Wiels | EN

WIELS gathers different practices in a recurring series of encounters hinged on a central concern – in this case: sovereignty. This world making concept has, over time, encompassed a multitude of political constructs rooted in the Enlightenment, such as the will of the people, self-determination or supreme authority over nation-states.

Thinking through different forms of sovereignty today often results in the creation of a binary separation: internal/external, own/foreign, self/other. In dividing territories, people and cultures, allegiances have been forged under the banner of an imperial sovereignty

Neo-liberal individualism, global information capitalism and transnational migration have set in motion the erosion of sovereignty into an ethno-nationalist tribalism as witnessed in recent developments such as Brexit, new authoritarianism, and the outrage against COVID - 19 measures. The people’s deference to state authority has been hollowed out by the “judicial state of exception” wielded by increasingly desperate governments.

The notion of sovereignty faces a barrage of challenges: there is a growing urgency to rethink or reclaim the term, to trace the slippages and see where they lead us.

WIELS welcomes you to different practices addressing this charged concept, such as a book report by Sven Lütticken, a conversational performance by Ndayé Kouagou and a poignant durational gesture by Ula Sickle. In between these moments, we invite you to meet the artists in residence and strike up a conversation on their practice and research.

Programme:

16:00 – 16:45: Book Report by Sven Lütticken (lecture in English)

17:00 – 20:00: Meet the artists in residence

18:30 - 19:15: FLIES by P.A.R.T.S.

20:30 – 21:00: Will You Feel Comfortable in My Corner? by Ndayé Kouagou (performance in English)

17:00 – 22:30: Relay by Ula Sickle (durational performance)

The exhibition Regenerate and café Kamilou stay open until 22:00.