The Krasnals Voice at 4th ASEM Culture Ministers Meeting in Poznań

Below there is the necessary supplementary information for ASEM Culture Ministers Meeting - from contestation art circles, which in Poland are represented by The Krasnals art collective.

As The Krasnals art collective we are convinced that the 4th ASEM Culture Ministers Meeting in Poznań contributes significantly to a strengthening of cultural awareness among the societies of the 45 parties who participate in the dialogue of European Union and Southeast Asia. We also hope it will inspire the dialogue and the transfer of knowledge and practices, which, in turn will lead to mutual undertakings to defend and protect the cultural treasury form the threats of the contemporary art market.

There are dangers arising from the social transformations accompanying processes of globalization of high culture, especially contemporary art. We urge you to pay attention to the problem that in an interview the Polish Minister of Culture and National Heritage Bogdan Zdrojewski summoned. He noted that "the basic problem that now affects an area of culture in Europe and Asia (and elsewhere), is that of globalization and the flood of low quality of art as the result of interests of a narrow group of art establishment monopolizing the art market."

In the Polish Culture Minister opinion, there is vagueness and commercialization of the mainstream art, including the Polish one following global trends. So far, a certain originality and individuality, taste and style, was the domain of art. Gradually it meets with deprivation of colourfulness and multidimensionality.

One of the problems that worry us is increasingly emerging question about the need for a biennial basis. Or maybe there is a need to develop a new formula of presenting art rebelling against global trends? The activity of our collective follows the main concept of Mediations Biennale in Poznan, which this year is "Beyond" - "beyond the official, mainstream art, and an official language about it." It should be seriously initiated the debate and critic of art market sphere. We should begin to talk about prevailing of divisions, manipulation, and those unclear rules governing the art world, to reconcile its democratic ideals.

Biennale has become one of the most common and effective ways of showing art in the world. International Biennale is not just an exhibition, but mobile capital and art museum all in one. So, the question is, if an international biennial is necessary for the presence of art created locally in a transnational context? If so, what shape the Polish Biennale should take? Should the local tradition be an important element in building an international biennial? What are the consequences of thinking in terms of the presenting biennale of art - and whether it acts in favor of or against the local tradition?

The exhibition of The Krasnals "Two years of fighting" gives complete answers to these questions. It is situated in one of three main bastions of Mediations Biennial - at Szyperska Gallery (till October 10 2010).