“Your Feedback is Very Important for Us”
Russia
Moscow
2018
47
The exhibition “Your review is very important to us” delves into the evolving landscape of reader engagement with classical literature, inviting visitors to explore how expressions of opinion have transformed from the 19th century to today’s digital era. Through a compelling blend of research by philologist Anna Gerasimova and innovative works from contemporary Russian artists, the show raises thought-provoking questions about the interplay between amateur reviews and literary criticism. Viewers will experience how machine learning interprets text, engage with an audio installation that echoes voices from the past and present, and even connect Nabokov’s correspondence to modern digital discourse.
Why should you watch this?
The exhibition “Your review is very important to us” holds significant relevance in today’s digital landscape, where reader voices and online reviews have transformed the way we engage with classical literature. In an age that celebrates individual expression, the show challenges traditional hierarchies of literary criticism by emphasizing the importance of personal perspectives alongside established viewpoints. It invites us to reflect on how technology, from machine learning to social media, reshapes our interaction with texts and broadens our understanding of art and literature. By highlighting the dynamic relationship between modern readers, artists, and classical works, this exhibition not only redefines the role of the audience in literary discourse but also underscores the importance of diverse interpretations in a cultural dialogue increasingly shaped by digital platforms.
![Clemens von Wedemeyer – Mehrheiten [Majorities]](https://cloud.excours.io/film-previews/clemens-von-wedemeyer.gif "Clemens von Wedemeyer – Mehrheiten [Majorities]")
Clemens von Wedemeyer – Mehrheiten [Majorities]
Germany
Leipzig
2019
27
The exhibition critically examines the evolution of mass mobilization and crowd dynamics in both historical and contemporary contexts, drawing inspiration from Elias Canetti’s “Crowds and Power.” Set against the backdrop of the GfZK’s new architectural space, the exhibition engages with the complexities of collective action, exploring how digital public spheres shape democratic participation while simultaneously being exploited for exclusionary practices. Featuring a rich array of video installations and cinematic works, including the new production “70.001,” which reimagines the 1989 Leipzig demonstrations, “Majorities” invites reflection on the nuances of social behavior and the implications of simulated experiences in gaming and surveillance. Through this thoughtful presentation, Wedemeyer prompts us to consider the intertwining narratives of isolation and community, resonating powerfully in today’s fragmented society.
Why should you watch this?
Watching this guided tour is crucial in our current landscape marked by digital polarization and the resurgence of mass movements. As societies grapple with issues of identity, representation, and exclusion within online spaces, this exhibition offers a vital framework for understanding how crowd dynamics shape our collective psyche and political discourse. In an age where social media can amplify divisive ideologies, gaining insights into the historical and psychological underpinnings of mass mobilization is essential. The tour encourages participants to critically examine how these dynamics operate today, heightening awareness of the fine line between community engagement and manipulation. By exploring these themes, viewers are invited to reflect on their agency within the digital public sphere, making the experience not just an exploration of art and history, but also a compelling call to engage thoughtfully in the ongoing dialogue about democracy and social responsibility in our interconnected world.
Maya Schweizer – Voices
Germany
Munich
2020
43
Human perception of time often resembles a collage — fragmented and layered, shaped by memory and experience. Berlin-based artist Maya Schweizer captures this complexity through her unique language of short film. In her work, everyday spaces become carriers of memory, interweaving found footage, situational observations, and soundscapes to create immersive, multifaceted narratives. Schweizer’s art subtly explores the intricacies of cultural identity and the role individuals play as political actors, encouraging deeper reflection on how we engage with our surroundings and their embedded histories. In her solo exhibition Stimmen (Voices) at the Museum Villa Stuck, composed of 10 films spanning the past 14 years, Schweizer gives voice to those who have disappeared, recounting stories of violence, memory, and loss, particularly within the context of German history and Munich’s past. By blending personal and collective histories, her work oscillates between documentation and staged reality, using urban spaces as laboratories for examining overlapping historical layers. As viewers dive into the culture of remembrance, Schweizer uncovers new and often unsettling depths of human memory, sparking a reflection on the invisible ties between people, places, and their histories.
Why should you watch this?
BIG D@T@! BIG MON€Y!
Germany
Leipzig
2020
55
BIG D@T@! BIG MON€Y! is a bold, thought-provoking exhibition that explores the intersection of data, finance, and digitalization. Featuring seven artists and collectives, the works explore how our everyday digital footprints and the rise of cryptocurrencies are reshaping economies, identities, and power structures. Through projects like a speculative trading AI, a data-driven remake of classic art, and an analysis of the hidden infrastructure behind Amazon transactions, the exhibition sheds light on the often-invisible forces governing our digital lives. In an era of increasing surveillance and technological control, the exhibition raises critical questions about freedom, privacy, and the future of society.
Why should you watch this?
When I see the future, I close my eyes: Chapter II
Germany
Berlin
2023
45
In When I see the future, I close my eyes: Chapter II, Heba Y. Amin critically explores the intersection of colonialism, technology, and modern warfare, drawing attention to the lingering effects of these forces on contemporary society. Through installations, photography, and reconstructions, Amin revisits historical moments, such as early colonial photography and WWII landmines in Egypt, to highlight how visual and technological tools have been used to exert control and perpetuate violence. The exhibition asks us to reflect on how these past dynamics continue to shape narratives of power and oppression, urging us to confront the neocolonial tendencies of today’s technologies.
Why should you watch this?
CLUBS of the FUTURE. Common Spaces in Transitional Societies
Germany
Berlin
2024
54
CLUBS of the FUTURE explores the legacy of communal spaces, particularly the Houses of Culture across Europe and the former GDR, as it reflects on contemporary practices of collectivity and reform. Emerging from research into the 1,800 GDR Houses of Culture—two-thirds of which were closed post-reunification—the project addresses the societal gaps exploited by right-wing groups. Featuring innovative workshop formats, the exhibition includes Ina Wudtke’s video Greif zur Feder (Grab a Pen), Andrea Pichl’s Klub Zukunft (Future Club), and Ming Wong’s KONTAKTHOPE. Highlighting future-oriented projects, it also showcases garden initiatives like Katya Gardea Browne’s A Floating Garden & Exchange of Seeds, emphasizing the ongoing negotiation of shared civic spaces in times of transition. More at https://www.clubsofthefuture.net/
Why should you watch this?
GASTEV. How to Work
Russia
Moscow
2019
66
The exhibition GASTEV. How to Work examines the profound influence of Alexey Gastev, a key figure in Soviet thought and the founder of the Central Institute of Labor (CIT). Gastev’s work in the 1920s and 1930s revolutionized labor practices through his development of scientific labor organization (NOT), blending Marxist ideology with avant-garde approaches to efficiency, biomechanics, and human-machine interaction. His theories sought to transform workers into precise, efficient elements of industrial production, reflecting the broader Soviet utopian vision of reshaping society through labor. The exhibition contextualizes Gastev’s role not just as an organizer but as a visionary whose ideas on human potential and mechanization resonate with contemporary discussions on automation and the future of work. Despite his execution during the Stalin’s Great Purge/Terror, Gastev’s legacy continues to provoke thought on the relationship between labor, politics, and the shaping of the modern human.
More at http://avantgarde.center/gastev (in Russian only)