Since the years of the Gold Rush, California has stood symbolically for utopian longing. The idea of unlimited freedom plays a crucial role in the vision of a geographic region which has inspired the hopes and dreams of many. As a melting pot, the region comprises a large diversity of arts and cultures and ways of living, and its openness toward multiple diaspora communities. However, taking the brutal facts into account, such as unaffordable house prices, a high degree of homelessness, the threat of wood fires and earthquakes, it remains questionable as to whether California has not rather become a dystopia for the majority of people living there.
This lecture series investigates how California as both utopia and dystopia manifests itself in art and architecture, and seeks to explore if the Californian Dream lives up to reality. We are particularly keen on interrogating how California functions as a nourishing ground for many novel ideas and approaches, particularly in cultural studies, gender studies, museum studies, political science and postcolonialism.
27.04.2020
Sarah Hegenbart, München: "Utopia (Un)limited: Dystopian Elements in Painted Portraits of the Californian Dream"
04.05.2020
Udo Weilacher, München: "Call it sculpture when it moves you so: Creations between art and landscape by Isamu Noguchi"
11.05.2020
Eva Ehninger, Berlin: "Imagining the Status Quo. Ed Rusha’s Streets of Los Angeles"
18.05.2020
Sina Brückner-Amin, München: "The Greenest Playground. Planting Los Angeles, 1930"
08.06.2020
Michael Diers, Berlin: "URBANOTOPIA. On Word and Image and Some Political Aspects in Ed Ruscha's Every Building on the Sunset Strip (1966)"
15.06.2020
Adrian Daub, Stanford, US: "Narrating the Suburbs: Von den Suburbs Erzählen"
22.06.2020
Sylvia Lavin, Princeton: "Life After Utopia: Richard Neutra and Survival by Design"
24.06.2020
Thomas O. Haakenson, San Francisco: "Visions of Racial Justice: From the Black Arts Movement to Black Dada"
08.07.2020
Jörg Trempler, Passau: "Paulo Soleris Arcosanti als Gegenentwurf zum Kalifornischen Traum"
Time: 18.20-20h
PDF Download Program CALIFORNIA DREAMING: UTOPIA, DYSTOPIA
Until further notice, the lecture series CALIFORNIA DREAMING will take place via Zoom under the meeting ID 918 9364 6015. A one-time registration is necessary to receive the password for all lectures. Please send an email with your name and the subject "Registration" to california@zikg.eu Your e-mail address will not be used for any other purpose than the one mentioned and will be deleted after the end of the lecture series.