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Art as an instrument of negotiation in politics is precisely this: the capacity and that proves that dialogue is always possible, no
willingness to engage in dialogue. Another
matter how oblivious to it we may be.
name for dialogue would be negotiations.
Again, it sounds trivial, almost banal. But what, There is no doubt that each of the participants
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in fact, goes on in negotiations? What is it that deserves special mention. However, I will refer
actually takes place? Negotiations always have to only one of my compatriots, the more so since
something nonnegotiable at their core. For the Ilya Kabakov, the acclaimed conceptual artist,
French philosopher Jacques Derrida, it would also created the poster for this exhibition. His
be justice, hospitality, friendship. As Jean-Luc own installation, “Fallen Sky,” a massive sheet
Nancy, his friend and close associate, explains, of plywood depicting a clouded sky, was placed
“negotiation is not a matter of avoiding or right on the ground not far from a flamboyant
accommodating what is unavoidable and cannot monument to space conquest given by the
be accommodated. It is a matter of bringing it Soviet government to the United Nations thirty
into negotiation as such.” What is implied is years earlier. The piece is an ironic statement
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the unconditional itself, thanks to which not on the transience of sovereign entities as well
only negotiations but also democratic practices as ideologies. As is the case with Kabakov, his
become possible. Democracy is not a given; work was accompanied with a description of
it is a process that calls for uninterrupted some imaginary Russian pilot, an inhabitant of
exchanges between its various agents, human former Czechoslovakia, who loved to paint his
and inhuman alike. In other words, it is as much ceilings. The installation is deliberately open to
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a form of governance as it is a promise. Without interpretation. So here it is, just a piece of fallen
negotiation this promise will fail. sky, an amateurish painting, but also a reminder
of the arrogance of humanity in the face of
In many cases contemporary art has been able to nature. The ancient Greeks called it hubris, a
translate and retain this injunction. By definition, display of exaggerated pride undermining the
helen Petrovsky art is open to the world, and it uses mainly balance between gods and humans, or simply
non-discursive means to express the various
between nature and culture. If the gods were
RAS Institute of Philosophy relationships we are already a part of, whether there to punish the offender and restore the
we acknowledge them or not. It has its own ways
shaken balance, today it is the very sky that will
Université Sorbonne Nouvelle of mediating between the different layers of our come tumbling down upon the earth. No more
experience, overcoming the age-long divide metaphors or warnings, just the reality of a
between the rational (abstract concepts) and pending natural disaster.
What strikes me today about the show organized who was then head of the UN Office at Geneva the sensuous (perceptions). And it ultimately
on the UNOG premises to commemorate the and who, among other things, was a big fan of manages to blend the two. At least, such were my And again, this is about negotiating one’s place
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50 anniversary of the United Nations is not the arts, was always a convinced proponent off impressions from this truly monumental show, in nature, learning to be humble and cooperative

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exactly its scope (sixty participants from all over dialogue himself, both as a civil servant and a which, as we would put it today, was site-specific: with respect to the whole of life itself. You
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the world, which is only natural given the originsss political scientist. At that time, namely in 1990s, works were partly exhibited at the Palais des cannot strike a deal with the natural world

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and goals of the organization itself) but rather it seemed almost self-evident: the end of the Nations but were also presented in its spacious because deals, unlike negotiations, are based on
its overall concept. “Dialogues of Peace” – such Cold War simply called for a dialogue on all courtyard as well as in the adjacent Ariana Park, calculation and projection. Deals know nothing
was the general title. It reflected a certain state possible levels. And in many instances it did take which made one think of art fusing seamlessly of the nonnegotiable, they are clear examples
of the world that was far from peaceful, to be place. It was indeed a transformative moment into the landscape as an ecosystem. Due to the of economic exchange. But to negotiate means
sure, but that nevertheless carried a certain hope when dialogue led to real achievements, i.e., efforts of Adelina von Fürstenberg the choice of to follow the injunction coming from one’s
and, I dare say, determination. I am referring to the curbing of the arms race and the reduction the pieces was careful and wise, addressing topics counterpart, in other words, it means not to
the very idea of dialogue, which might sound of nuclear stockpiles, to name but the most that are as acute and as burning as ever: migration, hasten to make one’s own, but to give.
like some worn-out slogan, but in fact points to impressive results. But to achieve that, one had to homelessness, violence, the exploitation of
a very important dimension of politics as well practice nothing less than a new kind of thinking nature, oppression. But also and against this
as human relations. As it turns out, it is very (another of my father’s favorite ideas), which, if background – solidarity, a primal instinct of
difficult to engage in dialogue, while it is much translated into a different language, would stand sorts, something that points to the ineluctability
easier to make deals, the urge (and the ethics) for the Utopian element in politics. of cooperation and communication. Something
behind these two distinct forms of interaction For a full list of participating artists see the web-
being entirely different. Now, when we speak of Utopia, we should site of the “Art for The World” NGO: URL: https://
bear in mind that this has nothing to do with 1 Jean-Luc Nancy. Derrida, Supplements, trans. www.artfortheworld.net/dialogues-of-peace
Of course, I could add a personal touch to my a lack of practicality or some distant and by Anne O’Byrne, afterw. by Alexander García See Kabakov’s own commentary on his instal-
recollections. My father, Vladimir Petrovsky, unattainable horizon. The Utopian element Düttmann. New York: Fordham University Press, lation: URL: https://www.kabakov.net/installa-
0 , p. 148. tions/ 019/9/14/fallen-sky
0 w w w. d i va i n t e r n at i o n a l . c h w w w. d i va i n t e r n at i o n a l . c h