Colin Guillemet, Michael Hiltbrunner, Daniel Morgenthaler and Sabine Rusterholz debate the place of art in developed cities. They are divided in two opposing teams debate and discuss a motion that they have been assigned. Each participant has been given a position opposing or defending the motion, and each has five minutes to argue their case uninterrupted. Thereafter the speakers challenge each other, and the audience may in turn question the speakers. The event ends with a vote for the more persuasive team.

art + argument is a forum for discussing culture where the unspeakable may be said, founded by Aoife Rosenmeyer. Each speaker must play his or her assigned role, regardless of whether they agree or not. Speakers benefit from temporary immunity: what they say during the debate is not necessarily their opinion and they cannot be held to their word afterwards.

This debate takes place in the context of Tearing Down, Building Up, an exhibition with Vanessa Billy, Les Frerès Chapuisat, ortsofort & Christine Zufferey, curated by OPEN FIELD (a collaboration between Isabel Münster & Aoife Rosenmeyer) which continues until 26 November.