THE OLD BRAND NEW is an English language multidisciplinary lecture series revolving around the concepts ‘old’ and ‘new’ in the arts
From January to September 2009
Stadsschouwburg Amsterdam
Leidseplein 26, Amsterdam
http://www.theoldbrandnew.nl
In the arts, the concept ‘new’ is an ideal as well as a curse. The avant-garde has been declared dead and ‘the cult of the new’ is past its peak. The pursuit of absolute originality and total innovation has given way to concepts such as remix and postproduction, eclecticism and syncretism. Is ‘new’ still permitted, how new is neo, how innovative is retro? By looking at the term ‘new’ in the light of ‘old’ subjects such as virtuosity, beauty, knowledge and entertainment, the lecture series THE OLD BRAND NEW proposes to free ‘new’ of its stale image and present it in its full complexity.
THE OLD BRAND NEW aims to gather insights, thoughts and outlooks that contribute to the understanding and interpretation of contemporary cultural forms. Thinkers and makers with backgrounds in disciplines ranging from fine art, theatre and dance to architecture, from the Netherlands and abroad, reflect from varying perspectives on an ‘old’ concept that constantly resurfaces in the arts and is thereby made anew. On each evening, two speakers will examine a particular theme in depth, followed by a discussion in an informal atmosphere moderated by cultural philosopher Karim Benammar and others. THE OLD BRAND NEW – a title in which the word ‘brand’ may be read in two different ways – does not concentrate on a single art form, but concerns culture in its broadest sense. It may thus be expected to attract an audience with wide-ranging interests.
Lectures:
New Subversion: 21 January
New Knowledge: 10 February
New Virtuosity: 24 March
New Centre: 14 April
New Idealism: 14 May
New Beauty: 22 June
What is New?: 15 September
Speakers: Marina Gržinić, Joep van Lieshout, Marianne van Kerkhoven, Sarat Maharaj, André Lepecki, Trinh T. Minh-ha, The Otolith Group: Kodwo Eshun & Anjalika Sagar, Marina Warner, Dominique Gonzalez Foerster, Dick Hebdige, Keith Sawyer and others
Initiated by: de Appel arts centre, If I Cant Dance, I Don’t Want To Be Part Of Your Revolution, Research group Art Practice and Development at the Amsterdam School of the Arts, LISA, Studium Generale of the Gerrit Rietveld Academie, DAI /Master Programme / ArtEZ Institute of the Arts and Stadsschouwburg Amsterdam.
More information: http://www.theoldbrandnew.nl or contact Hiske Zomer via [email protected] or +3120 6255651.
For more information go to: http://www.theoldbrandnew.nl
