I Can't, I Can, I Care, a unique artistic laboratory in the Vleeshal. During the exhibition, the Vleeshal will serve as a laboratory where the artists’ earlier works will be displayed alongside new ones created during the exhibition. The laboratory will be equipped with a printing press and stencil machine, and participants will produce unique long-playing records, printed works and limited edition artists’ books.

The exhibition I Can't, I Can, I Care draws its inspiration from Exhaustion and exuberance, a recent pamphlet by Jan Verwoert that situates artistic activity within the culture of economic productivity and the high standards of performance that artists are expected to meet – or, better yet, exceed. The pamphlet presents a number of strategies for defying this pressure and creating alternatives.

The artists in this exhibition will, both individually and interactively, take positions on the views expressed in the pamphlet. For the duration of the exhibition, De Vleeshal will become a place where production, presentation and distribution converge. As a result, the internal properties of artistic works – their appearance – will be linked to their participation in a social, mediated network of references, possibilities and meanings.

Special live programme

An extra programme connected to the exhibition will include performances, book presentations, workshops (with students from ArtEZ, the Rietveld Academie, akv|st.joost and the Roosevelt Academy) and lectures. Jan Verwoert is among the guests who will take part in this program, during a workshop on his essay Exhaustion and Exuberance. There will also be performances by artists including Remco Torenbosch, Sigtryggur Berg Sigmarsson and Fernstein, as well as the workshop Time/Bank, which will investigate the potential for an alternative economy. For the duration of the exhibition, De Vleeshal will have extended opening hours.

Saturday October 8th 17:00
Performances: Sigtryggur Berg Sigmarsson and Peter Fengler
Booklaunches: Koen Delaere: 31 Photocopies and a Tattoo, The Axis of Praxis & Bas van den Hurk: One Work After Another

Sunday October 9th 10:00–17:00
Workshop: printing with Quinten

Wednesday October 12th
11:00–13:00: Workshop: Time/Bank with Marion Von Osten, Olav Velthuis en Maaike Lauwaert. Moderator: Noah Brehmer
14.00–16.00: Workshop Exhaustion and Exuberance, author: Jan Verwoert. Q&A Jan Verwoert and Steven ten Thije

Thursday October 13th
10:00–17:00: Vinyl making with Peter Fengler

Friday October 14th
10:00–17:00 Posters printing and bookbinding with Koen Delaere, Bas van den Hurk and Fiona, Colina and Ghislaine (ArtEZ Fine Art Arnhem)

Saturday October 15th
10:00–17:00 Workshop printing with Quinten
17:00 Performances: Fernstein & Co and Belchkitchen

Sunday October 16th
13:00 Book and Vinylpresentation DE PLAYER, Whatspace en Gunther
15:00 Performance: Remco Torenbosch: You are wondering if there was a time when you knew what to think