Opening Art Tour 11: The Debate with No End….

Led by: dr. René Gabriëls (philosopher/ sociologist UM)
A breakfast, debate and official opening of Art Tour 2010; No Title
When: On Saturday the 22nd of May starting at 10:00 am
Where: Timmerfabriek (Boschstraat 5)

“Erst das Fressen, dann die Moral”, (B. Brecht)
“If it doesn’t sell, it’s not creative” (D. Ogilvy)
“We hebben niks materieels nodig” (P. Starck)

Can art still be autonomous in a world of free market thinking?  Subversive artistic expressions are annexed to main stream culture: the raw art house fashion that can be found at H&M and the graffiti artworks that sell like hot buns at the Tefaf have proven this phenomena for years.

Cereal boxes decorated with graffiti art. By Kristin Posehn, winner of the Hermine van Bers Art prize, Art Tour 2009

BUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE AUTONOMOUS?

Can it be taught at the ABKM, the UM or is it determined by our DNA? Is it a form of wisdom? Is autonomous art really free of propaganda ? What does it mean to be autonomous in the art world of Maastricht? Each year Art Tour Maastricht has been made possible by the intrinsic motivation of many professional and autonomous artists.  The question that lies on our lips is how the ‘shapers of culture’ and artists deal with human capital, the creative economy and subsidies that require artists each year to escalate their total yearly income from their sales in order to stay eligible for them.  Is the concept of ‘autonomy’, as stated in the Oxford Dictionary: ‘freedom to self govern’ still possible in this day and age? Or are we in need of a new definition?

The debate with no end will initiate this years Art Tour 11. In order to make sure the debate is all fueled up; the organization has offered its speakers a biological breakfast served by ‘De Auw Stoof’. Anyone and everyone is welcome to join our big breakfast for €6.50 on Saturday 22nd of May. Breakfast coupons can be donated to our participating artists. The football-sized exposition, featuring (Euregional) artists at the Timmerfabriek will form the heart of the Art Tour. After a hardy breakfast, one can embark of the Underground Art Tour: direction North East, a unique tour along a selection of underground breeding grounds and autonomous artists.

Please note that the debate will be in Dutch.