Bringing together essential voices from artists’ initiatives, past and present, Quartair will host an event to consider the enduring influence of artist-run spaces in the Netherlands. The event merges three causes to celebrate: the launch of the two latest issues of Kunstlicht, which consider the means by which artists subvert and demystify power structures; the launch of an online publication series with Platform BK that will feature articles that delve into the history of artist-run spaces in the Netherlands from the 1980s/90s; and the 25th anniversary of Quartair, an artists’ initiative that has itself been subverting conventions since 1992. At the crux of the event is the significance of the artists’ initiative as a space for unmitigated expression.

With short lectures by:
Angela M. Bartholomew (art historian, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, editor of Kunstlicht),
Eva Fotiadi (art historian, UvA & AKV | St Joost)
Jack Segbars (artist, critic, co-founder of Platform BK)
Marjolein van den Ven (co-founder Kunstvlaai)

With a moderated discussion between influential figures from artists’ initiatives of the 1980s and 1990s and the present.

At 22:30 the notorious Dick El Demasiado will end the night with a musical performance. ¡Cumbias Lunáticas!

This event has been organized by Quartair (www.quartair.nl) and Angela M. Bartholomew, in collaboration with Tijdschrift Kunstlicht (http://tijdschriftkunstlicht.nl/) and Platform Beeldende Kunst.

Friday September 8, 2017, 19 – 24 hrs at Quartair, Contemporary Art Initiatives, Toussaintkade 55 Den Haag