L'Internationale statement in support of the decision to open "La Bestia y el soberano" (The Beast and the Sovereign)
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.
Stališča in mnenja, objavljena v tej rubriki, odražajo načela akademske svobode in ne odražajo nujno stališč konfederacije L'Internationale in njenih članov.
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.
-
12 Apr 2023 –14 Apr MACBAWhere 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.
-
2023 – 2024 MACBAMobile Garden. A Place to Meet
An open space, a social space. How could the Museum be more open to the needs of the neighbourhood?
-
14 Dec 2023 MACBAAnti-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.
-
10 Feb 2024 –1 Apr MACBASong 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.
-
9 Jul 2024 –10 Jul MACBABefore 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’.
-
23 Oct 2024 MACBAThe 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 Confederation11 Jun 2023 Statements and editorials -
Some Guiding Terms for Lumbung Press: Defining “publishing”
Erick Beltrán27 Apr 2023 lumbungSituated OrganizationsMACBAEN es -
In the Battles of Language / En las batallas del lenguaje
Marina Garcés, Silvia Rivera Cusicanqui20 Jun 2017 DialoguesMACBA -
Evidence, Activism And The Law in the Age of Post-Truth
Baltasar Garzón, Eyal Weizman, Yolanda Álvarez, Manuel Vergara27 Apr 2017 DialoguesMACBA -
THE MUSEUM YET TO COME. Exercises of institutional imagination
Pablo Martínez11 Jul 2019 HDK-ValandMACBA -
In solidarity with all the people affected by the earthquake in Turkiye and Syria
L’Internationale Confederation13 Feb 2023 Statements and editorials -
Public letter on WHW termination as directors of Kunsthalle Wien
L’Internationale Confederation10 Jan 2023 Statements and editorials -
Statement in support of documenta fifteen
L’Internationale Confederation27 Jul 2022 Statements and editorialslumbung -
Nikoli več vojne!
L’Internationale Confederation28 Feb 2022 Statements and editorialsEN es pl sl sv ca nl uk -
Statement on the dismissal of Alistair Hudson
L’Internationale Confederation27 Feb 2022 Statements and editorials -
L’Internationale Public Statement on the recent events at MACBA
L’Internationale Confederation21 Jul 2021 Statements and editorialsMACBA -
L’Internationale statement: Towards a healthy society
5 May 2020 Statements and editorials -
Standing up for the rights of all artists to free and independent expression
L’Internationale Confederation11 Dec 2018 Statements and editorials -
Tearing Down Bridges – Turkey's Withdrawal from Creative Europe
L’Internationale Confederation29 Sep 2016 Statements and editorials -
Of Cats and Canary Birds: Statement in Support of Lunds Konsthall
L’Internationale Confederation17 Dec 2015 Statements and editorials -
How Much Austerity Can Europe Endure?
L’Internationale Confederation4 Jul 2015 Statements and editorials -
L'Internationale supports Walid Raad, Andrew Ross and Ashok Sukumaran after the recent ban on their entry to the UAE
L’Internationale Confederation21 May 2015 Statements and editorials -
L'Internationale statement in support of the decision to open "La Bestia y el soberano" (The Beast and the Sovereign)
L’Internationale Confederation21 Mar 2015 Statements and editorialsMACBA -
Artists for Kobanê: An online auction to benefit refugees from Kobanê
L’Internationale Online Editorial Board3 Dec 2014 Statements and editorials -
Podporna izjava Internacionale Museu Reina Sofia
L’Internationale Confederation4 Nov 2014 Statements and editorialsMuseo Reina SofiaEN es sl nl tr -
New online platform for research, resources and discussion
L’Internationale Confederation17 Sep 2014 Statements and editorials -
On Riots, Grief and Parties
3 Mar 2021 MACBA -
Diaspora. Art Stories from Barcelona
Tania Safura Adam, Aldemar Matias4 Dec 2020 MACBA -
Uvodnik: Za kolektivno študijo v času izrednih razmer
L’Internationale Online Editorial Board29 Nov 2023 Towards Collective Study in Times of EmergencyStatements and editorialsPast in the PresentEN es sl tr ar -
Hard Gelatin. Hidden Stories from the 80s
2016 MACBA -
Song for Many Movements. Opening Performance Live on Radio Alhara
Jokkoo with/con Miramizu, Rasheed Jalloul & Sabine Salamé23 Feb 2024 Towards Collective Study in Times of EmergencySonic CommonsPast in the PresentMACBAEN es -
Everything will stay the same if we don’t speak up
L’Internationale Confederation17 Apr 2024 Towards Collective Study in Times of EmergencyStatements and editorialsPast in the PresentSituated OrganizationsEN ca -
Live set: A Love Letter to the Global Intifada
Precolombian13 Jun 2024 Towards Collective Study in Times of EmergencySonic CommonsPast in the PresentMACBAEN es