Out of Synchronization: Modern, Post-Modern, Neo-Feudal

blended course

What time is this that contemporary art is contemporary with? Is this simply our present pretending to be “modern”, as most believe? And if so, does this present have a clear idea of what is behind its back and what is ahead? Are we still able to clearly distinguish three dimensions of time: past, present, and future? Or, does being contemporary today means precisely the opposite—to no longer be able to orientate in a (post)historical time.
The experience of temporal disjunction has become all-pervasive. Its manifold symptoms range from those art practices which are obsessively focused on the past and a revival of archaic political conflicts to the economic and social relations that resemble pre-capitalist and pre-modern historical formations. We no longer share one single homogenous time, but rather live in different, often clashing temporalities. What was once held for a distant past is reappearing today in the midst of the present reality, or is even promised as a desirable future.
The course will focus on one aspect of this transformation, which has recently been attracting more and more attention—the emergence of so-called neo-feudalism. Detecting its traces in the contemporary cultural and art production and discussing its actual social and political manifestations will be the main task of the workshop.

Course leader

Boris Buden is a writer, cultural critic and translator. He studied philosophy in Zagreb and received his Ph.D. in Cultural Theory from Humboldt University, Berlin.

Target group

This course is designed for BA and MA students, artists, architects and researchers of visual arts, humanities and social sciences, art history and curatorial studies, architecture and design, and anyone with a keen interest in the subject area.

Course aim

The experience of temporal disjunction has become all-pervasive. The course will focus on one aspect of this transformation, which has recently been attracting more and more attention—the emergence of so-called neo-feudalism. Detecting its traces in the contemporary cultural and art production and discussing its actual social and political manifestations will be the main task of the workshop.

Credits info

2 EC
At the conclusion of each course, registered participants will be issued a certificate stating their equivalency of The European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) credits from Stacion - Center for Contemporary Art Prishtina, Kosovo and the École nationale supérieure des beaux-arts de Lyon, France.

An equivalency certificate is issued to registered participants who have demonstrated competencies to learning outcomes and associated workload certified with the equivalent ECTS credits of the curricula of the École nationale supérieure des beaux-arts de Lyon, France. Employers, colleges and other postsecondary schools can choose to accept the equivalency certificate as a substitute of ECTS credits.

Fee info

EUR 300: The total fee is 300€. The participation fee is due in full after you have successfully enrolled in the course via written confirmation from SSAS. The fee covers tuition, proceedings and certificates. This fee does not cover the cost of individually necessary materials, personal equipment, further excursions, accommodation or travel expenses. Final acceptance to the course will be confirmed only after we have confirmation of your payment in full. Bank transfer fees are to be covered by the registered participant.

Scholarships

Scholarships are available for participants from Kosovo. A limited number of scholarships are available for international participants.