INTAC 2018-19

The Challenge of Language

To challenge language in the global community is to recognize the difficulties presented by histories of power combined with apparent efficiencies of communication.

What will be the basis of world cooperation when cultures bend to fit to the English language, losing centuries of nuance? Does language simply mimic the corporate hegemony? Coca Cola is ‘Coke’ all over the world, but there must be something more. Empires do crumble. 

As artists, we can strive to collaborate and to communicate in ways open to culturally specific perspectives, creating a blended language and challenging barriers to sharing and understanding. The rhetorics of diversity and inclusion can be embodied in our artist practices. 

Themes around language and communication, and attempts to work with the range of spoken and written languages which INTAC members use, form the umbrella theme for INTAC 2018-19. Enabling greater active participation of those not as familiar with English is a major goal. Challenging native English speakers to push beyond the limits of one language is another.