In cultural sectors such as music and film, an artist or work can be popular and credible at the same time. But not so much in the contemporary art world. Why is popularity frowned upon in visual art? This lecture/workshop will use meme-thinking and meme-making to address the root causes of this phenomenon. It will make a case for how memes can support popularity and credibility to coexist in the art world.

Cem A. founder of @Freeze_Magazine

Cem A. is an artist and curator known for running the art meme page @freeze_magazine. Since its inception in 2019, the page has become a tool for creative collaborations between Cem and fellow artists, researchers and organisations. His memes explore topics such as survival and alienation in the art world, often through a hyper-reflexive and self-deprecating lens.