In relation to the climate conference in Copenhagen December 7-18 2009 we invite you to contribute with a poster, image or statement addressing the social and environmental justice dimension of climate change from your point of view.

The posters will be printed in black and white i A2 format, mounted on a board and carried in a march over the green commons of Copenhagen and into the city on Wednesday Dec 9. They will then be installed at Kunsthal Charlottenborg during the climate conference.

Format: A PDF file in print resolution (150 dpi is fine).
Size: A2, black and white.
Send it to: info(at)field-work.dk

Deadline is November 20th.
We are looking forward to your contribution.

Best
Lise Skou and Nis Rømer

http://field-work.dk/opencall.html

–
NOTE NEW PHONE NUMBER: +45 5355 9708

Visual Artist
W: www.liseskou.net
P: +45 5355 9708
Skype: lise.skou or lise_skou
Mail: liseskou(at)gmail.com

BUCHAREST, February 19th, 2009: PAVILION UNICREDIT, the centre for contemporary art and culture, announces its official opening with the exhibition “STATEMENT”, curated by Lia Perjovschi.

The Day’s Agenda:

11.00 – 12.00: Press conference, followed by a presentation tour of the centre and the exhibition.

12.00 – 13.00: Q&A Session (Questions & Answers – open discussion). Participants: Lia Perjovschi, Eugen Radescu, Razvan Ion, Andrei Craciun.

19.00: Official opening of the exhibition “STATEMENT”. Curator: Lia Perjovschi.

21.00: Punch Glam Party with kitschy pop music video projection.

“STATEMENT” exhibition, curated by Lia Perjovschi – February 19th – April 19th 2009


For the first time in the last twenty years, a bank becomes an art centre. A centre in the centre of the city, not at its outskirts, as we were used so far by the logic of transition. The spaces for contemporary art, had they not been already displaced, closed or thrown at the periphery, are becoming smaller and smaller or more business-related. The history of the Romanian contemporary art is the history of the losses – a place, a market, a man, a few ideas. And, as always, an exaggeration is surpassed by an other, and the lack of the assorted art units is politically concealed by the ever too big and too dependent Central Unit: the museum.

An art magazine created a BIennale and now opens ONE permanent centre for the contemporary art.

The midpoint of PAVILION UNICREDIT is not “the show”, as some may think, but “the archive/ information”. The main focus here is the “the knowledge”, the resource.

Any new place and any new project starts with a STATEMENT. In Romanian: declarara?ie de credinta. What the place want to be, and what it might be.

STATEMENT is an expositional plan. A route. A process. The storyboard of a contemporary art centre nowadays. A conceptual expression for the lines of force structuring the intellectual life and the life in general. A multidisciplinary programme created with modesty (books, newspapers, quotations). A data bank and a possibilities bank. Art is not alone. Art is positioned in a cultural, political and scientific framework. Works of art admired and then given away as gifts, replicas more interesting than the original, hundreds of artists in texts, images, postcards. Institutional history in bags. A map of ideas that may go wild or may structure itself peacefully. A laboratory where the spectators become researchers.

STATEMENT breaks the vicious circle built up out of financial humiliation, bureaucratic imbecility, cultural ignorance and lack of understanding, institutional autism, the reduction to the state of always asking and always being rejected without any explanations, and the state of “everything against you”. STATEMENT uses the “Do-It-Yourself” resources that the curator-researcher has coalesced for the last twenty years.

What do we define as an artistic object? Where should the artistic research start and how far can it go? How free is our thinking?
We have become conservative without even knowing it. We wish to be avant-gardists, to overthrow things, but we do everything within the same logic frame. We complain about the same things. We reiterate the same mistakes. Culturally, we are in the tunnel effect.

What can be done?
What if we change the perspective? What if we watch through the both ends of the telescope? Here in Universe. Here on Earth. Here in Romania. Here in Pavilion.
The resource in STATEMENT is not only the art theorist or the cultural philosopher, but also the artist, the astronaut, the string theory specialist, the astronomer and the inventor.
Are the artists also inventors? How does the world look when seen from outside the world?
Is a T-shirt art? Is a postcard a work of art? What do some images tell us when they are downloaded from the Internet and then xerocopied? What does the democratic access to information imply? For how long can we count on the popular anthology? Why does Second Life imitate life?

