In 2003 the activist group Feel Tank Chicago formulated the slogan «Depressed? It Might be Political» and called for demonstrations in pyjamas and bath robes. Feminist-queer theoreticians and activists who are part of Feel Tanks in various US-american cities - like Ann Cvetkovich, Lauren Berlant or Heather Love - propose the term "feeling bad" instead of words such as "trauma" or "depression" to enable a critical discussion around the effects of the "pain of subordination" (Berlant) in everyday life. In this context «feeling bad» is discussed in connection to neoliberal working or living conditions and as an effect of exclusions based on gender, sexual violence or postcolonial hierarchies that become politicised as "public feelings". In doing so their work specifically addresses "... activists, academics, and artists who are committed to social change and so often find themselves feeling discouraged or frustrated or inadequate." (Cvetkovich)
The basis of the workshop are the presentation and discussion of contemporary video and film art works as well as excerpts of texts on emotions and affects.
Similar to some readings of "queer" the selected films offer their reference to negative feelings as a possibility to forge new alliances. The workshop aims to explore how a politicisation of negative feelings takes form though a subversion of conventional depictions of gender, in the works of performers, the selection of images or through an altered use of documentary footage.
The workshop will be held in German and English (video and text material). Translations provided according to the language skills of the participants.
