Paper Tape: Unfinished Analogies

A paper tape exhibition and Konsthall C Centrifug project.

4.22—5.08, 2011
Address: Cigarrvägen 14, 123 57 Farsta

Opening: Saturday, 4.23, 2-4 pm
Four speakers opened the exhibition by sharing their perspectives on the validity of an arts education, international collaboration, the art market, relationships between politics and creativity, amongst other topics. Talks commenced at 3 pm.

– Jacquelyn Davis (curator)
– Adam Grinovich (art collective A5)
– Jonas Kleerup (gallerist/creative director)
– A.S.A.P (student activist group)

Nothing changes from generation to generation except the thing seen and that makes a composition.
—Gertrude Stein, “Composition as Explanation”

In light of Sweden’s recent decision to introduce tuition and application fees for incoming non-EU/EEA/Swiss students, highlighted artists, designers, activists and writers examined and responded to how these alterations affected the atmosphere of higher education—specifically, Sweden’s art schools and government-funded creative institutions. In the EU, policy changes which pertain to accessible education opportunities are being implemented. “Unfinished Analogies” hoped to provide an entry point into how these emergent laws alter the relationship between the art school, art student and international student. It is essential to evaluate governmental correlations made between notions of quality and economic status, as well as to pinpoint the confusion between quantity and quality in relation to the culture industry.

The validity of an arts education and the methods that art schools employ deserve closer examination. Many questions arise when considering the international student’s changing role in Sweden’s art school setting, such as: When is it harmful to place collective identity above individual identity? Are collective responses to a current event more effective than separate, individual instances? When is a response to a current topic effective—when does it fall short? How does identity politics relate to art-making, and are homogeneity vs. heterogeneity linked to creativity? How will diversity change, given the reduced recruitment base for Swedish art schools? What does it mean to be educated, and is an individual’s arts education apparent when examining their creative evolution? How is talent cultivated in an art school environment—which art schools are successful at this and why? Are self-education/DIY alternatives viable for those unable to attend art school? What are the implications for Sweden as an ‘open society’?

A call-response exercise, contributors were given an opportunity to create new work as a response and/or critique, to provide solutions, navigational insight or perspectives. Works range in content and form: congruent work, winnerless games, critical texts, readings, media appropriation, rhetorical dissection, commentary and activism.

Art student is to art school as international student is to _____.

EU-student is to non-EU student as education is to _____.

Student is to education as art student is to _____.

Quality is to quantity as art is to _____.

Contributors
A.S.A.P (Maryam Fanni‎ + Behzad Khosravi Noori + Jens Strandberg), Eva Beierheimer, Andrew Berardini, Nicola Bergström Hansen, Magnus Bärtås, The Black Hats (Mahmoud Keshavarz + Vijai Patchineelam), Anna Ekholm, Roxy Farhat, Adam Grinovich, Hale Gungor, Cecilia Haupt, Janna Holmstedt, Björn Karlsson, Jonas Kleerup, Gülbeden Kulbay, Janice Lee, Ann Lindberg, Joe Milazzo, Yonas Millares, Thomas Raschke, Anja Rühle, Anngjerd Rustand, Kim Schoen, Kristina Sigunsdotter, Jacek Smolicki, Ola Ståhl, André Tehrani, Erla Silfá Thorgrímsdóttir and Ellen Utterström.

Vernissage Images

Exhibition Images

Exhibition Materials
Work Descriptions + Bios

Beskrivningar av verk + Biografier

Modular Game Guide
Modular Game Instructions
Andrew Berardini’s essay
Ola Ståhl’s text
Utbildningsdepartementet statement