We know what we are made from (our genome), we know where we are (in the Universe), but do we know why? (Lia Perjovschi translated for media by Dan Perjovschi).

What is PAVILION UNICREDIT?

Most of the 140 million inhabitants from Russia are living in Communist block of flats, in apartments they call hruschiovi (“khrushchevs” ), after the name of the former Communist leader of the ’60s, the period when they were built. But the initiator of the project was actually Stalin. He imagined them and he also turned the project into reality. As a country dominated by Russia for 45 years, Romania may pride itself on the same type of habitat. Hruschiovi have some small kitchenettes, and this was a big step forward, as compared to the so-called kommunalki (they had common kitchens, common bathrooms and, sometimes, even common bedrooms. The idea of the New Man, who has nothing to hide, went into the background. Today the comfort becomes the main propagandistic tool.

PAVILION UNICREDIT is located in Victoria Square, at the ground floor of such an apartment building. The aforementioned space became a banking center in 1993 and it has stayed like this for the last 15 years. The actual building of the edifice started in the years of the communist regime and it was concluded five years after the fall of the communism. The hruschiovi from the center of Bucharest have witnessed the changes of a Stalinist society into a capitalist society, with strong social and political marks. PAVILION UNICREDIT uses this space for its messages, for its location (right across the center of the executive power – the Romanian Government building) and, moreover, for its hastily forgotten history. It is a space without an extraordinary history, a space of the broken up history, of the revolutionary delays. A space for the knowledge and interest in society, city and community.

PAVILION UNICREDIT is a work-in-progress independent space, a space for the production and research in the fields of visual, discursive and performative. It is a space of the critical thinking, and it promotes a certain artistic perspective on art and cultural institutions, one that implies a socio-political involvement. Still, the basic function of the space will remain the concretisation.

PAVILION UNICREDIT will set up every year three-four exhibitions, discursive events, a film projection schedule and an informal educational program entitled The Free Academy.

The centre will shelter one of the most important areas of information in the entire country, which is constituted of the CONTEMPORARY ART ARCHIVE (archive created by Lia and Dan Perjovschi) and the PAVILION RESOURCE ROOM (a non-archive created by Razvan Ion and Eugen Radescu).

The structural design, the architecture of the space was created by Adriana Mereuta, one of the most remarkable Romanian architects. The space is an unusual one for a centre of contemporary art and it was designed in such a way so as to preserve the elements of the original space, of the Communist building. Simultaneously, the architectural project added functionality and conception to is utility, while maintaining as centre of gravity, in its core, the archives/informations.

About UniCredit ?iriac Bank

UniCredit ?iriac Bank is a financial institution whose activities of cultural support place a significant emphasis on visual arts, also covering the areas of music and literature. The bank financially supports the first independent contemporary art and culture centre opened under the name of Pavilion UniCredit, being at the same time a strategic partener of the Bucharest Biennale of Contemporary Art. The cultural component of its sustainability strategy is visible in the bank’s involvement in long-term projects which it supports as a main partner – Anonimul International Film Festival, George Enescu International Festival or the metroArt Community Art Project – also developing own initiatives as the UniCredit Literary Debut competition and the grant program offered to prominent post-graduate students of the National Art University in Bucharest.

(for PDF file and more info: http://center. pavilionmagazine .org/en/pressrel ease_19jan09. pdf)

Team

Director: Razvan Ion
Research Curator: Lia Perjovschi
Coordinator: Andrei Craciun
Project manager: Raluca Pop
Assistant Director: Ioana Nitu
Website/ Software design: Alexandru Enachioaie
Space Design/ Architecture: Adriana Mereuta
Intern: Silvia Vasilescu

Board

Dan Perjovschi
Eugen Radescu (chairman)
Ioana Paun
Felix Vogel

PAVILION UNICREDIT is the first centre for contemporary art and culture from Romania and it is the result of an extended cooperation between PAVILION magazine, BUCHAREST BIENNALE and UNICREDIT TIRIAC BANK.

