If I Can't Dance, I Don't Want To Be Part Of Your Revolution Edition III "Masquerade"
27 Sep - 09 Nov 2008
© Olivier Foulon "The Soliloqui of the Broom", 2008, co-produced by If I Can't Dance... and Kölnischer Kunstverein, 16 mm film, 8 min, courtesy the artist (Gustave Courbet "Jo, La Belle Irlandaise", 1865-66. Courtsey H. O. Havemeyer Collection
If I Can’t Dance, I Don’t Want To Be Part Of Your RevolutionEdition III – “Masquerade”
Keren Cytter (IL, 1977), Jon Mikel Euba (ES, 1967), OlivierFoulon (BE, 1976), Suchan Kinoshita (JP, 1960), Joachim Koester (DK/US,1962), Sarah Pierce (US/IE, 1968) and Stefanie Seibold (DE, 1967)Curators: Frederique Bergholtz (NL) and Annie Fletcher (IE/NL)In 2006, de Appel formed a long-term partnership with If I Can’t Dance,I Don’t Want To Be Part Of Your Revolution, a travelling platform forperformance-related practices in the visual arts. ‘If I Can’t Dance...’, afamous statement attributed to the anarchist Emma Goldman, typifies theunique capacity of art to make political and critical statements aboutthe world while also celebrating that same world. With this ongoingcollaboration, de Appel refers indirectly to its own roots (1975-1983,under director Wies Smals) and to the fact that notions like ‘theperformative’ and feminism continue to play an important part in deAppel’s programme.In 2006, the close relation between If I Can’t Dance... and de Appelresulted in an exhibition, a performance weekend and a symposium. Theseactivities explored the energy and intellectual perspectives of feminism(or feminisms) as studied in contemporary art practice.In 2008-2010 during the third edition If I Can’t Dance, I Don’t Want ToBe Part Of Your Revolution embraces the theme of ‘Masquerade’. Theexploration of this theme may be seen as an extension of earlierresearch conducted by If I Can’t Dance... into theatricality (Edition I,2005) and into the heritage and potential of feminism (Edition II, 2006-2007). In Edition III – “Masquerade”, which consists of a prologue andfour episodes, If I Can’t Dance... aims to investigate, together withartists and other mediators, how we handle ideas about identity andpublic space today.Edition III lasts two years, during which period it will examine thetheme from different perspectives and present it for consideration atdifferent moments in the context of institutions in several cities.Following the prologue at the Overgaden arts centre in Copenhagen inAugust 2008, episode 1 will take place in de Appel in the form of anexhibition, an archival presentation and a performance programme. Thisproject will touch on subaspects of the main theme, such as rituals,gestures, normalized as opposed to transgressive behaviour, covert asopposed to manifest action and differing approaches to role playing,power positions and appearances. For episode 1 in de Appel, artistStefanie Seibold will present a selection of de Appel’s archive incollaboration with de Appel’s librian Nell Donkers, showing positionsand projects in relation to the notion of the masquerade from deAppel’s legacy.The project will have a sequel in the form of episode 2 this winter inSala Rekalde (Bilbao) and episode 3 in Project Arts Centre (Dublin) inthe spring of 2009. The fourth and final episode will take place at theVan Abbemuseum (Eindhoven) in winter 2009/2010. Collaborating closelywith the artists Keren Cytter, Jon Mikel Euba, Olivier Foulon, SuchanKinoshita, Joachim Koester and Sarah Pierce, If I Can’t Dance... willinvestigate the Masquerade theme, and help develop new works by theseartists which will be presented in the above-mentioned institutes atvarious moments during the two years of the project.If I Can’t Dance... Edition III – “Masquerade” is supported by financialcontributions from the European Union, the Mondriaan Foundation, TheNetherlands Foundation for Visual Arts, Design and Architecture, thePrince Bernhard Culture Fund, the Municipality of Amsterdam, the DutchMinistry of Education, Culture and Science and the SNS Reaal Fund.
Keren Cytter (IL, 1977), Jon Mikel Euba (ES, 1967), OlivierFoulon (BE, 1976), Suchan Kinoshita (JP, 1960), Joachim Koester (DK/US,1962), Sarah Pierce (US/IE, 1968) and Stefanie Seibold (DE, 1967)Curators: Frederique Bergholtz (NL) and Annie Fletcher (IE/NL)In 2006, de Appel formed a long-term partnership with If I Can’t Dance,I Don’t Want To Be Part Of Your Revolution, a travelling platform forperformance-related practices in the visual arts. ‘If I Can’t Dance...’, afamous statement attributed to the anarchist Emma Goldman, typifies theunique capacity of art to make political and critical statements aboutthe world while also celebrating that same world. With this ongoingcollaboration, de Appel refers indirectly to its own roots (1975-1983,under director Wies Smals) and to the fact that notions like ‘theperformative’ and feminism continue to play an important part in deAppel’s programme.In 2006, the close relation between If I Can’t Dance... and de Appelresulted in an exhibition, a performance weekend and a symposium. Theseactivities explored the energy and intellectual perspectives of feminism(or feminisms) as studied in contemporary art practice.In 2008-2010 during the third edition If I Can’t Dance, I Don’t Want ToBe Part Of Your Revolution embraces the theme of ‘Masquerade’. Theexploration of this theme may be seen as an extension of earlierresearch conducted by If I Can’t Dance... into theatricality (Edition I,2005) and into the heritage and potential of feminism (Edition II, 2006-2007). In Edition III – “Masquerade”, which consists of a prologue andfour episodes, If I Can’t Dance... aims to investigate, together withartists and other mediators, how we handle ideas about identity andpublic space today.Edition III lasts two years, during which period it will examine thetheme from different perspectives and present it for consideration atdifferent moments in the context of institutions in several cities.Following the prologue at the Overgaden arts centre in Copenhagen inAugust 2008, episode 1 will take place in de Appel in the form of anexhibition, an archival presentation and a performance programme. Thisproject will touch on subaspects of the main theme, such as rituals,gestures, normalized as opposed to transgressive behaviour, covert asopposed to manifest action and differing approaches to role playing,power positions and appearances. For episode 1 in de Appel, artistStefanie Seibold will present a selection of de Appel’s archive incollaboration with de Appel’s librian Nell Donkers, showing positionsand projects in relation to the notion of the masquerade from deAppel’s legacy.The project will have a sequel in the form of episode 2 this winter inSala Rekalde (Bilbao) and episode 3 in Project Arts Centre (Dublin) inthe spring of 2009. The fourth and final episode will take place at theVan Abbemuseum (Eindhoven) in winter 2009/2010. Collaborating closelywith the artists Keren Cytter, Jon Mikel Euba, Olivier Foulon, SuchanKinoshita, Joachim Koester and Sarah Pierce, If I Can’t Dance... willinvestigate the Masquerade theme, and help develop new works by theseartists which will be presented in the above-mentioned institutes atvarious moments during the two years of the project.If I Can’t Dance... Edition III – “Masquerade” is supported by financialcontributions from the European Union, the Mondriaan Foundation, TheNetherlands Foundation for Visual Arts, Design and Architecture, thePrince Bernhard Culture Fund, the Municipality of Amsterdam, the DutchMinistry of Education, Culture and Science and the SNS Reaal Fund.