DREAMSTATE by George Peck, HU Berlin


DREAMSTATE
a multimedia installation by George Peck
1.10. – 24.10. 2013
Juristische Fakultät der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

opening the 30.09.2013 from 7.30 pm to 10 pm
Panel discussion from 6 – 7.30 pm

George Pecks multimedia installation DREAMSTATE is inspired by the judicious and peaceful transition from an authoritarian political system to a democratic one that began in Hungary after 1989, a pivotal year internationally. Peck’s message in this work is extraordinarily timely as beleaguered countries such as Egypt and Syria struggle to make similar profound but difficult transitions. Despite current reversals in hijacked democratic states by newly risen autocrats in countries such as Hungary, the Czech Republic, Romania, Turkey and Russia, there is the belief that this process which occurred after 1989 in Hungary will not disappear from earth, that such transitions will not become dreams, but realities.

The panel discussion will address the process of democratization in Hungary and the following questions concerning the historical events of 1989-90: How did this peaceful transition fulfil the hopes and aspirations of the Hungarian people, and where does Hungary stand more than twenty years later? What does democratization mean, not only politically but intellectually, psychologically, culturally, and economically? How does this bloodless revolution stand as precedence for other countries in reformation? In conclusion, and making a link to the exhibition: At times when radical change is taking place, what is the artist’s role in short-term politics?

The participants are: Prof. Lutz Götze (member of the PEN-Zentrum Germany), Sergey Lagodinsky (Head of EU/ North America Department, Heinrich Böll Stiftung), Attila Mong (journalist), Clemens Schöll (Director of the exchange program for journalists in Central and Eastern Europe „Medien – Mittler zwischen den Völkern“), Ágnes Szabó (independent journalist), Adele Eisenstein (independent curator) and the artist George Peck. Moderated by Dr. Susanne Stemmler (visiting professor at the UdK, Berlin).

Curated by Katia Hermann
Intern: Marlene Schröder

mo-fr 9 am to 9 pm
sat 9 am to 5 pm
Sundays & Holidays closed
admission free

Juristische Fakultät der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Bebelplatz 2
10117 Berlin

More informations: www.georgepeck.net
In collaboration with the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, ciné+, Zitty Berlin, and Berlin Collective.

Video documentation of the 30.09.2013:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fj_chRQK48

Press:

http://www.hu-berlin.de/service/veranstaltungen/veranstaltungen_neu?stat=show&vk_id=2151
http://www.artconnectberlin.com/?utf8=✓&search=Dreamstate
http://www.zitty.de/dreamstate.html
http://www.tip-berlin.de/node/477919
http://www.kulturserver-berlin.de
http://www.creative-city-berlin.de/de/events/
http://berlincollective.de/exhibits
http://idw-online.de/pages/de/news553437
http://www.berlin-sciences.com/aktuelles/nachrichten-des-idw/?no_cache=1&cHash=9ce0c28767&tx_bsc_preview_pressnews_dynamic%5Bpointer%5D=2
http://www.touristen-information.de/service.html?event_datetime=1&event_category=8080&event_region=20&event_city=&submit=suchen&mode=paging&block=3
http://www.pressrelations.de/new/standard/result_main.cfm?pfach=1&n_firmanr_=115903&sektor=pm&detail=1&r=545792&sid=&aktion=jour_pm&quelle=0

photography © Roman Heller
photography © Olad Aden