Fredag den 20. januar er som bekendt dagen for indsættelsen af en vis Donald J. Trump som USA’s 45. præsident. Det skulle også have været dagen, hvor Kunsthal Aarhus åbnede udstillinger med to prominente samtidskunstnere; Thomas Hirschhorn og Cécile B. Evans. På opfordring af de to kunstnere tilslutter kunsthallen sig nu den internationale Art Strike #J20-dag, som er initieret af kunstnere og kunsthistorikere såsom Cindy Sherman, Richard Serra, Barbara Kruger, Lucy Lippard og Hal Foster. I lighed med en række amerikanske gallerier og institutioner, særligt omkring New York, holder Kunsthal Aarhus lukket på dagen for indsættelsen af USA’s nye præsident.
Fremfor at holde fernisering på de to udstillinger «ønsker kunstnerne at skabe en pause til refleksion,» lyder det i en pressemeddelelse udsendt fra kunsthallen. «Kunsthal Aarhus donerer de penge, der normalt bliver brugt til ferniseringsvin og -middag, til en velgørende organisation, som tager hånd om udsatte grupper i samfundet.»
Pressemeddelelsen indeholder desuden udtalelser fra de to kunstnere.
Thomas Hirschhorn: «I will do Art Strike because, as an artist, I know that Art – all Art of all times and all places – crosses borders. That Art – all Art of all times and all places – addresses a non-exclusive audience in all circumstances. That Art – all Art of all times and all places – never builds walls, never establishes borders or imagines separations. Art is inclusive. Art, because it’s Art, is universal. Universality means Justice, Equality, the Other, Truth. I want to remain truthful. I will do Art Strike tomorrow in solidarity with all my artist friends from America and abroad who do Art Strike, with all my art-historian and art-critic friends from America and abroad who do Art Strike, and with all my gallery friends, institutions and art space friends from America and abroad who do Art Strike. I want to signify: You are not alone and I know: I am not alone.»
Cécile B. Evans: «The opening event has been closed in solidarity with those taking action against threats made by the incoming administration in the US and corresponding intimidations within Europe- which I now call home. I’m grateful to Kunsthalle Aarhus for their support in this decision, and their agreement to use the funds and energy that would have been spent celebrating our exhibitions to offer a moment to think about our commitment to meaningful, long term change. What can I do? Where I’m from: American Civil Liberties Union, Families For Freedom. Where I live: The National Council for Civil Liberties, North East London Migrant Action (NELMA), The Centre for Better Health. Recommended in Denmark: Venligboerne, Kvindehuset, Sabaah, SIND. I’ll be thinking with you through this difficult day and am excited for your visit to the new exhibitions from January 21st.»
Udstillingerne med Hirschhorn og Evans indgår i kunsthallens store satsning i forbindelse med weekendens storstilede åbning af Aarhus som Europæisk Kulturhovedstad 2017, men kan altså først ses, når kunsthallen åbner igen lørdag 21. januar kl. 12.00.
