ART AND SOCIETY IN 1990S
International conference
January 19 – 20, 2001
at the Estonian Academy of Arts
The goal was to observe and analyse the relations between art and society in 1990s that is characterized by rapid changes and new balances in political systems, globalizing economy and the disperse of the meaning of art in the hierarchic systems.
This can be regarded just as one possibility to examine the complicated 1990s.
The conference was built up on studying three different models of changes in Europe:
a) Baltic countries and Russia as the region that had most radical changes;
b) Ex-Yugoslavian countries with highly developed culture where 1990s mean war and violence;
c) Nordic countries as the region with stable cultural development supported by official state policy.
At the conference, highly recognized specialists made their speeches:
Helena Demakova (curator, critic from Riga), Lolita Jablonskiene (director of the CCA, Vilnius), Victor Misiano (chief editor of the Moscow Art Magazine, theorist and curator), John Peter Nilsson (chief editor of the magazine NU, Stockholm), Bojana Pejic (critic from Berlin, curator of the exhibition “After the Wall”), Minna Tarkka (University of Art and Design Helsinki, professor), Janka Vukmir (director of the Institute for Contemporary Art, Zagreb, curator), Igor Zabel (curator at the Moderna Galerija, Ljubljana; coordinator of “Manifesta3”). At the panel discussions participated also Jadranka Vinterhaltar (curator of the Contemporary Art Museum in Zagreb) and Marja-Terttu Kivirinta (chief of the art department at the newspaper Helsingin Sanomat).
Program:
Sirje Helme. “Why still about 1990s?”
Ants Juske. “How Far Extends European-like Art?”
Victor Miziano. “1990s in Russia: conclusions.”
Janka Vukmir. “Deep Trouble.”
Igor Zabel. “Territories: Selected Examples of Slovene Art in 1990s.”
John Peter Nilsson. “Changing Realities (in the North).”
Lolita Jablonskiene.” After Emancipation: Late 90s in Lithuanian Art.”
Ando Keskküla. “Collectivization. The Model of 1990s.”
Helena Demakova. “The expansion of the notions of art with regard to the socio-political changes in the Baltic countries in the 1990s.”
Leevi Haapala. “Slow motion and coming together. Finnish media art and community-based art in 1990s.”
Virve Sarapik. “Estonian Art of the 1990s and the Postsemiotic Turn.”
Panels:
19th of January 2001 “What Chances has the Politics Reserved for the Art Today? Russia and ex-Yugoslavia variant.” John Peter Nilsson (moderator), Ants Juske, Victor Miziano, Igor Zabel, Janka Vukmir.
20th of January 2001 “What Chances has the Politics Reserved for the Art Today? Baltic and Nordic variant.” Helena Demakova (moderator), John Peter Nilsson, Marja-Terttu Kivirinta, Lolita Jablonskiene, Hanno Soans, Sirje Helme.
In connection with the event the presentations of a collection of articles “Nosy Nineties. Problems, Themes and Meanings on Estonian Art in 1990s” and a double CD-ROM “Video and Action Art in Estonia” took place.