The projects PAVILION, BUCHAREST BIENNALE, PAVILION UNICREDIT are devised and founded by Razvan Ion and Eugen Radescu.

Visiting address: ?os. Nicolae Titulescu, 1 (Victoria Square), Bucharest
E-mail: pavilion@pavilionma gazine.org
Telephone: 031-103-4131

Opening hours:
Tuesday-Friday: 12.00 – 19.00 p.m.
Saturday-Sunday: 14.00 – 21.00 p.m.
Closed on Mondays

Supported by: Pilsner Urquell
Media partners: Hotnews, 24Fun, Feeder.ro, Alternativ.ro, 22 magazine.

www.pavilionunicred it.ro

Acum cateva zile am fost rugat sa raspund la niste intrebari legate de Apartamentul 17. Urmau sa fie publicate intr-un ziar, sub forma de interviu. Pentru ca respectiva publicatie nu a mai putut folosi materialul, am ales sa il postez aici, pe post de explicatie si statement.

Cine a fost cu ideea acestui proiect? Ideea acestui proiect a luat nastere dintr-o oportunitate de ordin pragmatic: spatiul unei garsoniere era disponibil. Mai intai Vlad s-a gandit ca acolo s-ar putea face un atelier, un loc de intalnire si de discutie, sau o galerie independenta. Eu am aparut in initiativa asta ca unul dintre parteneri. Dupa o perioada mai lunga in care lucrurile au stagnat la apartamentul 17, timp in care eu am deschis galeria 29 la mine acasa si apoi, impreuna cu Vlad am mers la Chisinau, nevoia de a construi si de a pune in functiune acest spatiu a revenit. De data asta motivatia era legata de lucrarile pe care le facusem la Chisinau si pe care voiam sa le expunem in acel loc impreuna cu inca doi tineri artisti – Michele Bressan si Larisa Sitar. Odata ce ne-am mobilizat cu totii,
spatiul a luat nastere din munca noastra.

Ce tip de arta v-ati propus sa promovati in spatiul asta? Alta decat putem vedea in galeriile bucurestene? Ne intereseaza arta contemporana produsa de oameni tineri. Exista
foarte multi oameni care nu isi gasesc inca drumul intr-un context institutional si credem ca e misiunea noastra sa le oferim un cadru in care acestia sa functioneze. Pe langa cei care asteapta ca statul, uniunea artistilor sau MNAC sa le ofere fonduri, expozitii, curatori si atentie, mai exista si artisti care lucreaza oricum, indiferent de circumstantele economice, sau legate de climatul si relatiile din interiorul lumii artei contemporane romanesti.

Cred ca ei sunt tinta noastra – cei care fac lucruri pentru ca au nevoie de ele si nu asteapta resurse, idei si sprijin emotional de la niste institutii si persoane incapabile sa le ofere in acest moment.

Arta contemporana e un limbaj si a spune ca apartamentul 17 o sa produca senzationalul sau nemaivazutul e o eroare. In contextul galeriilor bucurestene, apartamentul 17 are de oferit o oarecare intimitate legata de publicul restrans, disponibilitatea pentru dialog in jurul lucrarilor de pe perete, dar si o deschidere catre artisti tineri valorosi care sunt mai putin cunoscuti in circuitul oficial al artei contemporane locale. La nivel calitativ ne intereseaza prospetimea viziunii, inovatia si legatura cu problemele de nivel colectiv si individual cu care ne confruntam in prezent.

Cum se vor desfasura expozitiile: adica, va fi o expozitie pe luna, o data la nu stiu cate luni, etc? Apartamentul 17 nu dispune de un program gandit dinainte. Nu ne-am propus sa avem o regularitate a evenimentelor, o anumita optiune conceptuala sau o anume abordare. Si asta tot din motive pragmatice – spatiul nu ne apartine si nu ne putem construi strategii de termen lung, pentru
ca nu e cazul. Totusi, dorinta noastra e sa folosim spatiul atata timp cat ne sta la dispozitie.

