ART-PRESENTATION: The 1980s Today’s Beginnings? Part II

Three new perspectives from counter-cultures of Catalonia, Turkey and Madrid – have been added to the exhibition “The 1980s. Today’s Beginnings?” Together with the presentations from the Netherlands and Great Britainl, they explore the ‘80s from different European perspectives, examining the relevance of this transformative decade for today. This collaborative project comprises a diverse mix of artworks, music, TV, graphic and archival material. (Part I).

By Efi Michalarou
Photo: Van Abbemuseum Archive

“A case study in Spanish transition” presents a picture of the social and political events during the first years of the Spanish transition. This presentation looks at a pioneering collective project that took place in the immediate aftermath of Franco’s death in 1975 and the state’s shift from a dictatorial to democratic sphere. Video-Nou/Servei de Video Comunitari used portable video equipment, initiating activist TV stations that were rooted in conceptual art practices and institutional critique. From 1978 they became focused on documenting social changes as a result of the gentrification of neighborhoods in cities across Catalonia. Their ‘video interventions’ are now a cornerstone in the understanding of the historical events and social processes during this transformative time in Spain. The Turkish contribution focuses on elements of popular culture and social movements that took hold after the military coup d’état in 1980. “How Did We Get Here?” delves into the recent past of Turkey starting from 1980, a period that introduced free market economy under military rule. This chapter gives an account of the decade, with an emphasis on Istanbul, through archival materials including magazines, photographs, and films, alongside artworks that evoke the political and cultural climate of the ‘80s. It maps the struggle of the decade, tracing the origins of the current context of Turkey through social movements and elements of popular culture. The presentation was first shown at SALT Beyoğlu and has been especially adapted for the Van Abbemuseum. The Archivo Queer? from Madrid in “Screwing the System (Madrid 1989-1995)”, documents feminist and queer activism and cultural practice in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, a time when the AIDS crisis was a pandemic. Archivo Queer? consists of an open archive with a palimpsest of images, publications, videos and writings from public performances, actions and campaigns of queer movements in Madrid in the early ‘90s, a time when the AIDS crisis was a pandemic.

Info: Curators: Teresa Grandas, Merve Elveren and Fefa Vila Núñez, Van Abbemuseum, Bilderdijklaan 10, Eindhoven, Duration: 2/7-25/9/16, Days & Hours: Tue-Wed & Fri-Sun 11:00-17:00, Thu 11:00-21:00, http://vanabbemuseum.nl