art-e-conomy _ reader - marko stamenkovic

The current reality of contemporary art curatorship emerges from the selective
principles imposed by power systems and their respective institutions. One may however
pose the following question: what makes the contemporary global art world different
from what the art world used to be before? And what keeps this world united and
still unified beside all the differences that separate one art scene from another? The
ultimate question to be raised, in respect to the way that global culture imperialism
functions, is: What has the contemporary political re-designing of the European map
contributed to a new interpellation of particular marginalized cultures into the subjects
of defined cultural micro-systems? I believe that my approach toward the issue of
curating (art exhibitions as well as art discourses) in the context of globalization
today, in 2007, must revolve around the cultural implications of European (EU)
enlargement. Why is it so? One of the possible interpretations of this draws upon
the most actual political, social, and economic situation on the European continent,
and accentuates the proposed cooperative and communicative side of international
cultural action. Let me refer to the official discourse as proposed by Manifesto for
Cultural Cooperation with South East Europe (Amsterdam, 2003):
“Culture, having a major role to play in building Europe, has a crucial role in creating
a new space for dialogue and interaction both within different European regions and
between a particular region and the EU. It is considered to be the powerful driving force
in countering prejudice and reconciling differences, and thus enabling citizens to cope
with complex environments. In order to establish the firm platform for mutual cultural
cooperation between the countries of non-EU regions and the rest of Europe, it is inevitable
to state the importance of culture being more prominent on Europe’s political agenda.
The 2004 enlargement of the European Union presents, in that sense, new challenges
and opportunities to European countries not being part of the Union. Taking into account
that these countries, the neighbouring territory of the European Union, already belong to
the common European cultural space, it is now important to acknowledge their cultural
contexts, vitality and diversity, and their common ground for official cultural cooperation
with Europe, in terms of their appropriation of all necessary legitimate standards concerning
relevant cultural issues.” [8]
How to respond to such a (politically correct) challenge? In the field of contemporary
art, a new curatorial discourse could contribute to the harmonization of Europe’s
diverse art systems on the basis of professional standards which should be laid down
within each and every particular art institution taking part in it. Its overall aim would
be to encourage the establishment and development of progressive collaborative
art networks and procedures at local, national, regional, inter- and trans-regional
level, and to promote respect for the principles of an internationally regulated art
system.
On the other hand, being aware of the imperative for particular artistic space to
become integrated into regional and broader European contexts, a special emphasis
is to be placed on the term “European” because there is an increasingly strong
tendency in many parts of Europe to strive for a unified European artistic space
within the overall present and future global society. As proposed by Belgrade-based
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