Am inteles ca e un proiect nonprofit. Nu e dificil pentru voi, organizatorii? Puteti sa-mi explicati, in doua-trei cuvinte in ce consta munca voastra “manageriala”, ca sa zic asa? Cum alegeti artistii, lucrarile, etc? E un proiect fara profit financiar, dar care creeaza profit cultural. Nu generam capital in bani, insa ne intereseaza sa producem semnificatii, obiecte, evenimente, intalniri. Pe de-o parte ne-am insusit etica do it yourself si astfel am indepartat nevoia de finantare/finantatori, contabili, raportari si dari de seama. Tot asa am scapat si de sub un
eventual control curatorial.

Facem ce credem si expunem ce ni se pare important si ne putem asocia cu oamenii pe care ii admiram. Financiar vorbind, nu e neaparat dificil, cat foarte redus ca mijloace. Pentru a varui o camera de aproximativ douazeci de metri patrati iti trebuie o galeata de vinarom, niste trafaleti si niste prieteni, parteneri la proiect care sa te ajute. Trebuie schimbat becul si produse lucrarile (de printat fotografii si statements) si apoi exponatele trebuiesc puse pe perete. Pentru ca ne ocupam cu
totii cu asta de ceva timp, nu ne deranjeaza sa ne platim singuri costurile sau sa impartim diversele cheltuieli.

Munca manageriala consta mai mult intr-o munca de secretariat, in care evenimentul trebuie comunicat publicului. Pentru ca nu exista pentru moment o viziune de termen lung asupra Apartamentului 17, din cauza spatiului care nu ne apartine, evenimentele viitoare vor fi organizate in
urma descoperirilor facute de fiecare. Selectia lucrarilor se face prin consultarea celor care au luat parte la repunerea in folosinta a spatiului. In general ne intereseaza ceea ce in engleza se numesc emerging artists – artisti tineri care au o activitate sustinuta si de o anume calitate.

Putem vorbi de un fenomen home gallery in Romania? Cum este privit de cei care stiu ce inseamna asta?

Ca sa vorbim de un fenomen home gallery in Romania, ar trebui mai intai ca acesta sa existe. Cuvantul ‘fenomen’ trimite la ceva de nivel colectiv, asa, ca un val, o miscare din fata careia nu prea te poti
sustrage. Suntem departe de asa ceva. Am putea vorbi mai degraba de niste initiative de a crea home galleries in Romania, care pot fi numarate si plasate in timp si spatiu. Stefan Cosma parca isi facuse un home gallery, apoi si Vlad Nanca a avut o initiativa similara (care a fost pentru mine un exemplu, dandu-mi ideea de a face acelasi lucru).

Cred ca au mai fost mai multe alte initiative pe care nu mi le amintesc, sau de care nu stiu, dar acestea sunt sporadice si sunt departe de a construi o miscare in Romania. Cei care stiu ce e o galerie de
apartament sunt in general specialistii, artistii si publicul de arta contemporana din Romania. Fiind un lucru pe care il cunosc de la Bucuresti, Berlin sau din alta parte, ideea de home gallery nu fascineaza pe nimeni ca o idee in sine. Relevanta unui asemenea demers e masurata mai degraba de eficienta cu care reuseste sa creeze o serie de evenimente culturale importante in contextul local, sau sa ajute o generatie noua de artisti sa se autopromoveze.

Cum rezista, de regula, la noi galeriile independente, cum este aceasta? Spre deosebire de galeriile comerciale care traiesc atata timp cat fac bani, sau cele ale uniunii / muzeelor, care traiesc atata timp cat primesc bani de la stat, o galerie de apartament dispare imediat ce nu mai are evenimente de prezentat publicului, sau artisti de promovat. Motorul intregii initiative fiind prezentarea unui continut cultural nou unui public cat mai larg, odata ce productia de continut e pe sfarsite si finalul respectivei galerii este aproape.

Vehiculand noutatea si entuziasmul artistilor fata de lucrurile pe care le fac, galeriile de apartament nu pot recicla gloriile trecutului, fie in cheie comerciala sau muzeala, fiind nevoite sa isi lase spatiile
sa se retraga in domeniul vietii de zi cu zi din care au fost sustrase odata ce artistii expusi nu mai produc.

