THEORY/SPECULATION/FICTION / On the waves of TSF /
VÁCLAV JANOŠČÍK

"Speculative fiction: stories whose objective is to explore, to discover, to learn, by means of projection, extrapolation, analogue, hypothesis-and-paper-experimentation, something about the nature of the universe, of man, or 'reality." (Judith Merill)

Something has happened. As if it were not only environmental issues and virtual spaces that emerge today, but also materials and objects themselves, so as diverse subjectivities and new narratives. Key momentum in this development resides in a peculiar relationship between theory and fiction; or even between philosophy and art in general.

We need to orientate ourselves within a textual landscape populated by many genres, attitudes and concepts (sci-fi, speculative fiction, theory-fiction, speculative realism, philo-fiction …); we do not necessarily need to define these tendencies, rather we should try to understand the very practice or agency that they cover. What does it mean to speculate, to create theories or fictions?

Program conceived for the INI Gallery aims at experimenting with these possibilities. Not only within a series of discussions, presentations, opening or screening with distinguished guests, but also through the very activity of reading and writing. We will try to stratify and scaffold theories and narratives, times and spaces, alternative presents or futures.

“Light grief on the face
Deep laughter in the heart”
(Jaroslav Seifert, On the waves of TSF)