A thematic project by Maxine Kopsa (February-June 2008)

This exhibition project will circle around the notion of the heroic, which touches on such concepts as homage, destruction, monument, nostalgia, sentiment, modernity and, most importantly, subjective narrative. Traditionally, a hero cult (which later, with the advent of PR, becomes as well a cult of personality), is not only a moral code but also a political device. Today, with the destruction of any conventional all-encompassing ideologies, personal, subjective stance takes centre stage, bringing with it (for legitimation purposes perhaps) anti-chambers, corridors and even entire edifices (metaphorically speaking) devoted to the successes and/or particularities of others (including other things). Others, who become personal heroes. Worthy of note is the fact that the hero is linked in the teller’s mind to “a greater good” and functions as an “example”. A hero is something that stands in for the heroic, therefore reflects a political choice.

The project will consist of seminars and an exhibition with artists from Piet Zwart Institute curated by Maxine Kopsa, as well as public lectures by guest tutors from the fields of art and design. Among them are Will Holder, Renzo Martens and Aurelien Froment.

The exhibition of The Heroic will run from June 13-15, opening on June 12, 6pm at the Former Nederlands Fotomuseum at Witte de Withstraat 36, 3012 BN Rotterdam.