"There is a strong need for a real meeting and being together"
"The CIMAM Conference in Poland was the first such gathering since the outbreak of the pandemic. Over 250 people took part in it, and nearly 150 of them decided to come to Lodz and Gdansk and participate in person. The unexpectedly large number of the latter proves that in times when interpersonal contacts are more and more virtually mediated, there is a strong need for a real meeting and being together. The willingness to attend the conference despite all the obstacles imposed by the pandemic regime shows that we all feel part of one global community."
"No doubts, the burning issues were what prompted people to attend the conference. Xenophobia and the climate crisis are one of the most important challenges of the contemporary world, and no one, no museum can stand aside, we all have to face these threats. Great key speeches and inspirational presentations from our colleagues, artists, curators and activists have provided us with intellectual nourishment that we will digest for months and which, I’m sure, will help us re-orient or re-shape our activity to make it more inclusive, more socially committed, more ecologically responsible and guided by e real care for the human and non-human environment.
As a host institution we are happy that we were visited by so many fantastic people representing the world of modern art museums. I hope that our guests enjoyed visits to Polish museums and galleries, and meetings with Polish colleagues, and that it will create the ground for future fruitful cooperations and cultural exchanges."
Jaroslaw Suchan, Director, Muzeum Sztuki in Lodz, Lodz, Poland.
The CIMAM 2021 Annual Conference was held on November 5-7, 2021, hosted as initially planned by the Muzeum Sztuki in Lodz and the NOMUS New Art Museum/ Branch of the National Museum in Gdansk, Poland.
During the three days of discussions, the conference focused on the two interconnected current crises of Xenophobia and Climate Change, and the sometimes hidden or unexplored connections between the two.
Keynote speakers and relevant case-study presentations showed how institutions, artists, and thinkers working together can provide practical laboratories concerning these emerging issues and offer methodological tools to combat discriminatory and nationalistic tendencies in an increasingly divisive and divided world.
Learn more about CIMAM's 2021 Annual Conference: