Facade 2012
facade®
Start Facade 2012 op 17 augustus in Middelburg, (van links naar rechts) Marinus Boezem, Renato Nicolodi, Georges Rousse, Thorsten Brinkmann,
Olaf Holzapfel, Karin van Dam, Filip Dujardin, Sarah, Krijn de Koning, Charles, Tobias Rehberger, Tamara Dees; (op de voorgrond) Kathrin Ginsberg
en Thorn Schaar
17 August - 18 November
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Fafade 2012 consists of an art route
through Middelburg, taking you on a tour
past fourteen spectacular interventions
of the cityscape, installed by internatio
nal artists. Their installations not only
surprise and charm us, they also push
us to reflect on Middelburg's current
appearance. The manifestation runs from
17 August to 18 November.
Commissioned by the municipality
of Middelburg, CBK Zeeland organized
Fafade 2012 in cooperation with a host
of other parties. The participating artists
wish for the public to regard the city from
new perspectives, and to consider the
authenticity of Middelburg. Not only does
Fafade 2012 enliven the city, it also serves
as an impulse to the city as a whole,
which is why it is crucial for the event
to be organized once every four years.
Middelburg boasts a long tradition of
groundbreaking cultural activities, such as
Forum and Nieuwe Muziek and exhibitions
like De Verborgen Stad (The Hidden City)
and Het Betoverde Plein (The Enchanted
Square
The notion of authenticity has been
a topic of heated debate for decades in
the visual arts. Artists commented on
the consumer society and visual culture,
or reflected on the role of art itself. They
were successful in their efforts, as the
notion of authenticity has now been
incorporated into mass media and has
penetrated our contemporary lifestyles. In
doing so it lost its value and attraction for
the visual arts. But isn't it of the highest
importance in this age of (city)branding
and debates about national identity to dif
ferentiate between meaningful and empty
words? What is the role of authenticity
in the way we frame our lives, our cities,
and our politics? What is the relationship
between authenticity and populism, or
xenophobia?
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