Mila Panić, “Jokes”, stand-up comedy and discussion

Jokes can be very powerful tools in reshaping the visitor’s perspectives on given topics, but also many often defend their speech against moral criticism by asserting that “it was meant as a joke”. At a time when cancel culture has made stand-up comedy a risky form of expression, Mila Panic deems it important to examine its role particularly within the contemporary art context. 

Humour is often used to critique, subvert, and change dominant cultural narratives. Yet the sound of active laughter is very rarely heard in the context of an art exhibition. Through visual art and stand-up comedy, Mila Panic uses humour to create liberating moments, laugh and engage with topics such as selective empathy, politics, war, displacement or everyday situations. In her practice, stand-up comedy and visual art come from the same place - from a spectrum of irritation, anger and madness, and what lies beneath all is fear. These elements became the basis for her to reshape visitors’ perspectives.