02 Aug 2010

Destroying Public Harmony at Brukenthal National Museum

Curator: Andrei Craciun

Participants: Etcetera presents the International Errorists (AR), Rainer Ganahl (A/US), Ciprian Homorodean (RO/BE), Martin Krenn (A), Ahmet Ogut (TR/NL), Catalina Niculescu (RO/UK)

Social harmony is problematic when it comes to social responsibility and individual engagement within the community. Beyond the word's etymology and the wide range of meanings of social harmony, individual action in the community must respect all the imposed criteria, dogmas and moral standards for the input not to disturb the social well-being (dictated by the common good). Social harmony is a vast and complicated term, containing many subtexts and I find it interesting to watch the moment of entry/exit into and from a compact group of people and the way in which these disturbances modify the general character of the concept.

Destroying Public Harmony, using the apparently utopian, vague and compromised character of the concept of harmony, taking into account the diversity of assigned meanings, proposes to intervene inside a harmonious community, Sibiu, creating a platform that would debate the conditions in which the public manifests inside its community, as well as the way it is open to counter-harmony, whatever it may be, revolution, revolt, social unrest, turmoil. By destroying an apparent social harmony we don't risk anything, as citizens we have the right to rebel, revolt and avenge against the community, church, state etc.

We have interdictions, rules and standards, of course, but we no longer have provisions, we have moral feelings, but we are no longer indebted, we have made peace with Jesus, but we no longer have sermons on the duty of man and citizen. We don't live in a society where everything is permitted, but in a society of a 'moral without obligation or sanction' (Jean-Marie Guyau ).

We is not the plural of I, it isn't the result of an addition. The relationship with the other isn't reversible and is essentially unequal: 'I has always a greater responsibility than everybody else' (Emanuel Levinas). There is a war between I and the world. The world will always win. Social harmony is intangible and therefore, invincible. (Extras from the text 'Destroing Public Harmony' by Andrei Craciun, published in the publication of the exhibition).

Andrei CrÄ?ciun (b. 1988) is curator and theoretician. He studied architecture and now history of arts at University of Bucharest. His research and curatorial practice is focused on the relations between architecture, politics and the social sphere. Consequently, he is interested in areas linked to activism, gender, as well as participative architecture. Among his last curatorial projects is '100 Romanian Minutes' (Bucharest, Cluj, Iasi, Timisoara). Since 2008 he is the coordinator of PAVILION UNICREDIT - center for contemporary art & culture and he was assistant curator for BUCHAREST BIENNALE 2010. Curently is working on his new curatorial project 'Utopia of Exotic' for Pavilion, Bucharest. Living and working in Bucharest.

Project supported by PAVILION - journal for politics and culture.

All our gratitude to the artists.