The necessity to look inside the institution here at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna emerges from this perspective: the phrase “diversity” is coined without the responsibility to take care of the complex dynamics existing in-between all the diversities and conditions established by these relations. As a result, we are time to time faced with moments of confusion, awkwardness, and bashfulness—moments of abrasion inflicting pain while disciplining us into a numbness.
In order to unlearn and refresh ourselves from such an environment, the department of political&antiracism and the department of art and (counter)culture would like to host institution-wide regular meetings within the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. The meetings are to discuss the topic of racism and will be held once a month. Within this topic, the main focus would be to formulate a manual, a toolkit that can give us an insight or a direction on how to respond and react. It is to be made clear this is not only for those of us who are thought to be directly affected. Rather, this is pointing towards an awareness that as long as we are inside the same institution, we are all in this together.
An annual zine is expected as an outcome of the meetings as well as an online archive platform.
We aim to co-create and expand safe space + toolkit for all of us. Looking forward to seeing you!