The following lecture will consider Slav squatting as an emancipative metaphor that comes from the outskirts of post-soviet cities to conquer our Slavic minds and souls. Since the two reviews written about the exhibition were criticizing its lack of problematization of the concept, I'd like to present my research as well as the outcome of our collateral programs that were accompanying the project. My argumentation will be based on two perspectives I am suggesting to consider when analyzing the phenomenon of Slav squatting – one is horizontal, dealing with the complicated relationship between the East and West of Europe, emphasizing terms such as 'poor relatives' and 'over-identification'. The vertical perspective explores the dichotomy of 'high' and 'low' culture and the question of thus created exploitation – a boring salon taking advantage of subversive sub-cultures.

Piotr Sikora (born 1986) graduated in Art History at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow. Critic and author of texts for exhibition catalogs. Member of the Polish Section of AICA. He received of scholarship of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage 2015. Ardent player of bike polo, lecturer at Anglo-American University. He lives and works in Prague.

OE18 is a series of guest lectures by theorists and artists addressing the themes of contemporary arts and new technologies. The lectures are open to students of FAMU and other art academies, universities and the general public. The series is organized by FAMU Center for audiovisual studies.

FAMU, Smetanovo náb. 2, Prague 1
Room U1, 1st floor
http://cas.famu.cz
Free entry

The lecture will be in english