KOW Podcast

KANN MAN POLITISCHE KUNST BESITZEN?

Dmitry Vilesky and Olga Egorova/Tsaplya give a deep insight not only into Chto Delat's history and their individual relationship to language, but also into the political situation in Russia, which caused them to flee St. Petersburg in a hurry a few weeks ago. During the conversation, recorded in Brandenburg on October 31, 2022, they share their knowledge about historical and current cultural struggles in Russia, and they also share their feelings about dehumanization, tenderness and their new situation as political refugees in Germany. What does it mean for them to be Russian artists today? And what will they do in the future?

Dmitry Vilesky and Olga Egorova/Tsaplya co-founded the Russian collective Chto Delat in 2003. Since then they have collaborated on numerous exhibitions and publications worldwide. Since many years Chto Delat is considered to be the most important voice of contemporary art from Russia.

PART 2

Renzo Martens became widely recognized almost overnight when he first published his film Enjoy Poverty in 2008. This film became one of the internationally most debated art works due to its stark provocation. The conversation with Alexander Koch looks deeply into Martens motives to play the controversial role in the art world that he has chosen to assume. It adresses the fundamental inequalities that fund and shape contemporary art, showing artworld insiders how complicit they are in the violence they may believe to critique while actually perpetuating an extractivist modus operandum. This is not just a podcast - it is in parts a manifesto for fair play, for justice and equality, for restitiution, and for an overdue change of the institutions and economics of (critical) art. 

PART 1

Renzo Martens became widely recognized almost overnight when he first published his film Enjoy Poverty in 2008. This film became one of the internationally most debated art works due to its stark provocation. The conversation with Alexander Koch looks deeply into Martens motives to play the controversial role in the art world that he has chosen to assume. It adresses the fundamental inequalities that fund and shape contemporary art, showing artworld insiders how complicit they are in the violence they may believe to critique while actually perpetuating an extractivist modus operandum. This is not just a podcast - it is in parts a manifesto for fair play, for justice and equality, for restitiution, and for an overdue change of the institutions and economics of (critical) art. 

Alice Creischer ist eine der herausragenden Denkerinnen der politischen Kunstszene in Deutschland. Als Künstlerin, Theoretikerin, Kuratorin und Dichterin hat sie in 35 Jahren ein Werk geschaffen, das den postkolonialen Diskurs und die Kritik an neoliberaler Gewalt mitgestaltet hat. Dabei ist ihr Werk voller fragiler Schönheit, Vorstellungskraft und Empathie. In diesem Podcast taucht Alice Creischer tief in die Bedeutung von Sprache und Poesie ein, die seit jeher für ihre Praxis wesentlich sind. Das Gespräch mit ihrem Galeristen Alexander Koch bietet intime Einblicke in ein bemerkenswertes Künstlerleben.

Heinrich Dunst ist ein brillanter Geist, dessen künstlerisches Werk sich auf einzigartige Weise zwischen Sprache, Form und Material hin und her bewegt. Was lässt sich sagen und was lässt sich zeigen? Was verbindet Worte und Bilder – und was trennt sie? Im Gespräch mit Alexander Koch wird deutlich, wie fundamental diese Fragen in unsere Realität hineinreichen und warum sie eminent politisch sind.

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Michael E Smith

Anna Ehrenstein explains her work to KOW's Alexander Koch.

Simon Lehner and KOW's Alexander Koch talk about Lehner's latest work.