ATARAXIA: As a word Ataraxia is equivocal, but never neutral. From the Greek a - «not» and tarássein «to disturb», twist it further and it spits back apathy.

Salonnière: Koyo Kouoh Co-Salonniers: Samuel Leuenberger (independent curator), L.via P.ldi (curator), Rasha Salti (curator, writer and researcher) and farid rakun (researcher and artist) Location: Palazzo Trevisan degli Ulivi, Dorsoduro 810, Vaporetto stop: Zattere

Directed by curator Koyo Kouoh, ATARAXIA aims to understand the paradoxical position Switzerland occupies within the current economic, political, scientific and cultural landscape of Europe and further afield, as well as reflect on its (post)colonial narratives. An important engine and geographical centre of Europe, but outside of the Union, Switzerland’s position demonstrates the European paradoxes and dissonances of current political standards.

Kouoh states: «As current political regimes in the West do their best to squeeze social and cultural production into remission, we must listen to those around us and to those that neighbour us. We must deploy a politics of care to bridge connections across the very political, cultural and social disparities that divide us. The programme will investigate how best to reconcile such feelings of disenchantment with the aim of mobilising these conditions into generative and spirited forms of response.»

The «Salon Suisse» consists of a series of talks and events. The events are taking place at the Palazzo Trevisan degli Ulivi, Venice during the opening event and over the course of 3 subsequent long weekends:

Salon Suisse One: Opening Event on Thursday 11 May

Salon Suisse Two: Thursday 31 August to Saturday 2 September

Salon Suisse Three: Thursday 19 October to Saturday 21 October

Salon Suisse Four: Thursday 23 November to Saturday 25 November

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