Crit Cross #9

For the last Crit Cross in 2019, Verein K is back at Depot, has a guest from Hong Kong and hosts a party. We have a lot to celebrate: Not only is it Friday the 13th - Verein K also turns 2!

Our guest, Stephanie Bailey, based in Hong Kong and Berlin, is the editor in chief in Ocula. She also writes regularly for Artforum International, Art Monthly, Yishu Journal of Contemporary Chinese Art, Art Papers, LEAP and D’ivan, A Journal of Accounts. Bailey will tell us about her work as a writer and editor, her relationship to art, what she tries to achieve in her own texts and what she looks for in those of others.

Because Crit Cross. A Forum on Art Criticism is a forum where we usually take time to read before we discuss, we asked Bailey for texts reflecting her practice and she generously invited us to weigh in on her debate with Morgan Quaintance about the politicality of art criticism that had three chapters: her review, its critique by Quaintance and Bailey’s reply.
Klaus Speidel, art and image theorist and art critic as well as co-founder of Verein K, will facilitate the discussion.

There are three pieces:

-> Athens: Future Past, Stephanie’s review of the Athens Biennale, Art Monthly, April 2019
http://verein-k.net/wp/stephanie-bailey/

-> Quaintance’s critique of Bailey’s take and her response https://www.artmonthly.co.uk/magazine/site/article/call-response-by-morgan-quaintance-and-stephanie-bailey-may-2019

After the dialogue and the discussion, we will hold a party to celebrate the end of the year and Verein K’s two years of existence. In these two years, we’ve organized 2 residency programs for international curators, 2 residency programs for international art critics and 9 Crit Cross events, brought together over 20 art critics and 23 curators, organized visits with 65 artists, and many theorists and other art professionals, toured institutions, off-spaces and galleries and organized 12 public conversations and talks.

About Crit Cross:
Crit Cross. A Forum on Art Criticism is an open discussion group of current writing about art. It aims at creating a platform for the sustainable promotion of art- and sociocritical dialogue as well as art-related topics in Vienna. The premise of the project is that art texts are part of a social discourse, which also lives from direct exchange and that critical reflections on art and society are essential at a time when art is under pressure of justification in the face of shrinking resources and political change. In each session, texts from international and national art magazines are selected, prepared and discussed. Twice a year, international critics are invited to put their own texts up for discussion to allow for a direct exchange with international representatives of art criticism in Vienna. The events take place in different art and cultural institutions in Vienna (Belvedere 21, Depot, Kunsthalle Wien, mumok).