[the second tentative draft of project intentions for the “Not Sheep” exhibition:]

Intentions for the “Not Sheep” exhibition at Artspeak gallery, Vancouver, May 2006

As a basis for our contribution to the “Not Sheep” project, we will use the knowledge and experience we have gained during our brief (now prematurely ended) involvement in a so-called public art project in Vienna, which will be realized this summer in the 2nd district of the city (without our participation). We had developed a proposal for this exhibition project, which in the end was rejected by the project organizers and curators. This experience made us realize again how language (spoken, written, visual) is appropriated to push discourses of spatial, social and economic exclusion in contemporary (neo-liberal) city development in Vienna. Thus we were once again faced with the question of the role(s) of art(ists) and cultural industries in such processes.

Taking this process as a starting point, we are developing a critical approach to these discourses. While making an analysis of uses of certain words, terms, images and symbols, we are simultaneously developing our own language, understanding, definitions when we communicate about these issues.

This process of understanding, analysis, critical response and questioning is what we want to present in the context of “Not Sheep”.

//students of the class of post-conceptual art practices, art academy vienna//