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June 19, 2024Events / Place Hacking / Topics / Topography of MemoryElena Urucatu‘s artistic journey is as dynamic as the cities that shaped her. Born in Bucharest, she moved to Madrid two decades ago, transitioning from a physical education teacher to industrial design and Fine Arts. Now based in Berlin, she continues to explore her journey through the world of art : this October 2024, she will be participating in the final Magic Carpets exhibition that will take place in Tartu, Estonia, as part of the European Capital of Culture program.
Her impressive work primarily revolves around installation and performances, with each project deeply rooted in conceptual exploration. Her art delves into the human experience, examining our connections with nature, culture, and social systems in general. This approach is very well shown in her “Sobremesa” performance, which she first realized during the 2022 Mahalla Festival “Palimpsest”, in Istanbul.
META Culture Foundation‘s Curator Raluca Dorotfei proposed the artist to Diyalog Derneği associations Curator Ilayda Tunca. Elena Urucatu developed the idea of a metaphorical dinner-event as it will take part in the final Magic Carpets exhibition “Superorganism“.
Magic Carpets is a “Creative Europe” platform, uniting 21 European cultural organizations with the goal of creating opportunities for emerging artists to explore new territories, collaborate with local artists and communities to produce works that highlight local specificities and create new narratives.
The European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024, which joined the network in 2022, spans a wide array of visual, performance, and research-based art forms. It offers platforms for artist residencies across Europe, providing emerging artists like Elena with significant opportunities.
Talking with Elena Urucatu – interview by Léa Cordani
Can you give us some insights into the Sobremesa performance you did in Istanbul ?
Sobremesa is an installation composed of several interconnected elements: a table, tablecloth, tableware, and food served during a performance. The performance’s central aspect is the conversation that unfolds around the table. The name “Sobremesa” actually derives from a Spanish term referring to the time spent conversing after a meal. And that is totally what the performance was about, the conversation became the central element of this work. For the performance, participants were asked to bring a plate for dinner, which was then randomly shared among everyone. The only thing I asked the participants was to answer the question “Why did you bring that plate?”, somehow to make people think about what is so special about that plate, to share personal stories. So many stories came up, and that was so special. The action of sharing your own special plate is actually something very extraordinary. You share that plate, or you add something to it, or you use it for something special, maybe with your family or who knows, right? This act of sharing created a unique and really intimate exchange.
The table in itself also serves as a metaphorical canvas, accumulating layers of stories and marks from use, which are often passed down through generations. Each tablecloth, marked with its own history and imperfections, contributes to this narrative. Additionally, the tableware was donated by a Greek school, adding another layer of cultural significance! The food, sourced from across Istanbul’s diverse culinary landscape, further enriched the performance.
Do you already know what you are going to showcase in Tartu? Is the performance going to change?
Not totally, it will be a continuation of the first performance, the idea is to add another layer to it. So in Tartu, we will use the same tablecloths from Istanbul, which I painted black to preserve the shadows of the dinner: the outlines of plates, cutlery, and other items left on the table. We will also incorporate the sounds recorded during the Istanbul dinner. Another group of 20–25 participants will join the Sobremesa installation, adding their stories and experiences to the existing layers, thus continuing the narrative.
How do you relate to the idea of the Superorganism exhibition?
When I read the curatorial text, what I had in my mind was a big octopus. The first element that I have in common with SuperOrganism is precisely the unity that is created between the various elements of the Sobremesa installation. Each element, the table, the tablecloth and the conversation, is worked to improve the piece, but the conversation is what gives life to the installation.
It is spontaneous, open, and leaves room also for the imagination. Not only for the imagination and memory of the people who are experiencing the performance, but also for the people who are coming to visit the installation afterwards. Each visitor has the opportunity to fly with his own experience because the sound is there. They can listen to the conversation, and it can take them to different places at the same time.
And this is also wealthy for the creation by itself because it’s another layer that I totally lost control of. But it’s another layer that they put on the installation somehow. Super organism at the end.
I think that definitely Sobremesa is born precisely thanks to the collectivity and unites the different elements to bring the light persistently on the collaborative power. But also in its capacity to tell stories that can’t be told because just thinking about the table clothes, the people who were swinging or waving the table clothes. You can imagine that story, but you don’t know exactly. So there is your imagination that is playing a special role.
Why is collaboration with the community important to you?
In my performances, I’m constantly looking for people that are not used to the art scene : participants from diverse fields, such as lawyers or doctors, and others not originally involved in art. This approach keeps the performances fresh, relatable, and easier to understand. To transmit the ideas, I want to transmit and to make them more digestive, I think it is good to work with people that are not related to the art scene. Engaging with non-artists brings new ideas and energies, often changing the direction of the project during its development. This collaborative spirit makes the work more dynamic and inclusive.
