It is a tricky time for solidarity. The cultural techniques of togetherness are under the control of international big tech companies. Our realities today are based on technically curated offers according to our statistical identity. What gets lost is the other person, the stranger. But how can we take the initiative again to stand up for each other? How can we introduce cultural techniques to grow solidarity movements without their immediate commercialization?

In his works, Nicholas Bussmann explores collective processes and cultural techniques of communality.  Therefore, games, music & performance are the first choice of his artistic means. His works for multilingual vocal ensemble explore ways of engaging with, embracing and transforming the unfamiliar.  They are based on simple rules, so simple that anyone can memorize and learn them: they want to be copied, they actually want to be a cultural technique.  Installations take on a special position in Nicholas Bussmann's work. They are constantly renegotiable inventories, reflections on problems and questions about collective processes. They are also always in motion and changeable. For this exhibition, the installation Revolution Songs in an AI Environment for automatic piano and LED tickers, which was first shown at Taxispalais Kunsthalle Tirol in 2018, has been reworked to include another revolutionary song to mark the revolution 50th birthday in Portugal. a trap is a new installation that can be seen for the first time in Serralves.

In the context of this exhibition, Jihan El Tahri's films about Cuba's involvement in the fall of the Portuguese empire will be shown, followed by a talk about solidarity between the two artists.

29 JUN

OPENING PROGRAMME

15:30

FILM

CUBA: AN AFRICAN ODYSSEY [2007] 1h 56’

JIHAN EL-TAHRI

Casa do Cinema Manoel de Oliveira Auditorium

Document by award winning director, writer, visual artist and producer Jihan El-Tahri, depicts Cuba’s involvement in the struggle for many African countries’ independence, which resulted in an end to the colonial domination. This was one of the Cold War’s most vigorous contests over resources and ideology.

Ticket: €3 50% discount for Friends of Serralves, youth up to the age of 18, students and over-65s.

Access to the Casa do Cinema Auditorium and Chapel of Serralves Villa should be via Rua de Serralves 873, from 3pm onwards.

18:00

OPENING PERFORMANCE

NICHOLAS BUSSMANN

Chapel of Serralves Villa

19:00

TALK*

WHAT ABOUT SOLIDARITY?

JIHAN EL-TAHRI E AND NICHOLAS BUSSMANN

Casa do Cinema Manoel de Oliveira Auditorium

* In English