“Was ist Kritik?” (What is Critique?)

What is Critique? Touching on the legacy of the Enlightenment, that always needs to be updated and critically analyzed, this question will be discussed in relation to its central role for civil society. A critical attitude towards all assertions and realities can put us in a position to reflect on them, instead of simply believing them to be true. At the same time we have to acknowledge that a critical attitude includes affirmative traits, thus implies and presupposes affirmations that limit its critical access. Jean-Luc Nancy’s lecture “Unser Zeitalter ist nicht mehr das eigentliche Zeitalter der Kritik” (Our age is no longer the actual age of critique) marks the start of the symposium “Was ist Kritik?” (What is Critique?), which takes place on January 28, 2016 at HAU Hebbel am Ufer and on February 6 and 7 at Neuer Berliner Kunstverein, as well as on April 1 and 2 at the Zurich University of the Arts. The symposium seeks to debate the relationship of critique and affirmation from various perspectives and to discuss new theories and findings of the interdisciplinary and civil society-related question of “critique” as a prerequisite of our social order.

Concept by: Marius Babias, Christoph Schenker, Marcus Steinweg
 

Thursday, January 28, 7pm
Lecture by Jean-Luc Nancy (Prof. emer. of Philosophy, Marc Bloch University of Strasbourg, lives in Strasbourg): “Unser Zeitalter ist nicht mehr das eigentliche Zeitalter der Kritik” (Our age is no longer the actual age of critique)

Moderated by Marcus Steinweg (Philosopher, lives in Berlin)
In German

Venue: HAU Hebbel am Ufer, HAU 1, Stresemannstr. 29, 10963 Berlin
www.hebbel-am-ufer.de

Saturday, February 6, 3–7pm
Introduction by Marius Babias (Director Neuer Berliner Kunstverein)

Marcus Steinweg (Philosopher, lives in Berlin)
In German

Alenka Zupančič (Professor of Philosophy, Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Ljubljana, lives in Ljubljana)
In English

Thomas Hirschhorn (artist, lives in Paris)
In German

Eva Illouz (Professor of Sociology, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, lives in Jerusalem)
In English

Venue: Neuer Berliner Kunstverein, Chauseestraße 128/129, 10115 Berlin
Admission free
www.nbk.org

Sunday, February 7, 2–6pm
Elena Esposito (Professor of Sociology of Communication, University Modena e Reggio Emilia, lives in Modena)
In German

Sabeth Buchmann (Professor of History of Art, Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, lives in Vienna)
In German

Ann Cotten (Writer, lives in Berlin)
In German

Maxim Biller (Writer, lives in Berlin) / Claudius Seidl (Publicist, lives in Berlin and Munich)
In German

Venue: Neuer Berliner Kunstverein, Chauseestraße 128/129, 10115 Berlin
Admission free
www.nbk.org
 

Friday, April 1–Saturday, April 2
Venue: Institute for Contemporary Art Research IFCAR
Zurich University of the Arts
Pfingstweidstrasse 96, 8031 Zurich
www.zhdk.ch