Renaissance or Revolution? | MoMA R&D Salon 36 | MoMA LIVE

After this annus horribilis, many are conjuring a renaissance in the name of progress. To others, however, real progress can be achieved only through revolution. Some of the questions we will pose in this Salon are: What and who defines a renaissance? What about a revolution? What is the difference between the two? Who is in charge of either? Are they mutually exclusive? Do they both lead to progress? For whom? Can the progress they summon be equitably distributed? What are the roles of culture, science, technology, and finance in a renaissance? And in a revolution? Can we define a renaissance as we are living through it? What power structures are inherent to both means of transformation?

The evening will commence with a brief introduction by Paola Antonelli, followed by equally brief presentations by—here in alphabetical order:

Tania Bruguera is a Cuban-born artist and activist whose work centers on questions of political power and control. She promotes the creation of artworks that are beneficial to society in drawing attention to injustice and violence, highlighting the use of art as a force for resistance.

Paul Friedland is a professor of political and cultural history at Cornell University, focusing on the French and French Atlantic in the Revolutionary period. His research is supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, among other institutions.

Anand Giridharadas is the author of Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World (2018.) He is also an editor-at-large at TIME, an on-air political analyst for MSNBC, and a visiting scholar at the Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute at New York University.

Robyn C. Spencer is a historian that focuses on Black social protest after World War II, urban and working-class radicalism, and gender. She is an Associate Professor of History at Lehman College, City University of New York, and the author of the 2016 book The Revolution Has Come: Black Power, Gender, and the Black Panther Party in Oakland.

David Wallace-Wells is a journalist and author. His 2017 New York Magazine essay "The Uninhabitable Earth" was expanded into a book in 2019 and remains a crucial text on the impending impacts of our climate crisis. David is also a deputy editor at New York Magazine, where he writes extensively about climate change.

The presentations will be accompanied by the screening of a series of short videos cut specifically for Salon 36.

MoMA R&D is made possible by Allianz.



The comments and opinions expressed in this video are those of the speakers alone, and do not represent the views of The Museum of Modern Art, its personnel, or any artist.

Image: “Man, Controller of the Universe" by Diego Rivera

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[BrianHutzellMusic]

Although it was brought up a few times, art played a very minor role in this conversation. While listening to the speakers, I found myself thinking of this quote from John Adams: “I must study politics and war, that our sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. Our sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy, geography, natural history and naval architecture, navigation, commerce and agriculture in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry, music, architecture, statuary, tapestry and porcelain.”


I work in the arts myself (I’m a musician who works in an art museum), and we artsy folks love to defend our careers by insisting that “Art is essential!” But is it equally essential in all times and places? I sometimes fear we in the arts are guilty of exactly the kind of apathy Arnand warns against (1:23:33). “These problems are too far beyond me; I’m going back to my easel, back to my piano.” Does art have a role to play when the stakes are as high as they are on a number of fronts these days, or are we better off tending to “politics and war” so that there will be future generations to “study painting, poetry, music, architecture, statuary, tapestry and porcelain”?

[lisengel]

Renaissance or revolution - yes maybe - at leSt it is one way to see and understand the World as a Line of progression - but maybe its about life and how to honour life in all its forms as something that is eternal - maybe something that has been and is an important knowledge that always exist as secret and secret knowledge that humankind expresses through the many languages of art in all its multidimensional dimensions - 🍀💚🐸🦎

[hannawagenknecht]

Ist's very Important what you're say' s. Thank you .

[maxdoubled]

Gen z has amazing ideas and are very righteous which is respectful. But they have no drive or the muscle to do so. A revolution will end in tragedy when all the aspects to succeed in one aren't met. If gen z could grow a pair and get tough it'd be wild.

[maxdoubled]

We're still in the industrial revolution. Industry is essentially capitalism. Without Industry, free markets and a will to better we won't do better. In a way capitalism is the reason you want to better this country. In a weird way capitalism is essentially the want to improve. Something these folk are doing. The will to do better is human. Something our forefathers knew. Something mlk Jr knew. Something we all want, constantly. If you step again even further and realize everyone just complains and wants to better and will try and do better even if it costs everything, money wise or with their life. The want to do better I'd say is why we do what we do. If you really think about it the imperfections of democracy are very human too. We are perfect physically. We can't reproduce anything close to a limb or a brain... but man are we some tards. We could all do better at something. And that in essence IS human. And what are we? That's right human!!!

[maxdoubled]

Dude at the hour mark should watch his mouth. Freedom of speech comes with a great trade off which at times can be a physical reaction. True revolution means blood is spilled. A Renaissance is a revolution without blood. Let's have a Renaissance not a revolution. That man wouldn't last a day in a war HE himself is asking for. Do before you use certain words step back and realize ehat you say especially if you yourself wouldn't have to get your hands dirty. And honestly it sounds like another old man willing to sacrifice his sons for power. History repeats itself daily, weekly, yearly, by the decade by the period. When your house is on fire you don't look for a way out to enter right back through the same door. Power for power isn't what we need.