KOLLAB is a series of discursive workshops, or ‘talkshops’ on collaborative art practice produced by m-cult.
The aim of the KOLLAB talkshops is to support critical discourse formation within collaborative arts by inviting practitioners to exchange perspectives on their practice, its place in society and the expectations and transactions involved.
Each talkshop includes two case studies of art projects relevant to the talkshop theme presented by their makers. An invited commentator provides critical reflection on the projects and is joined by other participants of the talkshop. The talkshop kicks off with a lunch buffet and keeps participants in shape with further refreshments.
The three first KOLLAB workshops, realised in 2015, were moderated by artists and curators from m-cult’s CAPP team. The talks were edited for publishing on the kollab web platform.
Welfare and Exploitation (May 18 – moderator Jussi Koitela) Is there an ongoing struggle between the practitioners and funders of art? What is the relation of artistic work to the notion of usefulness? How are concepts of welfare and exploitation framed in your practice? Artists talks by: Katriina Rosavaara, Pia Lindy, Ahmed Al-Nawas.
Politics of Participation (June 1 – moderator Arttu Merimaa) How is the political staged in collaborative arts? Does entering the territory of the common and the shared always require the artist to assume a political position? Artists talks by: Kaisa Salmi, Johanna Raekallio, Minna Henriksson.
Social Technologies and Art (June 10 – moderator Minna Tarkka). Do open technologies, contents and data really support a more democratic society? What happens to participation when it is mediated via technical interfaces? Artists talks by: Andy Best, Jaakko Pallasvuo & Anni Puolakka, Heidi Tikka.
Further talks were realised in 2016 and 2017:
Facilitating collaboration (24 May, 2016). With Tärähtäneet ämmät, Jouni Piekkari, Sari Karttunen.
Art and alternative social structures 1 / Commoning, sustainability and organisation (20 October, 2016). With Valentina Karga, Susanne Bosch and Freja Bäckman.
Art and alternative social structures 2 / Local activism and democracy (31 October, 2016). With Riikka Kuoppala & Thomas Martin, Mikko Lipiäinen and Emilia Palonen.
Work with/in the margins (21 September, 2017) with Partizaning, Anastasia Artemeva and the Museum of Impossible Forms.