I'm not trying to make magic of some kind that would impress an audience as to how the work is created. There are no secrets. The philosophical or psychological question here is how, as an artist, I give myself the authority to make art.
Hassan Sharif
There is no novelty that is wholly novel. There’re always antecedent conditions.
Cornel West (in his Masterclass)
Die Idee kommt beim Sprechen
Kleist
(Über das allmähliche Verfertigen der Gedanken beim Reden)
The idea for the workshop talks has developed over a long time. They have grown out of the simple desire to make art and art-making accessible and a comprehensive experience. Above all, they are meant to be an invitation to participate 'at eye level'.
When we make art, and I am talking about art that can withstand philosophy and love of wisdom, we leave a fingerprint of ourselves and our relationship to the world. We express what questions we ask and what "things" we touch. (I borrowed the word fingerprint from Cornel West). With the means of art, we examine what defines us, what we think and feel and what makes us distinctive and unique without underestimating or losing sight of the connection to the greater whole. It is simply about our humanity and the conditions that arise from it.
Humanity comes from the Latin word humando, which means to bury and to bury. It is connected to the humility of being on the earth, of being connected to the earth, and to humility - an honest and fearless recognition of the fact that forces are coming at us over which we have no control. (Cornel West in his Masterclass)
The gradual making of things while making and the gradual fabricating of thoughts while talking is a perfect combination and invitation to get to know oneself and others and to touch with our hands the earthly stuff and talk about things that matter. It is also about commonality and sharing of experiences and time - community building.
MACHEN - Susan Donath & Vroni Schwegler, MACHEN Nicoleta Danila & Carolin Kropff were supported by the Kulturamt Frankfurt and the Frauenreferat Frankfurt.
jourUNfixe 1 and 2 and MACHEN 3 were supported by the Hessische Kulturstiftung - Brückenstipendium.
