First NSK Citizen's Congress

21 - 23 October 2010
At the Haus der Kulturen der Welt, John-Foster-Dulles-Allee 10, 10557 Berlin-Tiergarten
Organised by NSK State in Time

In 1992, following the independence of Slovenia, the artistic collective known as "Neue Slowenische Kunst", or NSK, founded the "NSK State in Time." The creation of this virtual non-territorial state was a response to the ambivalent status of the nation state and to supposedly fixed ideas of territory, ethnic group and borders. The initiative was supported by other Slovene artists and theorists and appeared as a utopian concept free of territorial preconditions. The State does not identify itself with other real or actually existing states and has now grown into a collective (art-) work with approximately ten thousand members.

NSK's art is complex and its creation of new (post)national symbols is easily misinterpreted. Debates around the nation state and patriotism shape the artwork of this distinctive group, which is composed of the uncompromising group Laibach, known primarily for its musical activities plus the innovative fine arts collective IRWIN and various other groups working in different media. NSK is supported and analysed by art theorists such as Alexei Monroe, also known for his research on the symbolism of the stag, a key NSK motif.

Another key collaborator is the designer Haris Hararis who developed the site former nskstate.com website and as well as the Congress website and the NSK Times site, the key online resources for the NSK State in Time.

This congress assembles selected citizens of this "micronation" for the first time, in order to discuss the state and its future. This project represents a materialisation of the previously virtual "NSK State in Time" which until now has primarily been understood as an art project. Over three days, some 30 "delegates", commentators and observers will meet at the Haus der Kulturen der Welt to discuss the possible further development of the NSK State in Time. Accompanying these internal daytime debates there will be an evening programme open to the public including a seminar addressing the questions raised during the Congress. The first evening of the Congress will see the opening of the exhibition "NSK Volk Art". This is art produced in the style of or referring to NSK by individuals and groups from around the world. A first selection of NSK Volk Art was recently presented by IRWIN and NSKSTATE.COM at the Taipei Biennale. The Berlin exhibition will show for the first time over 60 artworks from the NSK State in Time collection. In addition, film screenings over two evenings will present an interesting selection of extracts from the work of NSK plus related subjects. The event will close with a public party with DJs and live performers including NSK citizens.

Updates, images and other material are available at www.sauerbrey-raabe.de and more information will also feature on http://congress.nskstate.com and http://times.nskstate.com/. The entire programme will be documented on film, extracts of which will be available upon request. The Congress initiators IRWIN, Alexei Monroe and Haris Hararis are available for interviews. Please contact Anna Jacobi directly to arrange this:

Anna Jacobi,
Press contact
First NSK Citizens' Congress
jacobi[at]sauerbrey-raabe.de