[ 4 December 2015 14:00 - 00:00 ]
Exit GEMAK: All Art is Political
GEMAK has to close (click here to find out about the reasons why) and therefore organizes its final event on Friday 4 December 2015, a farewell in the spirit and ambition of GEMAK (and the Vrije Academie Foundation) focusing on artistic practice, experiment, diversity in art disciplines and the connection between art, society and politics.
We hope to make it a special and memorable farewell event including a one-day exhibition (open from 2 pm), performances, a special publication and a farewell party that coincides with the 43rd edition of Hoogtij, for which GEMAK always functioned as starting point. In this way we will say goodbye, together with the artistic field and accessible to all; as always with an open mind and an inquisitive attitude towards art and artistic practice and their relationship to the world around us.
EXHIBITION (open from 2 pm till midnight)
Participating artists:
Philip Akkerman, Siamak Anvari, Ehsan Behmanesh & Arefeh Riahi, Justin Bennett, Harold de Bree, Paul Bruininckx, Claudie de Cleen, Nicole Donkers, Laura van Eeden, B.C. Epker, Melissa Cruz Garcia, Anne Geene, Hannah Dawn Henderson. Jonquil, André Kruysen, Dana LaMonda, ligteringen/derooij, Euf Lindeboom, LUSTlab, Sylvain Mazas, Marjolijn van der Meij, Andries Micke, Ingrid Mol, Pendar Nabipour, Nishiko, POTL- Hans Demoed & Geert de Rooij, Arjan de Nooy, Zeger Reyers, Pascal Schilp, Petra van der Schoot, Philip Schuette, Willem Spekenbrink, Yvo van der Vat, Pim Voorneman, Teun Voeten, René Vullings, Lenny Waasdorp, Mark de Weijer, Wouter Willebrands, Jean van Wijk, Gerjanne & Marijke van Zuilen.
DEBATE (4 – 6 pm)
A public debate (in Dutch) on the position and future of art spaces and the (vulnerable) diversity within the artistic field, with journalist/art critic Koen Kleijn (moderator); Arno van Roosmalen, chairman of De Zaak Nu & director of STROOM Den Haag; Birgit Donker, director of the Mondriaan Fund, artist & curator Bianca Runge of Willem 3, Vlissingen (an artspace that also had to announce its closure); Niels Post, artist and contributor of Trendbeheer; Irene de Craen, director of Mariakapel & member of the board at Platform BK, and Joris Wijsmuller, The Hague’s alderman for Urban Development, Public Housing, Sustainability and Culture.
After the debate, Cissie Fu, Assistant Professor of Political Theory, Leiden University and initiator of PAI (Political Art Initiative), will provide a short, evocative statement about diversity in the arts in The Netherlands and abroad and give recommendations for a different approach based on mutual trust between the arts and the government/society.
From 6 pm GEMAK will serve the traditional, free Hoogtij soup for the last time ever. The evening will continue with a varied program with artistic and musical performances by, among others, Oerknal! and Ilya Ziblat & Roberto Garreton.
From 10 pm, Wout de Vringer, GEMAK’s graphic designer, will perform as a disc jockey and play danceable music.
You are very welcome to join us!
