“…I am not your enemy, I am your negation.” — Bamdad
Contrary / Against is a participatory workshop exploring curatorial practices between Iran and Europe. Drawing on years of experience in independent spaces (such as Parkingallery projects, New Media Society, and Room for Doubt), Amirali Ghasemi will share the challenges of working with “counter-archives.”
In an era where dominant narratives and political crises have hijacked our understanding of events, this workshop seeks ways to “activate” archives in the midst of crises, rather than merely putting them on display.
Key Discussion Topics:
- Agency in Emergencies: How do we sustain agency, imagination, and connection in imposed, critical conditions without falling into the trap of “immediate representation”?
- The Power of Micro-Narratives: What truths do fragmented, personal stories reveal that political narratives fail to express? When does “visibility” turn into a “reductionist spectacle,” and at what point does human suffering become “cultural currency”?
- Diasporic Life: When we live simultaneously inside and outside political events (across different countries), how are the concepts of place, home, and identity redefined?
- Safe Spaces for Dissent: Is it possible to create a gathering or exhibition that boldly serves as a platform for opposition and listening, without insisting on collective consensus?
Workshop Structure: An orientation session, five 2-hour online sessions, and a final presentation.
Case Studies Review: Examining the challenges of projects like Iran & Co., Elephant in the Dark, Tracing Movement(s) in uncertain times, and more.
Group Brainstorming: Idea pitches by participants, collective discussions, and short exercises + optional film screenings and artist talks.
Registration:
Capacity: Limited (priority given to early registrants).
Language: Persian (open to all enthusiasts; no prior curatorial expertise required).
Prerequisite: Bring along a personal idea, question, or concern to share with the group.
Fees & Support:
€80 for participants outside of Iran.
Participation is free for those inside Iran, subsidized by the fees collected from international participants.
If you would like to support the New Media School but cannot attend, you can sponsor the tuition for a participant inside Iran.
To register: Send a short intro about yourself, your motivation for joining, and your phone number to newmediatehran@gmail.com by October 25.