Currencies and collectives, Frankfurter Positionen

‘Currencies and collectives’ was a performative conference produced by the Weltkulturen Museum, the Städelschule and Frankfurt LAB (in English). It asked where and how can meetings and modes of exchange be developed that lead from a disposable trade in goods and ideas towards a prototype form of continuity of common ground?

This question was developed as a contribution to the long term project Theatrum Mundi/Global Street initiated by sociologists Richard Sennett and Saskia Sassen. The multimedia installation designed by artist Mike Bouchet becomes a market place for ideas and an expanded parliament that brings together artists, scientists, fashion designers, authors and architects with the aim of spurring a debate on the significance of urbanity, of cultural centres, and on the role of the citizen in the city. A social choreography for about 35 performers directed by Richard Siegal guides the audience through the performative conference.

Choreography: Richard Siegal (Paris), Space: Mike Bouchet (Frankfurt am Main), Costumes: P.A.M. (Melbourne), Music: Hubert Machnik (Frankfurt am Main), Curator: Christine Peters (Frankfurt am Main)

With: Cassette Playa (Art Director, London),Teddy Cruz (architect, San Diego), Stephen Duncombe (sociologist, New York), Keller Easterling (architect, New York), Patricia Falguières (art historian, Paris), Maria Lind (curator, Stockholm), Thomas Meinecke (author and musician, Munich), Peter Osborne (philosopher, London), Mark von Schlegell (author, Cologne), Richard Sennett (sociologist, London and New York), & Axel Honneth (Professor of Philosophy, Frankfurt am Main and New York). Moderation: Clémentine Deliss (Director of Weltkulturen Museum, Frankfurt am Main), Nikolaus Hirsch (Dean of Städelschule, Frankfurt am Main)

Topics and Biographies of the Speakers:

CassettePlaya ‘Warrior Swagger’
Teddy Cruz ‘Where is our collective imagination’
Stephen Duncombe ‘The Art of Protest: Occupy and the aesthetics of space, exchange and the commons’
Keller Easterling ‘Extrastatecraft’
Patricia Falguières ‘Academic Smuggling’
Axel Honneth ‘Recognition and Presence’
Maria Lind, ‘Abstract Possible’
Thomas Meinecke, ‘Creolisation: Trading musical styles’
Peter Osborne ‘Money Talk’
Mark von Schlegell ‘Impure Fiction’
Richard Sennett ‘Recognition and Presence’