Democracy and Peace on the Street: COMRADE CONRADE
Book presentation and talk as part of the series Wer A… sagt .
COMRADE CONRADE was an interdisciplinary art, research and peace project commemorating the centenary of the beginnings of the democratic state of Austria in the outskirts of Graz.
A loose network of individuals, associations, and institutions examined the state of democracy and peace on the street between 2016 and 2019 using Conrad-von-Hötzendorf-Straße as an example. Conrad-von-Hötzendorf-Straße is a drop-out road. On the one hand, the street is relevant due to the high density of both institutions important for democratic politics and popular landmarks. On the other hand, the street has recurrently become the focus of attention because of its naming after the controversial k. u. k. Field Marshal Franz Conrad von Hötzendorf.
What does historiography through signs of public space look like today? How do we imagine a future together? Where in the urban realm are all the female names, for example? And what has changed in this street in the meantime?
Comprising texts by thirty-four authors, the anthology edited by Nicole Pruckermayr sheds lights on the street from the most diverse perspectives such as memory culture, intersectionality, urban anthropology, and contemporary art.
The artist Ruby Sirca r, the artist, initiator and curator Nicole Pruckermay r, the graphic designer Christian Hoffelner , and the graphic designer Alexandra Möllne r discuss the project, its approaches, street namings, monument overthrows and the role of art and design for socio-political processes.
Nicole Pruckermayr, ed.
Demokratie und Frieden auf der Straße: Comrade Conrade. Ein Kunst-, Forschungs- und Friedensprojekt in Graz 2016–2019 .
Hardcover, 256 pages (ISBN 978-3-902542-79-3), CLIO : Graz 2019
Euro 21,00
Project homepage: https://comradeconrade.mur.at
Links to pages of the discussants:
http://www.gegensprechanlage.at/category/ruby-sircar/
https://nap.umlaeute.mur.at
http://www.ch-studio.net/
Illustration notes
WAR IS OVER ─ A performance by Eva Ursprung on the roof of Pizzeria Georgi in Graz during the opening tour of the project "Comrade Conrade. Democracy and Peace on the Street" (2019)
The project WAR IS OVER refers to the absence of war - in the knowledge of the constant presence of war. Even though this one is showing its evil face in other places of the world at the moment, it does not mean that this part of the world is not involved. Almost 50 years after John Lennon & Yoko Ono's WAR IS OVER! (If You Want It) campaign, the question of individual attitudes toward conflict is still a crucial one, because as long as people have the idea that they have no power, they have no power. Nevertheless, it is not just a matter of the individual. The role of the media, which have the ability to fuel escalating situations as well as to pacify them, plays just as important a role as the attitude of alliances of states. The performance plays with located effective power and the letters shine as question and statement at the same time.
The art project was in two parts. The performance was followed by a neon sign installation at Conrad-von-Hötzendorf-Straße 116 in Graz.
Limited number of participants, registration required under: bibevents@akbild.ac.at .
Please comply with the 2.5G rule and the FFP2 mask requirement. More information on the protective measures in place at the Academy can be found here: COVID-19 Guidelines .