[spectre] Contrapolis; or, Creativity and Enclosure in the Cities

[Marina Vishmidt]

“Contrapolis; or, Creativity and Enclosure in the Cities”

Rotterdam, 26-27 March 2008
http://www.enoughroomforspace.org/projects/view/15

Jan van Eyck Academie: http:www.janvaneyck.nl <www.janvaneyck.nl>
NAi www.nai.nl
Poortgebouw www.poortgebouw.nl
Rotterdam http://www.cntraveller.com/Guides/Netherlands/Rotterdam/

How is the contemporary urban experience defined, delimited and 
transfigured by 'creative city' policies and the 'experience economy'? 
Are there distinctions to be made between the 'creativity' of capital 
and the 'creativity' of inhabitants of cities who resist displacement 
and the re-packaging of global cities as sites of elite consumption, 
mobility and security? Using concepts drawn from recent political 
philosophy and radical history such as 'commons' and 'enclosures', 
Contrapolis will address these and other related themes, such as 
privatisation of social housing, public space praxis, community action, 
the Olympics, and art within and against gentrification.

The two days will consist of workshops, walks, an exhibition and a 
public debate.

Debate, NAi, 27/3: with Merijn Oudenampsen, Damon Rich/CUP, Pier 
Vittorio Aureli, Urban Subjects, Peter Blakeney and Christine Schoeffer, 
Anthony Iles, Daniel van der Velden, Loïc Wacquant and Haegue Yang.

Exhibition, NAi, 26/3 - 29/3: Maria Eichhorn, Anja Kirschner, Spectacle, 
Claire Fontaine, CUP, Haegue Yang, Urban Subjects and Alessandra Chila.

Workshops, Poortgebouw, 26/3 and 27/3: the three workshops will be 
moderated by Merijn Oudenampsen, Maria Theodorou, Marina Vishmidt and 
Diana Ibanez Lopez, with presentations from Merijn Oudenampsen, Maria 
Theodorou, Anthony Iles and Sitesize.

Walks in Nieuwe Crooswijk, Delfshaven, Heijplaat and/or Zuid, 26/3 and 
27/3: guided by Andreas Mueller, Marjolijn Dijkman, Menno Janssen and 
Krijn Christiansen.

An accompanying brochure includes essays from participants - Merijn 
Oudenampsen, Jeff Derksen, Loïc Wacquant, Anthony Iles, Poortgebouw and 
Iain Boal -as well as other relevant authors like Neil Smith and Wim 
Cuyvers and images from Anthony Iles/Max Reeves, Savage Messiah and 
Alessandra Chila. Online sources, when especially symptomatic or 
edifying, have also been included. Concept and design praxis by Metahaven.

Website hosting by Enough Room for Space.

Contrapolis is initiated and organised by Marina Vishmidt, in 
cooperation with the Jan van Eyck Academie, the NAi and the Poortgebouw.