As part of the international project Museum of the Commons, which brings together museum professionals, researchers, artists, and activists from across Europe under the umbrella of L’Internationale, and on the occasion of their arrival in Zagreb, the Museum of Contemporary Art is organising two public events on 14 May 2025 – a lecture by Manuel Borja-Villel and a roundtable discussion in Gorgona Hall.
In a world where uncertainty is no longer perceived as a crisis but as the new normal, passivity and excessive individualism become mechanisms of survival. Bombarded by crises, we learn to live with them, convinced that all efforts are futile – rather than trying to change them. Inspired by the slogan of artist Igor Grubić, which accompanies the exhibition Collection as a Verb, entitled We Build the Museum, the Museum Builds Us, this three-day program in collaboration with collectives explores how we can act within uncertainty and examines how institutions, informal collectives, and shared spaces can break the cycle of paralysis. We do not seek answers from the outside – we build them together. Because collectiveness is not just a strategy, but rather a fundamental remedy for restoring faith in a better future.
To mark the gathering of the representatives of L’Internationale in Zagreb, the MSU is opening two events to the public:
2:00 p.m. / Lecture by Manuel Borja-Villel
One of the most influential contemporary curators Manuel Borja-Villel (Spain) will deliver a keynote lecture reflecting on his work and the institutional transformations he led as director of Museo Reina Sofía and MACBA. He will speak about the role of museums as spaces for collective action and resistance, as well as about the new models of collaboration with grassroots initiatives through projects such as Museo en Red.
4:00 p.m. / Roundtable: Situated Organisations Assembly – We Build Together
How can we act within uncertainty? How can we recognise urgent needs and respond to social, political, and climate crises through cultural work? These and related questions will be discussed by the representatives of independent collectives and cultural institutions:
Free admission.
The programme will be held in English.
The programme is organised with support from the City of Zagreb, the Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia, as part of the EU project Museum of the Commons within L’Internationale – a confederation of 14 European museums and cultural institutions for contemporary art – and with support from the Zagreb Tourist Board. The programme takes place in the lead-up to the International Museum Day.
Building Together: L’Internationale at MSU / Lecture by Manuel Borja-Villel and Panel Discussion
14 May 2025, 2:00–5:30 PM
Gorgona Hall, Museum of Contemporary Art, Zagreb
