Complex Complicities – towards antiracist feminist stages | Symposium

Complex Complicities - towards antiracist feminist stages | Symposium

Complex Complicities – towards antiracist feminist stages is a 2 day symposium collaboratively organised by UrbanApa, a Helsinki-based antiracist and feminist arts community, and MDT. Complex complicities is a small step towards creating and furthering Nordic discourse about antiracist and feminist practices in Nordic contemporary stages. Amongst other things, the symposium asks: How do we change things?

DAY 1:
Monday, 30 May 2022
13:00 – 17:00
MDT Studio 2

13:00 Welcome Remarks

13:15 Keynote by Yolanda Bohm

13:55 – 14:15 BREAK

14:15 – 15:30 Panel discussion – Intersectionality in Practice – Towards antiracist feminist horizons?
Moderated by John-Paul Zaccarini and with participants Ulrika Flink, Saadia Hussain & Marit Shrin Carolasdotter. This panel approaches the multiple and dynamic definitions and applications of intersectionality in the Swedish context. The discussion, amongst other things, explores the successes, hurdles and possibilities of intersectionality in artistic and institutional practices and spaces.

Moderated by John-Paul Zaccarini
Panelists: Ulrika Flink, Saadia Hussain & Marit Shrin Carolasdotter

15:30 – 15:45 BREAK

15:45 – 16:45 Small group discussions – Towards Antiracist Feminist Horizons?
In this part of the symposium, we invite participation through small groups discussions. Here, participants will be led through conversations that expand on the keynote and the panel discussion of the day. The topic of these discussions is ‘Towards antiracist feminist horizons?’ and will be facilitated by Mmabatho Thobejane, Sonya Lindfors, Julian Owusu and Anna Efraimsson.

16:45 – 17:00 Wrap up and goodbye.

DAY 2:
Tuesday, 31 May 2022
13:00 – 17:00
MDT Studio 2

13:00 Welcome Remarks

13:15 Keynote by Anna Adeniji – How Do We Recognize Change?
This keynote addresses change work from different levels: Change in institutions, in representation, in methods, as well as the continuous work of decolonizing the mind. Is change resistance or is it a flow? May we become complicit in resisting change in order to survive a precarious work situation? Is it even possible to change the system with “the master’s tool”, to quote Audre Lourde, and if we try, what will it cost? And last, how do we recognize change even when we are in its midst? Are we allowed to change our minds in the middle of a struggle, change direction or even rest?

13:55 – 14:15 BREAK

14:15 – 15:30 Panel discussion – Love and Critique
Day 2’s panel discussion is moderated by Samuel Girma and the participants are Ashik Zaman, Lydia Östberg Diakité & TBC. This panel underlines critique and its function in the ecology of culture. The panel approaches questioning, criticism and feedback. We are interested in contemporary ideas around criticism and the friction therein. Amongst other things, the panel asks contemporarily, can we understand and enact critique and feedback as acts of care and love?

Moderated by Samuel Girma
Panelists: Ashik Zaman, Lydia Östberg Diakité & Valerie Kyeyune Backström

15:30 – 15:45 BREAK

15:45 – 16:45 Small group discussions – Reimagining Institutions.
In this part of the symposium, we invite participation through small group discussions. Here, participants will be led through conversations that expand on the keynote and the panel discussion of the day. The topic of these discussions is ‘Reimagining Institutions’ and will be facilitated by Mmabatho Thobejane, Sonya Lindfors, Julian Owusu and Anna Efraimsson.

16:45 – 17:00 Wrap up and goodbye.