A.I.R extension #18 Reading Room #01

Parallel to the inaugural presentation of the video installation in Argos Vermeir & Heiremans presented Reading Room, a discursive platform set up in close collaboration with Extra City, Antwerp. The project was conceived as a format for knowledge production, consisting of a number of public lectures and discussions. Reading Room took place in a display feature that was developed as a performative space for reading and browsing materials, for meeting people, talking and having a drink. It presented itself as an evolving cabinet of curiosities that contained a collection of visual and textual materials from the research the artists conducted in preparation of their video project. Reading Room was designed in collaboration with the Chinese architect Ma Wen. The output of the presentations and reading groups were later integrated in an artist publication 'In-Residence Magazine' and first presented at Manifesta 9.

The program consisted of performances, screenings, lectures and book presentations by Justin Bennett, Julia Bryan-Wilson, Bert De Muynck, Liu Ding, Christine Gerrard, Luis Jacob, Carol Yinghua Lu, Daniel McClean, Cuauthemoc Medina, John McTague, and Robrecht Vanderbeeken.

The Residence (reading room)
DISCURSIVE PROGRAMME

Opening: Thursday 02.02 | 6 pm
6pm Carol Yinghua Lu (CN) & Liu Ding (CN), Little Movements, lecture
8:30pm Justin Bennett (UK), Cricket Orchestra, sound performance

Saturday 18.02 | 6-9pm
Luis Jacob (CA): Commerce by Artists, book presentation
Julia Bryan-Wilson (US), Precarious Futures, lecture

Saturday 25.02 | 6-9pm
Daniel McClean (UK): A Lawful Experiment, lecture
Robrecht Vanderbeeken (BE): Drunk on Capitalism, book presentation

Saturday 10.03 | 6-9pm
Bert De Muynck (BE): Creative City in China, lecture

Saturday 17.03 | 6-9pm

Screening Program selected by Michnea Mircan (RO)
Cuauthemoc Medina (MX): On Goethes Faust Part 2, lecture

Saturday 24.03 | 6-9pm
John McTague (UK): The South-Sea Bubble in the Press, lecture
Christine Gerrard (UK): Representing the Bubble, lecture

program content and bios of the participants: