International conference on the annual theme "Resistance" (in German and English)
with Said Abu-Shakra, Galia Bar Or, Karin Berger, Georges Didi-Huberman, Daniela Finzi, Roger Frie, Lizaveta German, Anna Kim, Pavlo Makov, Monika Pessler, Doron Rabinovici, Anindya Raychaudhuri and Elana Shapira
Friday, October 9, 2026
Library of Psychoanalysis at the Sigmund Freud Museum
Registration required: To attend, please register below.
Please note that registration does not guarantee a seat.
Trauma and Dialogue
The symposium, “Trauma and Dialogue,” delves into traumatic experiences and their depiction through diverse artistic mediums. Against the backdrop of current sociopolitical developments and increasing polarization, we will discuss the role artistic dialogue plays in fostering resistance and resilience against authoritarian change.
Program
9:30: Welcome
Monika Pessler
Introductory Remarks
Elana Shapira & Daniela Finzi
9:45-10:45: Opening Lecture
Georges Didi-Huberman: Trauma, Testimony, Transmission
10:45-11:45: Conversation
Karin Berger & Monika Pessler: Women’s Resistance: Trauma in Dialogue (in German)
Coffee Break
12:00-13:00: Lecture
Anindya Raychaudhuri: „What unmakes us, makes us“: Food and Dialogue in Narratives of the 1947 India-Pakistan Partition
Lunch Break
14:00-15:00: Dialogue
Galia Bar Or & Said Abu Shakra: Art as a Bridge in Times of Crises, moderated by Elana Shapira
15:00-16:00: Dialogue
Pavlo Makov & Lizaveta German: Revisiting the “Fountain of Exhaustion”, moderated by Elana Shapira
Coffee Break
16:30-17:30: Dialogue
Anna Kim & Doron Rabinovici: “People can handle the truth”, moderated by Daniela Finzi
17:30-18:00: Closing Remarks by Roger Frie
The international symposium “Trauma and Dialogue” explores artistic representations of dialogue within the context of ongoing national, social, and personal, conflicts and traumatic experiences. Central themes such as loss, violence, discrimination, despair, and anger can be made accessible to a wider audience through this examination, which is essential to coming to terms with the past and present.
Especially in societies affected by cultural and armed conflicts, critically engaging with the past can prevent political radicalization and encourage activism. However, during times of crisis, collective memory is often distorted by social media, which amplifies intolerant and extremist voices. Political elites may also monopolize the conversation to promote historical revisionism or propaganda instead of nuanced, profound dialogue. Though not free from hegemonic power structures and assumptions, dialogue is a language-based practice of mutual exchange founded on empathy and attentive listening. Artistic dialogue permits the asking of questions without requiring answers and can reveal unconscious dynamics and implicit knowledge. This is critical for exploring and understanding the complexities of diverse traumas and their impact on individuals and societies.
International artists, curators, and historians will explore the dialogical potential of artistic interventions from various perspectives, drawing on psychoanalytic concepts. Their multifaceted contributions will address strategies of remembrance, testimony, and conflict mediation in different historical and geopolitical contexts. In light of current global sociopolitical developments and polarization, the “Trauma and Dialogue” symposium will focus on how artistic dialogue can strengthen resistance and resilience against authoritarian change.
THE EVENT IS ALREADY FULLY BOOKED! We will gladly add further registrations to the waiting list and contact you if places become available.
