On Micropolitics

The lecture and discussion series Micropolitics was launched late in 2005 with the aim of presenting artworks to a wider social community, as well as curatorial positions and art institutions that insist on the democratic models of production and representation. In a climate still dominated by art that is insensitive to the social circumstances in which it has been created and focuses narrowly on professional audiences, Micropolitics offers room for a reflection and valorization of those artworks that communicate specific social and political issues. Such artworks are often a result of collective work, synergy between artistic strategies and various scientific methodologies or insights, but also activist movements, often with active audience participation. In formats ranging from lectures, discussions, and screenings to essay collections and thematic issues of scholarly journals, we seek to introduce new theoretical instruments and to broaden the discussion, as well as to re-examine some of the universally accepted postulates (such as the autonomy of art, the political character of art, the process-product dichotomy, participation, and so on) by using a different modality of discussion. At the time when austerity measures are oppressing art institutions particularly heavily, pushing them into a complete commodification of services and resources, it seems that making the field sensitive for systemic insights has become the only way to preserve them. Since 2013, we have been placing a special emphasis on workshops for students, since there is a chronic lack of opportunities where they could become acquainted with critical and engaged practices, which is why Micropolitics often complement university programmes. The programme also includes publishing activity.

Editor:  Vesna Vuković