May 15, 2012, 7pm
Lecture Hall, Museum Ludwig
Bischofsgartenstr. 1, 50667 Cologne, Germany 

The promise of Europe and its eros while she was still riding the bull has completely vanished – so has the desire she was carrying inside to overcome national borders. Nowadays that the idea of a collective economy has failed tremendously, the idea of modern Europe is only a projection for not less collective swearing. It has only been serving marginally as an identification model for our art and culture producers who eagerly aim to be cosmopolitan. Even the perspective to eventually overcome the battlefield Europe could barely master to contribute to the idea of Europe.

On this background, Museum Ludwig is hosting the ‘Europa Revue’, an event in cooperation with Manifesta Foundation Amsterdam and Manifesta 9 in Genk.

In short statements and mutual talks of leading curators from the Manifesta context, acting on the European horizon, shall the cultural practice of a modern Europe be questioned and highlighted. In which respect can their experiences in the most diverse European cohesions be compared, in which respect does the idea of Europe which Manifesta has been dedicated to since its foundation, play a role at all in their current work?

Participants:
Hedwig Fijen, Director Manifesta Foundation, Amsterdam; Katerina Gregos, Co-Curator Manifesta 9, Genk, 2012, Curator of the Danish Pavilion of the Venice Biennial in 2011; René Block, Board of Manifesta (1993-97), Curator, Collector, Publisher and Galerist; Ole Bouman, Curator Manifesta 3, Ljubljana, 2000, Director NAI Rotterdam; Jota Castro, Board of Manifesta, Curator of the Dublin Contemporary and artist; Robert Fleck, Curator Manifesta 2, Luxembourg, 1998, Director Bundeskunsthalle Bonn; Kasper König, Board of Manifesta, 1994-2000, Director Museum Ludwig, Cologne; Enrico Lunghi, Board of Manifesta (1996-2000), Director MUDAM, Luxemburg; Vanessa Joan Mueller, Team Manifesta 4, Frankfurt, 2002, European Kunsthalle, Cologne.