Koroška Gallery of Fine Arts Slovenj Gradec, Slovenia
10. November – 10. December 2008; further informations: http://www.necessarydiscourse.org
Curators: Jernej Kožar / Radopoggi

“Occidental World seems to suffer from Hysteria – a pathology which allows effective influence on opinion building and degenerates in consequence the consciousness of the single individual and the whole culture they / we live in. Let us find the way to reactivate our consciousness.”

Necessary Discourse on Hysteria, an exhibition of contemporary art at the Koroška Gallery of Fine Arts Slovenj Gradec, brings together the work of 10 contemporary artists, including Flatz, Timm Ulrichs & Ursula Neugebauer and Pino Poggi. The exhibition is organized by the Necessary Discourse team and will be open for public viewing until January 2009.

The Necessary Discourse (ND) is primarily an invitation for the public to react on certain, from the project-team identified and offered topic. We are doing so a larger public will get the possibility to see what art can do, how art is capable of giving new perspectives on certain issues. The ND should be comprehended in a manner where exhibiting art is understood as an invitation where one can reflect on current actualities, and that is why the discourse will be amplified with credible essays written by important individuals of a particular scientific field, which were, by the way, chosen at random.

  • ND: hysteria is an art exhibition.
  • ND :hysteria points out on the identified predicament “hysteria”.
  • ND: hysteria brings two generations of artists together.
  • ND: hysteria combines points of view of artists and scientists from other fields.
  • ND: hysteria gives the contemporary art museum an active role in the society.
  • ND: hysteria is an ongoing process, therefore we are looking forward to collect your feedback and reactions, that we think are essential in creating a relevant discourse and to legitimate its necessity.

    • Necessary Discourse on Hysteria will point out current problems of our time, which seem to be so obvious. In these times when permanent development is the only anticipated attitude, art has to set boundaries and revitalize our social consciousness.
    Artists: Viktor Bernik (SLO), Vesna Bukovec (SLO), Mukul Deora (India), Flatz (A / D), Jaša (SLO), Pino Poggi (I), Timm Ulrichs & Ursula Neugebauer (D), Julie Upmeyer (Turčija/ USA), Tanja Vujinovic (SLO), Metka Zupanič (SLO); special guests: Ciril Horjak (SLO), Polona Tratnik (SLO), Tadej Pogačar (SLO) and essayists: Simon Bryceson (GB), Dr. Peter N. Kirstein (USA), Caroline Kihato (RSA), Ursula Sladek (D), Špela Spanžel (SLO), Marko Košan (SLO).

    Referring to the general accepted concept of mental diseases, persons are defined as a sane equilibrium of four parts of personality traits: depressive, compulsive, schizophrenic and hysteric. The neurotic suffers from disequilibria regarding these four parts. That means that persons with a dominant hysteric trail have the insatiable need to be in the centre of attention. They are quickly enthusiastic, but also disappointed at the same velocity, and they tend to close their eyes regarding cruel reality.