Have you worked with people from different backgrounds and countries before?
Yes, and it’s both challenging and rewarding to help people see through an artist’s eyes. Diverse backgrounds offer unique perspectives, enriching the overall experience and understanding of the art. Everybody has a different way to see the world, depending on how they were socialized. And if they see the world in your eyes, then, they see much more different things. They can experience your own memory, your own experience, your community too! This exchange allows participants to explore different cultural viewpoints and personal memories, enhancing the depth of the performance.
What lessons have you learned from your experience in Istanbul?
In every project, I’m working with different techniques. So from a technical point of view, I’m always learning. But from a personal point of view, in Istanbul, I learned that everybody can give you something, and you’ll learn for all your life. Everybody is so different from one another, and I think that we have to listen a lot and learn from that. I believe that people can bring you new ideas, new energy, new views that you can’t imagine.
From your perspective, how does Magic Carpets contribute to a wider understanding of contemporary art?
What magic carpets does is magic, really, because it approaches people and audiences that are very specific. In Istanbul, we were directly related to the neighbourhood. The people there weren’t used to the art scene at all. And art is definitely the best way to communicate between different cultural and political points of views.
I think art is the easiest way to make people see the political and historical situation, and also the most digestible way to see life, right? And I think that people need to be close to art, but they usually don’t have the opportunity to do so. I was working with the people from the markets that I invited to the exhibition, and they were impressed about what was happening there, how they never had the opportunity to see and visit the school before, which was significant to me. [...]
June 17, 2024Events / TopicsKeit Bonnici is a concept and performance artist currently based in Malta, whose work focuses on highlighting the complexities of democracy, institution, state, public and collective public memory.
He will be participating in the next one-month-long art residence alongside 5 other artists in Gozo, Malta. During this time, he will be researching on the socio-political realities associated with the fungus rock on the small sister island of Malta.
The final art events Beyond What Drifts Us Apart (BWDUA) will take place between July 19 and July 28 at the Dwejra Tower in Gozo, Malta.
This residency program and the public events are part of the Mahalla Festival and the MagiC Carpets network.
MagiC Carpets is a “Creative Europe” platform, uniting 21 European cultural organizations with the goal of creating opportunities for emerging artists to explore new territories, collaborate with local artists and communities to produce works that highlight local specificities and create new narratives.
Beyond What Drifts Us Apart is curated by Elyse Tonna and organized by Unfinished Art Space in cooperation with the Istanbul-based cultural association Diyalog, with a financial support from Arts Council Malta and the European Union.
Talking with Keit Bonnici – interview by Léa Cordani
Could you tell us a bit about yourself and your journey as an artist? What themes or concepts drive your artistic practice?
I consider my practice to be transdisciplinary, based on a conceptual work. I work with performance, drawing, film, and collage. Making is a significant part of my process : I enjoy creating things and thinking through the act of making. The common thread in my work is space, particularly the concept of decolonizing space. My research and work explores the threats linked with colonization, post-colonization, and I focus on the ways art could decolonize space.
My most recent project was at the Malta Biennale, where I worked with British telephone boxes. I performed a piece where I wrapped more than half of a telephone box in bubble wrap. This was a quick mock-up, where I designed protective transport corners and added wrap straps. My intention was to take one of these telephone boxes to England and back, but I couldn’t because there are 68 of them on the island of Malta, installed by the English as part of their colonial presence. These telephone boxes are iconic images of colonial influence.
There’s a particular telephone box in the heart of Valletta, the capital city, which is a popular tourist photo spot. I wanted to subvert and hijack this image, altering the social and collective imagination. Postcards and even Tinder profiles feature photos of this telephone box are a good example for that.
So you feel like the symbol of Malta has become the London symbol ?
That’s a simplified version. It’s more complex, with various symbols in the tourist layer. For Maltese people, these objects are part of the landscape and often go unquestioned. The Biennale asked me to work with this object, which aligns with my practice. However, these telephone boxes are protected as grade one heritage objects, limiting what I could do artistically. I initially didn’t realize how protected they were, so my project evolved to work within these limitations.
I collaborated with another artist, Niels, to create an artistic outcome despite these restrictions. Since I couldn’t physically take the telephone box, I used imagination to symbolically transport it. During the opening, we pre-washed the telephone box, and I performed by wrapping it up. This performance and the display included a sticker with information about the telephone box’s origin, weight, size, and history, leaving the destination blank. The government removed the bubble wrap, claiming it looked ugly, but I saw the tearing of the plastic as part of the work, reflecting how transported parcels often arrive slightly damaged.
Do you think about maybe taking this idea further or doing something completely different in Gozo?
No, I want to explore the environment more, especially in Gozo. I’ve been there a few times, and it’s a beautiful place. I’m interested in the rocks, the sea, and the creatures inhabiting the space, looking at the connection between humans and non-humans. This project will focus on how humans and nature interact, particularly near the strategic and picturesque towers on the island.
I aim to demilitarize these towers and the surrounding landscape, creating a new narrative about what else lives there. By raising questions through my work, I want to explore how to create spaces that consider both human and non-human elements. For example, observing the ants, birds, fish, and even cats that inhabit these areas, and acknowledging their presence alongside human footprints.
There’s a big importance given to connection with the community. Not only the non-human things but also the people there. Do you want to work with them? And if so, do you have any ideas on how to work together and make it have a real impact?
I’m excited about this aspect. I often find it challenging to connect with communities in my practice, so this is a great opportunity to extend and integrate community engagement. As an artist, I research and work a lot on my own. I would appreciate guidance from the curator to help me design a workshop and connect with the local community.
I’ve done collaborative projects and collective exhibitions, such as one at the National Museum of Malta four years ago. However, I want to learn how to design workshops that foster real connections with people. [...]
June 16, 2024Events / TopicsEmerging curator Paulina Brelińska-Garsztka from the Wroclaw Institute of Culture nominated the visual artist Justyna Olszewska to participate as an artist in residency in Beyond What Drifts Us Apart taking place this year in Gozo, Malta between 19th – 28th of July.
This fascinating residency program and exhibition is part of the Mahalla Festival and the MagiCCarpets network.
MagiC Carpets is a “Creative Europe” platform, uniting 21 European cultural organizations with the goal to create opportunities for emerging artists to explore new territories, collaborate with local artists and communities to produce works that highlight local specificities and create new narratives.
Beyond What Drifts Us Apart is curated by Elyse Tonna and organized by Unfinished Art Space in cooperation with the Istanbul-based cultural association Diyalog, with financial support from Arts Council Malta.
Justyna Olszewska is a graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Poznań and Astronomy at Adam Mickiewicz University (AMU), now a student at the Doctoral School of Exact Sciences at AMU in the field of astronomy. She conducts astro-workshops and lectures, creating works that address ecological themes. Currently, her artistic work focuses on projects aimed at highlighting the growing issue of sky pollution caused by artificial light, and consequently, the loss of the natural heritage of a starry sky. Together with three friends, she forms the educational collective Good Night.
She will be participating in the one-month-long art residence alongside 5 other incredible artists in Gozo, Malta. During this time and thanks to her astronomical background, she will be researching and working through the prism of artistic creation on the issue of light pollution in the area.
The final exhibition Beyond What Drifts Us Apart (BWDUA) will take place between July 19 and July 28 at the Dwejra Tower in Gozo, Malta.
Talking with Justyna Olszewska – interview by Léa Cordani
Could you please tell us a bit about yourself and your art?
I am a graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Poznań and Astronomy at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, where I am currently pursuing a PhD at the Doctoral School of Exact Sciences in the field of astronomy. In my artistic endeavors, I am fascinated by the integration of scientific disciplines and interdisciplinarity. My studies in astronomy greatly influence my artistic work, and my recent projects have an educational character. A topic of particular interest to me is the contemporary issue of light pollution. This has become so significant to me that I have dedicated my latest artistic works to it. In my activities, I also use archives from the Astronomical Observatory Institute, as well as various stories hidden within the old building “Willa Górczyn,” which houses the Institute.
How did the issue of light pollution become part of your work?
In 2019, together with three friends, we formed the scientific-artistic collective Good Night, and we have been active ever since. We began our activities with a project related to the total Solar Eclipse in Chile. During our trip, we had the opportunity to stay in the darkest place in the world, where at night the Milky Way is almost within reach. The sky over the Atacama Desert made such a profound impression on us that we decided to undertake educational efforts on the subject of sky pollution caused by artificial light. Excessive light after dark is not only a problem for space researchers, who find it increasingly difficult to find places for observation, but for all of us. It is currently as dangerous as chemical pollution of the environment. Too much light at night negatively affects every living creature, from plants to humans. By disrupting the circadian rhythm and hormonal balance of organisms, it contributes, among other things, to the development of cancers.
How do you feel your art relates to the idea of the exhibition?
The idea of the exhibition is close to my heart. I have not yet visited Dwejra at night, but I have heard that it is one of the few places in Malta where you can observe the sky. The concept of my artistic activity is still taking shape, and I believe that being in the project location will be so inspiring that it will help me choose the right direction. I definitely want my project to be educational and aimed at the local audience, i.e., residents of the area around the dark place on the island. Part of the project will definitely involve documenting the night sky using equipment that “sees” a bit more of the cosmos than the human eye. I am also preparing a happening in which local residents and communities can participate – but we’ll see what comes of it. I definitely want to activate the local community to look up!
