Facing Forward: Lecture Evening #7
31/05/2012

Speakers: Maria Barnas, Hassnae Bouazza, Maarten Doorman, Melissa Gronlund, Metahaven, Snejanka Mihaylova, Katharina Neuburger, Patricia Pisters, Ding Ren, Simon Rogers, Oona Strathern, Timotheus Vermeulen, Juha van‘t Zelfde and many others

Date: Thursday, May 31st

Location: Aula, University of Amsterdam (Oude Lutherse Kerk), Singel 411 (corner Spui), Amsterdam

Time: 8:00 – 10:30 pm

Language: English

The seventh and last evening of lectures and debates in the lecture series Facing Forward: Art & Theory from a Future Perspective on the theme FUTURE´S FUTURE will take place on Thursday 31 May. During this evening a large number of speakers will present their views in short lectures ranging from speculative reflections to visionary predictions. In this way the theme FUTURE´S FUTURE is given a broad treatment, and the evening of lectures will serve as a think tank for the pressing question: how should we look forward?

The opening lecture will be given by Oona Strathern (trend consultant and futurologist, Austria), followed by short, 6- minute presentations by: Defne Ayas (director of the Witte de With Center for Contemporary Art, Rotterdam), Maria Barnas (artist and writer, the Netherlands), Hassnae Bouazza (journalist and programme maker, the Netherlands), Matthijs de Bruijne (artist, the Netherlands), Maarten Doorman (philosopher, poet and critic, Amsterdam), Melissa Gronlund (editor of Afterall and art critic, United Kingdom), Metahaven (Daniel van der Velden, graphic designer, the Netherlands), Simon Rogers (news editor and data editor, The Guardian, United Kingdom), Timotheus Vermeulen (lecturer in Cultural Studies and Theory, Radboud University, Nijmegen), Juha van ’t Zelfde (co-director of Non-fiction, Amsterdam) and many others. The evening will be moderated by Ann Demeester (director of the Appel arts centre, Amsterdam), Hendrik Folkerts (curator of the Public Program, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam) and Margriet Schavemaker (Head of Collections and Research, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam).

About the theme FUTURE’S FUTURE:

Our contemporary view of the world is changing rapidly, due to drastic shifts in power relations, discourses, and the role of technology and communication in everyday life. Given the current state of global affairs – revolutions in the Arab world, the rise of populism and neoliberalism in Western Europe, the shift of global power from Europe and North-America to Asia and Latin America, and the primacy of mass communication methods, to name just a few important recent developments – the future has become increasingly precarious. To face forward is not that simple anymore. How are we able to look at the future when the present is so uncertain and unstable? And if we do fix our gaze on the horizon, what and how do we see – is it utopia or dystopia, a purely speculative view or a mere extrapolation of current events? Ultimately, can the future be a productive model for visualizing contemporary power structures, global shifts, and changing relations?

About Facing Forward: Art & Theory from a Future Perspective

The program of Facing Forward consisted of a series of evenings of lectures and debates, each focusing on a different pressing subject and together outlining a possible future scenario for contemporary art and (art) theory, presenting innovative models and strategies for the practice of art today. Speakers including Hans Belting, Iwona Blazwick, Manuel Delanda, James Elkins, Amelia Jones, Rem Koolhaas, China Miéville and Hito Steyerl presented their views on the following six themes: Future Tech, Future Image, Future History, Future Freedom, Future Museum and Future City. Future’s Future is the last evening in the series of lectures Facing Forward.

There will be a publication of the series of lectures Facing Forward. For updates on this publication which collects together all the lectures, keep an eye on the website www.facingforward.nl.

Practical information:

Language: All lecture evenings will be held in English.

Location: Oude Lutherse Kerk, Spui 411 (corner Spui), Amsterdam.

Editorial board:

Jelle Bouwhuis (SMBA), Ann Demeester (de Appel arts centre), Hendrik Folkerts (Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam), Christoph Lindner (ASCA, University of Amsterdam), Domeniek Ruyters (Metropolis M), Margriet Schavemaker (Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam), and Tim Voss (W139).

For the full program, more information on the topics, speakers, and ticket sales, as well as information regarding the workshops, please visit our website www.facingforward.nl. Also follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

PARTNERS:

De Appel arts center

Metropolis M

W139

Stedelijk Museum

University of Amsterdam

SMBA

MEDIA PARTNER:

De Groene Amsterdammer

SUPPORTED BY:

Sns Reaal

Amsterdam Fonds voor de Kunst

Mondriaan Stichting