Imagining OpenMuzej Belarus: community, contemporary art, engagement - Instytut Pileckiego

Imagining OpenMuzej Belarus: community, contemporary art, engagement

Conference 19.06 + 20.06 | Pariser Platz 4A, 10117 Berlin | Register here: https://forms.gle/GwgY95vCabccxm6p6

See full schedule down below.

Since 2022, a team of experts and professionals in the field of contemporary Belarusian art and culture have been working on the idea of establishing a public museum focused on research, archiving, preservation, support, development, demonstration and popularization of contemporary art of Belarus.

Perceiving museum as a process and a community, as a joint experience of practicing public history and a way of understanding the world as well as respecting art/culture as a right of every person the team sees and develops the OpenMuzej (OM) as a nomadic infrastructure.

The activity of The OpenMuzej addresses wides audiences and adheres to the principles of openness, mutual responsibility, interdisciplinarity, innovation based on the initiation and joint implementation of research, exhibition, educational and popularization projects with the involvement of Belarusian cultural actors – both in Belarus and in forced emigration.

On June 19-20 with support from Pilecki Institut Berlin we will organize a 2 days conference in order to discuss the role of museums as a place of community building and consolidation of the professional community and wide audiences.

Core audience: Belarusian and foreign experts in the field of contemporary art and culture, representatives of international culture institutes and culture policy decision makers.

Info partners: Kalektar.org, RAZAM e.V. - Belarusische Gemeinschaft, NGO EcoHome

---

Schedule: 

Day 1: OpenMuzej – from a Classical Museum to a Flexible Nomadic Structure

• June 19, 2023 / 10:00–16:00

10:00–10:15

Opening speech by the director of the Berlin Branch of the Pilecki Institut Hanna Radziejowska

10:15-10:45

Intro

"Understanding the Museum: How and Why Museums are Changing Nowadays. Forms, Formats, Values"

Speaker: 

• Irina Kondratenko, art researcher, curator 

10:45–11:30

Presentation of the OpenMuzej project idea and results of survey of Belarusian art community

"OpenMuzej as an Opportunity to Strengthen the Community" 

Speakers: 

• Irina Kondratenko, art researcher, curator
• Anna Chistoserdova, art manager, Ambassada Kultury

11:30–11:45

Coffee break 

11:45–13:30

Discussion

"The Museum as a Structure that Embraces Community and Radiates Solidarity and Support"

Moderator: 

• Oksana Karpovets, independent curator, art researcher

Speakers: 

• Dr. Annette Maechtel, managing director NGBK
• Maria Beburia, contributor of MSN, co-founder CC Slonecznik
• Aleksei Borisionok, independent curator and researcher

13:30–14:30

Break

14:30–16:00

Discussion

"Solidarity, Horizontality, Communities: Cultural Projects in Belarus"

Moderator: 

• Tony Lashden, queer activist, writer, researcher

Speakers: 

• Antonina Stebur, independent curator, researcher
• Olga Shparaga, Philosopher
• eeefff group (Dzina Zhuk and Nicolay Spesivtsev, artists)
• Rufina Bazlova, artist

---

Day 2

• June 20, 2023 / 10:00–13:30

What Kind of Support for Independent Belarusian Cultural Initiatives is Available and Needed? 

 

10:00–10:30 

Intro

Flexible Communities, Flexible Support

Speaker: 

Tony Lashden, queer activist, writer, researcher

 

10:30–10:45 

Short presentation of the  OpenMuzej project idea and summary of 1st day of the conference

Speaker:

Anna Chistoserdova, art manager, Ambasada Kultury

 

10:45–11:00 

Short presentation

Belarusian Diaspora in Germany

Speaker:

Yuliya Salauyova, 1 Chair RAZAM e.V.

 

11:00–11:15 

Short presentation

Support of Belarusian Culture

Speaker:

Alina Koushik, Representative for National Revival, the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus

 

11:15–11:30

Coffee break 

 

11:30–13:30

Discussion with the participation of representatives of foundations and international programs

International Support for Initiatives and Projects of Independent Belarusian Culture

Moderator: 

Hanna Radziejowska, director of the Pilecki Institut