The Art of Being Good

When living in a world that is consigned to destruction, any and all decisions may seem extremely difficult. Should I remain a carnivore but only eat eco- or free-range beef? Or should I become a vegan? Which is better – new sneakers with naturally and sustainably grown rubber soles or recycled footwear? Perhaps, I should only buy coffee with my own reusable cup? Does it really change anything if I bicycle to work instead of driving my car?  And it really does piss you off when you read a study in the newspaper that tell you that, as a result of making all these fine distinctions, you have actually increased your ecological footprint…

The exhibition called The Art of Being Good treats the artist as socially sensitive agents — imaginers of new worlds — with a 24-hour workday. Since this role entails quite a bit of responsibility, the artist’s practices provide many good examples of how to cope with a world hovering on the brink of a crisis. Therefore, the international group show is not comprised of only one specific art of wellbeing, but includes introverted, almost (self-)therapeutic practices, instructions for sustainable creation, activist documentary and investigative works, dissatisfaction with the existing ways of creating and exhibiting art, cunning interventions into commercialised space, and more.  

Photo: Hanna Piksarv. November-May. Work Process. 2015