing artistic activity at the time of war. The discussion will be attended by experts and practitioners from Slovakia, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Ukraine. The project accompanied by four publications mapping the social contexts of artistic and institutional practices in the Visegrad countries.
Film screenings, issue debates and catalog launches took place in Slovakia (Creative Industry Kosice (CIKE) / www.cike.sk) and the Czech Republic (Cultural Center Řehlovice / Kulturní Centrum Řehlovice / www.kcrehlo.cz).
