Glocal Affairs
Where are you
On the global and the local in the visual arts
The Glocal Affairs visual arts manifestation was held at Maastricht’s Timmerfabriek and a number of other locations in Limburg and the Euregio during the period from 2 through 30 November 2008. Some one hundred professional visual artists with links to the region presented their work, resulting in a variegated mixture of techniques, materials and ideas at often surprising locations. In so doing, in addition to offering an insight into the region’s visual arts Glocal Affairs also reflected on the relationship between the global and local in contemporary art.
A number of the artists have created new works for Glocal Affairs installed in situ as a response to the exhibition's concept. Glocal Affairs also presented weekend programmes featuring performances, lectures and debates.
Art and globalization
Although their origins certainly do not have an influence on all artists’ work, local would certainly appear to be gaining importance in the art world. Firstly, visual artists are increasingly less tied to a region or borders and it is, for example, impossible to talk in terms of ‘Limburg art’. Young artists often work within different disciplines and group themselves around mondial scenes for example. Limburg’s artists also spend some of their time working in Berlin, London or New York, or even temporarily relocate to China.
However, their origins or the region in which they work certainly does play a role for some artists. In fact, some artists even exhibit a renewed appreciation of the local and resistance to globalisation driven by reasons such as social engagement or concerns for the loss of identity.
European Capital of Culture
The Province of Limburg took the initiative to create Glocal Affairs as an impetus towards making Maastricht and the surrounding region European Capital of Culture in 2018. The exhibition was being organised by the Huis voor de Kunsten Limburg. The participating artists were selected by curator Jean Boumans together with an advisory commission.