L'Internationale statement in support of the decision to open "La Bestia y el soberano" (The Beast and the Sovereign)
Opening of the exhibition The Beast and the Sovereign, MACBA, Barcelona.
The current crisis In MACBA around the La Bestia y el soberano (The Beast and the Sovereign) exhibition demonstrates again how the image, provocative or even crude, is a powerful force to break open and understand the limits of representation and the pains of social discord. It is the complex craft of contemporary cultural institutions to negotiate this important force, especially in a time of political and economic crisis when tolerance is low. The diverse and conflicting effects of artworks are never black or white, but institutions cannot avoid to make binary decisions on what to show and what not. There is no protocol for making these complex choices, but the leading principle should be to strengthen the civil community in its endless exchange between majorities and minorities. L'Internationale will therefore always defend the critical imagination of art as a catalyst in strengthening the notions of participative citizenship and democracy through the civic institutions.
The new decision of MACBA to re-open the exhibition is in line with this basic ethical principle and we greatly respect and support our colleague director Bartomeu Mari for his courage to change his initial decision to allow the public to make their own judgements and enable them to articulate their opinions.
We recognize the complicated terrain our colleague had to manoeuvre and understand the initial decision to not open the exhibition as the unfortunate outcome of haste and the increased pressure on public art institutions in Europe to curtail the space for critical or unconventional positions. However, in a moment where the capacity to express critique is in such a fragile state in the world at large, the freedom to express and exchange opinions has to be defended and we cannot avoid taking risks during this defence. We therefore appreciate that our colleague has also offered his resignation to the board of MACBA after such an incident.
We cannot yet know the consequences of the events of the past days, but we are certain that the visibility that is granted to both the work and the exhibition will help us to preserve, now and in the future, the possibility of imagination as a catalyst for recognising our co-dependence and the value of lives lived in common.
Related activities
-
–MACBA
The Open Kitchen. The fermented seed, colonialism and extractivism
The MACBA Kitchen is a working group situated against the backdrop of ecosocial crisis. Participants in the group aim to highlight the importance of intuitively imagining an ecofeminist kitchen, and take a particular interest in the wisdom of individuals, projects and experiences that work with dislocated knowledge in relation to food sovereignty.
-
MACBA
The Kitchen: Workshop by Marina Monsonís
The Kitchen is a meeting place open to the participation of all, especially people and organizations that want to share their knowledge and experiences around the kitchen.
-
–MACBA
Where are the Oases?
PEI OBERT seminar
with Kader Attia, Elvira Dyangani Ose, Max Jorge Hinderer Cruz, Emily Jacir, Achille Mbembe, Sarah Nuttall and Françoise VergèsAn oasis is the potential for life in an adverse environment.
-
MACBA
Mobile Garden. A Place to Meet
An open space, a social space. How could the Museum be more open to the needs of the neighbourhood?
-
MACBA
Anti-imperialism in the 20th century and anti-imperialism today: similarities and differences
PEI OBERT seminar
Lecture by Ramón GrosfoguelIn 1956, countries that were fighting colonialism by freeing themselves from both capitalism and communism dreamed of a third path, one that did not align with or bend to the politics dictated by Washington or Moscow. They held their first conference in Bandung, Indonesia.
-
–MACBA
Song for Many Movements: Scenes of Collective Creation
An ephemeral experiment in which the ground floor of MACBA becomes a stage for encounters, conversations and shared listening.
-
–MACBA
Before We Go Down in History (we have to make a living) I. Class Composition
Two-day seminar organised by MACBA as part of Museum of the Commons and the year-long project ‘[contra]panorama’.
-
MACBA
The Open Kitchen. Map of edible tensions
with Marina Monsonís, Paisanaje and Ruralitzem
The MACBA Kitchen is a working group situated against the backdrop of ecosocial crisis. Participants in the group aim to highlight the importance of intuitively imagining an ecofeminist kitchen, and take a particular interest in the wisdom of individuals, projects and experiences that work with dislocated knowledge in relation to food sovereignty.
Related contributions and publications
-
Statement on the attack on Kakhovka Water Dam
L’Internationale ConfederationStatements and editorials -
Some Guiding Terms for Lumbung Press: Defining “publishing”
Erick BeltránlumbungSituated OrganizationsMACBAEN es -
In the Battles of Language / En las batallas del lenguaje
Marina Garcés, Silvia Rivera CusicanquiDialoguesMACBA -
Evidence, Activism And The Law in the Age of Post-Truth
Baltasar Garzón, Eyal Weizman, Yolanda Álvarez, Manuel VergaraDialoguesMACBA -
THE MUSEUM YET TO COME. Exercises of institutional imagination
Pablo MartínezHDK-ValandMACBA -
In solidarity with all the people affected by the earthquake in Turkiye and Syria
L’Internationale ConfederationStatements and editorials -
Public letter on WHW termination as directors of Kunsthalle Wien
L’Internationale ConfederationStatements and editorials -
Statement in support of documenta fifteen
L’Internationale ConfederationStatements and editorialslumbung -
Never Again War!
L’Internationale ConfederationStatements and editorialsEN es pl sl sv ca nl uk -
Statement on the dismissal of Alistair Hudson
L’Internationale ConfederationStatements and editorials -
L’Internationale Public Statement on the recent events at MACBA
L’Internationale ConfederationStatements and editorialsMACBA -
L’Internationale statement: Towards a healthy society
Statements and editorials -
Standing up for the rights of all artists to free and independent expression
L’Internationale ConfederationStatements and editorials -
Tearing Down Bridges – Turkey's Withdrawal from Creative Europe
L’Internationale ConfederationStatements and editorials -
Of Cats and Canary Birds: Statement in Support of Lunds Konsthall
L’Internationale ConfederationStatements and editorials -
How Much Austerity Can Europe Endure?
L’Internationale ConfederationStatements and editorials -
L'Internationale supports Walid Raad, Andrew Ross and Ashok Sukumaran after the recent ban on their entry to the UAE
L’Internationale ConfederationStatements and editorials -
L'Internationale statement in support of the decision to open "La Bestia y el soberano" (The Beast and the Sovereign)
L’Internationale ConfederationStatements and editorialsMACBA -
Artists for Kobanê: An online auction to benefit refugees from Kobanê
L’Internationale Online Editorial BoardStatements and editorials -
L'Internationale statement in support of MNCARS
L’Internationale ConfederationStatements and editorialsMuseo Reina SofiaEN es sl nl tr -
New online platform for research, resources and discussion
L’Internationale ConfederationStatements and editorials -
On Riots, Grief and Parties
MACBA -
Diaspora. Art Stories from Barcelona
Tania Safura Adam, Aldemar MatiasMACBA -
مقال افتتاحي: نحو دراسة جماعية في زمن الطوارئ
L’Internationale Online Editorial BoardTowards Collective Study in Times of EmergencyStatements and editorialsPast in the PresentEN es sl tr ar -
Hard Gelatin. Hidden Stories from the 80s
MACBA -
Song for Many Movements. Opening Performance Live on Radio Alhara
Jokkoo with/con Miramizu, Rasheed Jalloul & Sabine SalaméTowards Collective Study in Times of EmergencySonic CommonsPast in the PresentMACBAEN es -
Everything will stay the same if we don’t speak up
L’Internationale ConfederationTowards Collective Study in Times of EmergencyStatements and editorialsPast in the PresentSituated OrganizationsEN ca -
Live set: A Love Letter to the Global Intifada
PrecolumbianTowards Collective Study in Times of EmergencySonic CommonsPast in the PresentMACBAEN es