Dé-coll/age: Wolf Vostell and the Archaeology of Violence

In this lecture on Thursday, Apr. 11, Kyle Stephan, curator of the exhibition "Wolf Vostell: Dé-coll/age Is Your Life," will examine Vostell’s aesthetic philosophy of dé-coll/age, which takes an archaeological approach to mass media and urban environments. The practice restored an ethical purpose to art in the postwar years and innovated confrontational forms to challenge the psychological, social, and political mechanisms that enable collective complicity with mass violence and genocide. In particular, Stephan will explore how Vostell adopted this approach to generate consciousness of how past violence persists in the present and to provoke spectators into becoming critical actors in their lives.

After the lecture, guests are invited to visit the exhibition on Level 3 until 8pm. Free admission, but seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. The lecture will take place in Menschel Hall in the Lower Level. Doors will open for seating at 5:30pm at the Broadway entrance. Limited complimentary parking is available in the Broadway Garage at 7 Felton Street.