Public Programme
Art Economies beyond Pattern Recognition
Saturday, 13 June 2009, 7:30pm

Osage Shanghai is pleased to present a series of public programme, organised in conjunction with the exhibition Art Economies beyond Pattern Recognition. Taking the curatorial framework as the point of departure, this series of programmes will centre on discussions of current economics in the field of culture and visual arts. Topics covered concern different sectors in the art world, from the non-profit to commercial; and different investment strategies, from independent alternative projects initiated by artists and curators to large scale investments, etc. Issues such as the changing role of non-profit organisations, and how independent artistsˇ¦ projects question the economy through an institutional approach, will also be discussed.

Conceptualised by Biljana Ciric, this series of public programmes will be carried out in several sessions. Through a combination of public forums, lectures, screenings, talks, and interactive performances, issues and concepts of alternative economies will be extensively discussed. Each session will last several hours and participants include writers, performers, artists, as well as different individuals from the creative field.

Artists are free to invite guest lecturers, other artists, curators or anyone that they think is relevant to participate in the discussions, which can be in the form of dialogue, collaborative performances, or audience interaction. This performative and spontaneous approach is an attempt at introducing new models for how art discourses can be presented, exploring different, more creative forms of presentation, and at the same time develop the artistic language, underlining the importance of articulating ideas in art making.

The first in the series of public programme looks at artist initiated projects and their strategies for survival. Since the 1970s, artists have been the main advocator of ideas. The role of artists has also changed in the last decade, involves various aspects of contemporary art making, thus increasing in complexity. Invited speakers will examine the changes in artistic strategies in the last decade, how the younger generation of artists view their artist identity, the strategies adopted by artist-run spaces and independent artist initiated projects.

This series of events aims to encourage interaction between different cultural sectors and provide a platform for the exchange of different approaches and interests. Through embracing such multidisciplinary and diverse approach to the presentation and interpretation of the arts, Osage Gallery aims to be a catalyst for the creative expression of artists and the active engagement of audiences.

Art Economies beyond Pattern Recognition, a related publication exploring ideas for a new art economy, will also be launched at the event.