Censorship, Art Criticism, and Freedom of Expression — Lessons from Georgia and Germany

Webinar der Association Internationale des Critiques d’Art / Sektion Deutschland (AICA Deutschland e.V.) mit Zaal Andronikashvili und Carsten Probst

An essential prerequisite for independent art, criticism and cultural discourse is freedom of expression. However, constraints on speech and censorship can come from a variety of sources, such as political institutions and cultural institutions, ideological movements, societal pressures, and digital platforms.

This webinar will bring together perspectives from Georgia and Germany to examine these different forms of pressure and their impact on art criticism and cultural production. It will take into account the growing influence of political pressure and censorship in the Georgia, as well as the larger backsliding of democracy and the rise of authoritarian tendencies. In addition to direct political censorship, polarisation, social pressure, self-censorship, and social media dynamics will all be discussed as strategies to further limit the space for critical cultural expression. The historical experience of Georgia also calls into question the ways in which political power has influenced intellectual and creative production, as well as the potential relevance of older forms of cultural control in the contemporary conditions.

A different viewpoint is provided by the German background. Germany, a democratic country with institutional protections for free speech, yet has its own discussions about what constitutes acceptable speech. Cultural and critical discourse can be influenced by a variety of factors, including social expectations, institutional practices, political left and right ideological influences, public disputes, and internet platform content-moderation rules. Even though these methods would not be considered political censorship in the same way, they might nevertheless provide forces that promote self-censorship or conformity.

Rather than presenting a simple opposition between a democratic and an authoritarian system, the webinar aims to examine the different ways in which freedom of expression can be constrained, negotiated, or defended. Particular attention will be given to the position of art critics and cultural professionals, whose work depends on the ability to question established narratives, challenge institutions, and express unpopular or uncomfortable perspectives.

Der Literaturwissenschaftler Zaal Andronikashvili leitet das Projekt Literatur in Georgien. Zwischen kleiner Literatur und Weltliteratur.

Der Schriftsteller, Kunsttheoretiker und Kritiker Carsten Probst ist Präsident des AICA Deutschland e.V.