Presenting "Visceral Fiction" at depot Vienna

This Thursday, we will have a release event of the book "Visceral Fiction" (edited by Anita Kaya, Johanna Nielson, Elisabeth Schäfer, Agnes Schneidewind and myself) at Vienna's depot. Find more information here.

20 years of artists‘ initiative Im_flieger: VISCERAL FICTION is an investigative review and research in the process of inscribing history/stories in, around and with Im_flieger. Im_flieger is a self-organised, rhizomatic platform and a body for dance, performance and transmedia art.

By means of interviews, conversations, images, and theoretical discourses, an activation of the network took place in a one-year research process, which we designed in analogy to a „detective agency“: People, spaces, artistic works, contents, … The past (even if only a fraction) gained attention, appreciation and relevance in the present.

The detectives, authors and conversation partners Robert Dressler, David Ender, Veza Fernández, Jack Hauser, Michael Hirsch, Sabina Holzer, Katrin Hornek, Kilian Jörg, Anita Kaya, Felix Kaya, Elke Krasny, Simon Mayer, Johanna Nielson, Martina Ruhsam, Elisabeth Schäfer, Sylvia Scheidl, Agnes Schneidewind and Sabine Sonnenschein ask about the discursive potential of self-organization, artistic work, its formats, conditions of production, and about the significance of art and artists‘ organizations and spaces as decentralized movements in the cultural-political field and all the relationships that derive from them. But above all: what kind of poetics does the process of this detective investigation require?

Even if we, artists and curators, cannot solve the major social problems into whose abyss we are currently looking with art, we can at least uncover the mechanisms, hierarchies and structures in and with which we work, become aware of them, change them, refuse them, realise others. Museums and theatres – as traditional, ritual spaces and places of assembly in Western society – serve to rehearse the values that are relevant to each society.

What new rituals and places of assembly does our contemporary society need and what new social order is to be rehearsed?

How can artistic and curatorial creation connect with society, the world, in a different way and become effective?

How can artistic and curatorial practice be developed to build a sustainable dialogue between artists and audiences?

How can artistic practices and methods be experienced as an essential part of our social life together?

How can art no longer be received as a closed system, but be recognised in its interactive research and transformation potential, and become relevant to social issues and processes?

How do we work on the community, on the social order?

It’s not about giving answers. It’s time for a break in the space-time continuum, but, … will you ever be the same when you return?

Kilian Jörg, Anita Kaya, Johanna Nielson, Elisabeth Schäfer, Agnes Schneidewind (eds.), VISCERAL FICTION. Im_flieger hi/stories. 20 years artists for artists, edition monochrom, Vienna 2021

Talk about ecological art making at FS1

When I was in Salzburg last month, I was quite spontaneously invited to talk about ecologically motivated artistic interventions at the local TV-station FS1. I was able to speak about performative interventions to hack our toxic normality, the possibility of the arts to change our sensual and affective regimes and - last but not least - the necessity to fight capitalism.

 

 Here you go:

 

Toxic Temple MESS - the second (+Book presentation in Vienna)

 

Tonight, at 17h, the second Toxic Temple MESS starts in Vienna's AIL. As part of the "Lange Nacht der Forschung" Anna Lerchbaumer and me will present the Toxic Temple Book at 20:30 and from then on the MESS (a durational, multi-media and transdisciplinary performance) can be visited everyday (Saturday, Sunday, Monday) from 13-18h. On Monday everything will culminate to a HOLY MESS with concerts, recitations, performances etc. 

Here are some images of our opening event:

Interview about EXHAUST(ED) ENTANGLEMENTS Symposium for Skug

Shortly before the "exhaust(ed) entanglements - Overcoming the Auto-Self of the Anthropocene" conference starts this Thursday, I was able to give a little interview of what can be expected to the wonderful SKUG.

Read the interview here.

Find the full program of the conference here.

"Das Bedürfnis nach einem Innenraum wie der Autokarosserie ist eine logische Konsequenz einer im ökologischen wie kulturellen Sinne toxischen Gesellschaft. Um eine nachhaltige Zukunft zu entwickeln, ist es mindestens so wichtig, die toxischen Strukturen dieser Gesellschaft zu bekämpfen, wie die zurzeit meist sehr toxischen Antriebsmotoren dieser Schutzräume zu ersetzen. Denn nur wenn unsere Welt weniger toxisch ist, werden sich Menschen auch weniger in solche automobilen Schutzräume zurückziehen wollen."

TOXIC TEMPLE, the book (de Gruyter 2022) - out now!

 

It is with considerable joy that I can announce the release of TOXIC TEMPLE, the book which I consider the next contribution of what I once what to look back at as my oeuvre. In Toxic Temple, Anna Lerchbaumer and me have embarked more than 4 years ago on "an artistic & philosophical journey into the Toxicity of the Now" and have since then met many contributors and inspirations on the way. We have created musical compositions, sound pieces, video installations, entire exhibitions, performances, lectures and whole philosophies of this speculative religion venerating WASTE as a means of communication with the human after-life. In this wonderful book, we have combined various genres of text, from prayers, poetry to philosophical investigations into plastic eternity, nuclear semiotics, the oceanic undead, the many worlds ending, and so many more topics. We have contributions of authors such as Heather Davis, Sam Hertz, Eben Kirksey, Julia Grillmayr, Elisabeth Felkensteiner, Julietta Aranda and many more. On top of that, the book consists of a stunning collage of exhibition documentation, images specifically made for the book and other graphic experiments. You can find some inside-peeks into the book below. The book is now officially on sale and can be either ordered at any of your local bookshops or directly at the publisher. 

