The Department Handlungspotential is a thought expeÂriÂment that looÂks into faiÂrer forms of future co-exisÂtence and posÂsiÂble and necessaÂry comÂponÂents of socialÂly comÂmitÂted action from a queer perÂspecÂtiÂve. How can estabÂlisÂhed ways of life be modiÂfied or rethought? Which values and lines of action are releÂvant? Department Handlungspotential repreÂsenÂtaÂtiÂve and artist Franziska Goralski inviÂtes parÂtiÂciÂpaÂtiÂon in the search for posÂsiÂble ansÂwers and exploÂring new spaces.
A potenÂtiÂal for action (Handlungspotential) is the potenÂtiÂal that enabÂles an action. Everything starts with an idea, but it takes an impulÂse to start an action. Potential for action is the affecÂtiÂve space that exists just befoÂre an action begins.
At the moment, the Department Handlungspotential focuÂses on shaping and deveÂloÂping a learÂning enviÂronÂment and pracÂtiÂces that are based on notaÂtiÂons of queer comÂmoÂning. It faciÂliÂtaÂtes (un-)learning opportunities.
Commoning is the collecÂtiÂve and need-oriÂenÂted mainÂtenÂanÂce, proÂducÂtion, culÂtiÂvaÂtiÂon, and/or usaÂge of natuÂral resourÂces like air, water, or land, but also of culÂtuÂral resourÂces like knowÂledge, time, or code. The Department Handlungspotential extends the disÂcourÂse on comÂmons to incluÂde queer perÂspecÂtiÂves. By looÂking into queer comÂmoÂning, the Department seeks to reseÂarch our socieÂty, our enviÂronÂment, and so-calÂled norms on a strucÂtuÂral level.
The Department Handlungspotential’s temÂporaÂry field office at D21 Artspace Leipzig welÂcoÂmes all kinds of exchanÂge. Drop by and dive into figuÂres of thought! You might encounÂter an excepÂtiÂon from the staÂte of things – or even an excepÂtioÂnal state.
The Department Handlungspotential, founÂded by Fransiska Goralski (FG) in 2016, creaÂtes cross-media works and parÂtiÂciÂpaÂtoÂry setÂtings through proÂcess-oriÂenÂted and socialÂly comÂmitÂted artisÂtic pracÂtiÂces. FG’s transÂdiÂsciÂpliÂnaÂry works are reseÂarch-based and conÂcept-driÂven. They look into difÂfeÂrent menÂtal frameÂworks and quesÂtiÂon norÂmaÂtiÂve cateÂgoÂries and power strucÂtures. Franziska Goralski joins up with Anna Erdman to form die Blaue Distanz. Their artisÂtic colÂlaÂboÂraÂtiÂon focuÂses on queer ways of living, (digiÂtal) femiÂnist perÂspecÂtiÂves, the posÂsiÂbiÂliÂty of low-hierÂarÂchy spaces and the visiÂbiÂliÂty of underÂreÂpreÂsenÂted decisions.
FG curÂrÂentÂly lives and works in Dresden and Amsterdam. FG holds a degree in Fine Arts from the Dresden University of Fine Arts and graÂduaÂted from the temÂporaÂry proÂgramÂme The Commoners’ Society at the Sandberg Institut in Amsterdam.
*Beverly Glenn-Copeland