Under (de)Construction presents a collection of writings based on the conference Under Construction – a Nordic Conference on Cultural Diversity held in Helsinki in October 2001, organised by the Nordic Institute of Contemporary Art. Artists, curators, institution leaders and researchers from the field of internationalism in the visual and performing arts explore a wide range of issues related to globalisation, displacement, mobility, cultural identity, radical democracy, activism and aesthetic discourse. The contributors treat multiculturalism and the history of the multicultural discourse of arts, Western modernity and liberal democracy with a healthy criticism, questioning the blithe laxities of post-modern relativism. Various writers are sharing with us their personal experience of multiculturalism, and their visions on the shift of moral judgements.

In a world that is based on trans-national global techno- and financial capitalism, set alongside a liberal democracy environment for artists, the position of museums and art institutions has considerably shifted since the early years of internationalism in the arts. The contributors emphasise the new challenges faced by the changing Nordic surroundings, rethinking existent liberal democracy and the notion of radical democracy.

Contributors Rasheed Araeen, Bülent Diken, Gavin Jantjes, Thomas McEvilley, Simon Sheikh, Pilar Villela and Shabana Rehman amongst others.

The conference was organised by the Nordic Institute for Contemporary Art (NIFCA), in collaboration with the Nordic Council of Ministers, the Finnish Ministry of Education, and Nordic Theatre and Dance (TODIN).

www.norden.org
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