Also, we will celebrate two release events:

• on the 8th of May we will have a full afternoon of performative interventions, readings, lectures and concerts around the TOXIC TEMPLE at Hopscotch Reading Room in Berlin 
• from the 20th to the 23th of May we will devote an entire holy MESS to the book in Vienna's AIL

 

 

Nein zum Loch - Panel-Diskussion and Scores gegen den Ausbau der Mönchsberggarage

Nächsten Donnerstag, am 28.4.2022 werde ich an einem Panel gegen den Ausbau der Salzburger Mönchsberggarage teilnehmen und davor performative Interventionen im öffentlichen Raum anleiten. Auch dieses Betonierprojekt einer vollkommen veralteten Verkehrspolitik werden wir verhindern - Nein zum Loch! 

Ihr findet mehr zur Initiative und wie ihr diese unterstützen könnt hier: https://www.neinzumloch.at

 

 

Donnerstag, 28. April 2022
Filmabend mit anschließender Diskussion im Das Kino Salzburg
Vorab zur Einstimmung: Intervention am Platzl mit
Handlungsanleitungen von Kilian Jörg

 
PROGRAMMÜBERSICHT
17 bis 18 Uhr, Platzl / Beginn Linzergasse
Eine performative Intervention im öffentlichen Raum mit Handlungsanleitungen von Kilian Jörg –
inspiriert vom Programm Diverting the Public Space von Kilian Jörg und David Kummer
19:00 Uhr, Das Kino
DIE ROTE LINIE - Widerstand im Hambacher Forst
Ein Film von Karin de Miguel Wessendorf
21:15 Uhr, Das Kino
Publikumsgespräch zum Thema „Nein zum Loch“ - Ermächtigung zum Widerstand gegen den Ausbau
der Mönchsberggarage

 

Kilian Jörg leitet mit einem Input die Podiumsdiskussion ein: Das Auto gilt als unverzichtbares Element unserer modernen Welt. Doch welche noch viel besseren Welten verstellen uns die Autos? Und das, selbst wenn wir ihre endlosen Parkreihen in ausgehöhlten Bergen verstecken? Kilian Jörg wird in seinem Input den Protest gegen die Salzburger Mönchsberggarage im aktuellen, internationalen Protest gegen das Autoregime situieren und fragen, welche Lehren man aus der
langen Vergangenheit ökologischer und spezifisch gegen Autoinfrastrukturen gerichtete Kämpfe für die heutige Zeit ziehen kann. Wie Katja Diehl neulich sagte, ist das Auto für unsere Gesellschaften
mindestens so süchtig-machend wie Heroin. Was ist die effizienteste Entzugskur gegen das Auto? Welches Methadon würde sogar bei so hoffnungslos Suchtkranken wie der ÖVP wirken?

 
Am Podium:
- Angelika Gasteiner (ehem. Gemeinderätin Bürgerliste, Verkehrsexpertin und ehem.
Aufsichtsrätin der Parkgaragengesellschaft)
- Kilian Jörg (Philosoph, Aktivist und Künstler)
- Thomas Beck (Aktionsbündnis Mobilitätswende Salzburg)
- Vertreter*in Fridays for Future
Mit Videobotschaft der Regisseurin Karin de Miguel Wessendorf und Input von Kilian Jörg
Moderation: Barbara Sieberth

 

Teaching @ "Temporäre Schule zur Entwicklung schöner Gesten"

Next week I will give a workshop at the newly established "Temporäre Schule zur Entwicklung schöner Gesten" by Claudia Heu and Philipp Ehmann. We will also have a publication open to everybody on Saturday, the 23rd from 11:30 - 13:30 - drop by, I am already very excited to be able to contribute to this very interesting new format of teaching and transferring knowledge!

"The OPEN SPACE completes a four-day laboratory with invited experts Tina Auer (AT), Stephen Hodge (UK), Kilian Jörg (AT/DE), Michael Pinsky (UK) and Ursula Reisenberger (AT), who share their questions and artistic, as well as theoretical approaches to the topics of public space, play, presence and art.

The OPEN SPACE is a kind of world café, in which these topics are publicly discussed, deepened and further reflected upon. We cordially invite interested guests to join us.

The OPEN SPACE – ART.PUBLIC SPACE.PRESENCE takes place within the framework of the Temporary School for the Development of Beautiful Gestures – a concept by Claudia Heu. The school begins in early April 2022 and is part of the four-year format Schule@Im_flieger, which combines transgenerational and transdisciplinary knowledge transfer, artistic research and production, and discourse. Under the artistic direction of performance artist Claudia Heu and theater maker Philipp J. Ehmann, the project will focus on the theme „Performative Art. Public Space. Presence“ at the intersection of art and social issues with the following selected artists: Adriana Cubidis, Jakob Egger, Ella Felber, Kim Groneweg, Magrethe Meierhofer-Lischka, Bri Schöllbauer and Joanna Zabielska. The focus is on exploring new contexts, ways of working and forms of artistic interactions in public space, as well as questioning and deepening one’s own artistic practice."