E nevoie de astfel de spatii alternative la noi? De ce? Pentru mine si pentru inca vreo cativa artisti tineri asemenea spatii sunt necesare. In absenta unui curator si a oricarui alt control asupra
productiei artistice eu personal simt ca ma pot dezvolta nestingherit, urmarindu-mi interesele cu oarecare dezimvoltura, nefiind obligat sa lucrez la comanda, sa abordez un subiect care nu imi spune nimic, sau sa fac niste gesturi institutionale care ma deranjeaza si care imi ocupa prea mult timp.

Un asemenea demers presupune ca in timp sa devii propriul curator, manager cultural, administrator, contabil, secretar si asistent de proiect. Aceasta poate fi o experienta importanta despre propria persoana. Intr-un context problematic e important de stiut ca exista si posibilitatea, solitara dar eficienta, a lucrului de unul singur, fara a te bizui niste promisiuni vagi a caror materializare nu o poti controla prin propria munca.

Apartamentul 17 este o garsoniera abandonata intr-un imobil din centrul Bucurestiului, pe care cativa tineri artisti au amenajat-o si au transformat-o in galerie.
Apartamentul 17 este un spatiu dedicat practicii artei contemporane, care nu urmareste scopuri comerciale.
Apartamentul 17 se doreste a fi un spatiu producator de resurse culturale, exponent al unei scene de arta contemporane vibrante dar inca lipsita de reprezentare in mediile culturale deja existente.
Apartamentul 17 este un spatiu de arta contemporana in care pe langa practica artistica propriu-zisa se incurajeaza dialogul cultural si critica discursului artistic.

Adresa Apartamentului 17 nu este publicata pentru ca spatiul nu este foarte generos iar cei care doresc sa viziteze acest spatiu o pot face numai ca invitati speciali.

H’art Gallery si Starlink in parteneriat cu Leo Burnett & Target lanseaza o serie de evenimente artistice in sediul din Nicolae Iorga, nr 13. Fiecare artist invitat va elabora si produce unproiect site-specific ce va lua in calcul atat spatiul, cat si natura activitatii de advertising. Primul eveniment din aceasta serie este expozitia de fotografie a lui Catalin Burcea – Connect as: Guest. Vernisajul va avea loc joi, 12 octombrie 2006, ora 19, la sediul agentiei Leo Burnett & Target (str. Nicolae Iorga, nr. 13, sector 1 Bucuresti)

STATEMENT

Exista un spatiu limita, o zona de securitate pe care o avem fiecare dintre noi. Ceva de genul unui “soap bubble” in jurul nostru, care, daca este intepat, voit sau ne-voit, se sparte si ne speriem. De fapt, mai degraba intram in panica. Trebuie luate masuri de urgenta pentru a ne pune din nou in siguranta. Spatiul acesta “de siguranta” este, de fapt, zona care tine de intimitatea fiecaruia dintre noi. Este un spatiu veritabil ca dimensiune. La unii mai mare, la altii mai mic, functie de intro sau extro-vertirea fiecaruia. Aici se impun masuri de “frontiera”. Cine are “passport” poate trece, cine nu, NU!. Ce fel de reguli trebuiesc respectate pentru obtinerea “pasaportului”? Putem banui dar nu stim niciodata cu siguranta. Difera de la o persoana la alta, de la un “stat” la altul.

Experimentul de fata porneste tocmai de la aceste premise. Un spatiu nou, o comunitate noua. Cum te apropii de fiecare? Cum te integrezi? Ce fel de raporturi se stabilesc intre tine si ceilalti? Cat de mult te lasa fiecare sa te apropii de el?

Am ales o serie de instrumente de analiza, de fapt niste instrumente de tehnica medicala destul de incomode, cam agresive, cu care am vrut sa vad cat de mult ma pot apropia de fiecare in parte. Cat de mult sunt lasat sa intru in spatiul intim al fiecaruia.

Fiecare si-a ales, totusi, “instrumentul de tortura”. Ce s-a ales? Vedeti si voi.