Eric Beckett Weaver reading “The Atomic Declaration of Dependence” at the closing ceremony of the First NSK Citizens’ Congress.

The Atomic Declaration of Dependence was an expected surprise for all of us. This pirate manifesto is the manifestation, the focus, the epicentre and the crystallization of the despair of each delegate. A despair that each delegate was unable or unwilling to verbalise. Moreover, it is the statement of the “self-detestation/self-de-state-tation” that we were all carrying within our minds. The signatories are simultaneously accusing the representatives of NSK, the body of the delegates, the congress… and themselves. During the demonstration of self-inflicted diplomacy and courtesy known as the congress, a huge beast was growing behind our faces, inside our minds. We didn’t need to sign the Atomic Declaration of Dependence. We had already mentally signed it exactly at the moment we entered the site of the congress, the Haus der Kulturen der Welt. During these three days the concept of Leviathan was mentioned repeatedly, (by Eda Čufer, especially), so we couldn’t avoid evoking his apparition with this incantation – a spirit that waited for the last and best moment to arise. The Findings cannot exist without the Atomic Declaration of Dependence, as the Atomic Declaration of Dependence cannot exist without the Findings. This text shouldn’t be seen as a flashmob protest, but as a concrete result of our Congress. It should be appreciated as the alterego of our behaviour now and the solidification of our projects for NSK and its citizens . “Fanatics are picturesque, mankind would rather see gestures than listen to reason”, said Friedrich Nietzsche. Once again, he was right.

The Atomic Declaration of Dependence

The state is the manifestation of Kitsch. We hereby disassociate ourselves from your coffee-scented dog-breathed manifestations and unilaterally declare the dissolution of ourselves and the elimination of time through the timelessness of Kitsch. We find your bourgeois adoration of time and form repulsive and degenerate. Suborn yourselves to your pathetic creation in time at your own risk. We dissolve ourselves, demolish eternally your structures and leave this hollowness to re-form under new circumstances at the very moment of our creation. Your time is dated. Ours will never come.

D.W.T./N.S.K State
Representing Atomic Eternal Light

M.P. Eric Beckett Weaver

Co-signed by many of the delegates to the First NSK Citizens Congress in Berlin
On the 23rd of October, 2010

Down With Time = D.W.T.

First of all, I would like to thank everyone involved in the congress for their good humor and very, very hard work, especially Alexei Monroe (who was a very good master of ceremonies) and the other folks put on the Congress. It was a high point of my year so far. Also, thanks to the Founding Members of Neue Slowenische Kunst for all their work and same goes for Haris and Jernej for all the website, a very impressive bit of hard work.

I thought the caliber of the delegates was excellent, and the range of opinions was quite broad, yet we did agree on many important issues. For example, what we (as NSK) should do around micro-nations? This issue was resolved almost unanimously and very quickly, which surprised me. So thanks to the “Hidden Secret NSK Cabal” that choose us so well. Equally, many of speakers were excellent, even though my own views on Neue Slowenische Kunst and NSK might have been very different than their own. Again, I found the diverging opinions stimulating.

I also thought the facilitators who started us off in working groups were also very good and guided us back on topic when needed, so thanks to all the facilitators. Personally, I would have liked a more focused and/or structured format for working groups and especially for the large group work I would like to suggest is to always have the facilitators not be a member of the group, or at least have them not be an active participant in discussion, while working in the large group format.

I felt that we could have accomplished much more in a shorter time if we had more guidance coupled with a set of general background reading material, so we knew more going into the Congress about what we needed to do. I would change this aspect of the process as I think many of us went to the Congress without knowing in full what we were doing there. I also realize that we delegates must take much of the responsibility. The Facebook page should have been used more effectively than it was. We needed to have set up something much more focused, and have more self-imposed structure throughout the Congress. In theory, the Wiki may solve this issue, but then again we will have to see what will happen.

The “Findings” were adequate, if bit obvious for my tastes, and without much “real” derivation from the original vision of Neue Slowenische Kunst and its later incarnation NSK. So how do we make our mark while keeping the internal book of the Laws and convent?

Do we? and can we really “takeover” the real running of the State Machine? If so when and how do we accomplish this goal? How we implement the five the proposed innovations in a realistic matter? Or is this going to degenerate to becoming back what it has been previously, a kind of NSK fan club?

So I ask my Fellow Delegates and others what have you done for your state today?

Everything is ready for the event! Looking forward to see you all at the Haus der Kulturen der Welt.

This congress assembles selected citizens of our State for the first time, in order to discuss the state and its future. This project represents a materialisation of the previously virtual “NSK State in Time” which until now has primarily been understood as an art project. Over three days, some 30 “delegates”, commentators and observers will meet at the Haus der Kulturen der Welt to discuss the possible further development of the NSK State in Time. Accompanying these internal daytime debates there will be an evening programme open to the public including a seminar addressing the questions raised during the Congress. The first evening of the Congress will see the opening of the exhibition “NSK Folk Art“. This is art produced in the style of or referring to NSK by individuals and groups from around the world. A first selection of NSK Folk Art was recently presented by IRWIN and NSKSTATE.COM at the Taipei Biennale. The Berlin exhibition will show for the first time over 60 artworks from the NSK State in Time collection. In addition, film screenings over two evenings will present an interesting selection of extracts from the work of NSK plus related subjects. The event will close with a public party with DJs and live performers including NSK citizens.

The dates and venue for the Berlin congress have now been finalised. The congress will run from 21st to 23rd October.  We are pleased to announce that the venue for the Congress will be Haus Der Kulturen Der Welt, Berlin’s House of World Cultures. More details of the programme will follow shortly.

Delegates will be contacted shortly to confirm the new dates and arrangements. The congress is being organised in cooperation with the Berlin cultural agency “Βüro für Κulturelle Αngelegenheiten” and they will deal with practical arrangements for the delegates. Please remember that all delegates have now been selected. Non-delegates are welcome to attend the public events but must make their own travel and visa arrangements.

Alongside the Congress itself there will be a public programme of events including an exhibition, screenings and talks. More details will follow soon.