[...]
June 14, 2024Events / TopicsMaltese artist and dancer Florinda Camilleri will be participating in the art residence and exhibition Beyond What Drifts Us Apart (BWDUA), part of the Mahalla Festival and residency program by MagiC Carpets.
Florinda Camilleri will stay in Gozo for this residency for one month, focusing mostly on the vital yet overlooked Posidonia Oceanica (a Mediterranean seaweed). Through this project, she continues to weave a rich tapestry of movement, technology, and collaborative storytelling, inviting us all to see the world—and ourselves—through a more interconnected lens.
The final exhibition will take place between July 19 and July 28 at the Dwejra Tower in Gozo, Malta.
The project is part of the MagiC Carpets network. MagiC Carpets is a “Creative Europe” platform uniting 21 European cultural organizations with the goal to creating opportunities for emerging artists to explore new territories, collaborate with local artists and communities to produce works that highlight local specificities and create new narratives.
Beyond What Drifts Us Apart is curated by Elyse Tonna and organized by Unfinished Art Space in cooperation with the Istanbul-based cultural association Diyalog, with financial support from Arts Council Malta.
Talking with Florinda Camilleri – interview by Léa Cordani
Can you tell me a bit more about yourself and what your art conveys?
My background is primarily in contemporary dance, both in Malta and internationally. In recent years, I’ve shifted from traditional dance settings to performing in public spaces. For me, my body is a tool for knowledge making and for communication, and I’m always questioning how to communicate human and more than human matters in bodily ways. But I’m also concerned a lot with the politics of the body and the politics of space and how in a small island like Malta, which is super developed, there isn’t much space for bodies to be as they need to be, to be different from what is already there and there aren’t many spaces to be able to practice being human in a different way, because everywhere is so highly prescribed and codified. My journey into public space performance began with a Master’s program in the Netherlands, focusing on making public space perform rather than just performing in public spaces. This experience transformed my approach, integrating post-human and feminist post-humanist/new materialist theories, viewing the human condition in a continuum with nature and technology where everything is matter, somehow connected together. And all of this is implicated in everything we do, we are in every space as well. So let’s say my work now is very much research-based.
How do you project these theoretical concepts into your practice?
I start with extensive research, gathering both mental and embodied information by spending time in a place and observing. Initially, I simply exist in the space, allowing it to affect me before interacting with it physically. I document these interactions with a camera, treating it as an extension of my body. This documentation helps me extract cohesive elements for performances, whether structured or improvised. I also attune myself to the subtle layers of the space, which emerge when I’m in a restful, curious state.
In practice, I spend time in the space without trying to impose anything, allowing stories to settle in my body. Once familiar, I interact with the space, guided by my body’s impulses rather than rational thoughts. This process often leads to a trance-like state where I’m fully present, regardless of external distractions. The use of the camera is integral, not just for documentation but as part of the creative process, sometimes influencing how I perceive and interact with the space.
When you dance in public spaces, do you use music? Or do you use music from the city and just let it flow?
It depends. In films, I often use the environment’s sounds, sometimes manipulating them. I also play with camera technology to alter perspectives, such as making small objects appear larger. In live performances, I might not use music at all, letting the natural sounds of the space and the movement create their own rhythm and ambiance.
Do you already know what you are going to showcase in Malta?
I chose to work with this Mediterranean type of seagrass called Posidonia oceanica, often misidentified as seaweed. It’s vital for oxygen production but frequently undervalued. I plan to create a film using historical and local footage, editing it through the lens of dance. Because when I see footage of the seagrass, it really dances!
Additionally, I’ll hold a workshop to create performance attire from dried seagrass and possibly produce a sound piece to symbolically call back extinct giant mussels. The film will feature historical footage from the Maltese heritage archive and local divers’ footage, aiming to highlight the seagrass’s beauty and ecological importance.
The workshop will involve local creatives, exploring the seagrass’s potential as a material for performance art. We might create clothing or ritual objects , emphasizing the plant’s significance and fostering a deeper connection with it. The sound piece will be an experimental attempt to reconnect with lost marine species, saying “welcome, please come back to us”, blending historical context with contemporary environmental concerns. I also want to let time I spend there influence all of this and let it develop.
Do you plan on working with other people?
Yes, I often collaborate with artists from various disciplines, as well as scientists, anthropologists, and other experts. Collaboration is essential for me, reflecting our interconnected existence and enriching the relevance of our work. I set conditions for creative emergence and invite collaborators, including sound artists, filmmakers, musicians, doctors, scientists, anthropologists, and policy makers. This multidisciplinary approach allows for a richer, more nuanced exploration of themes.
From a post-human perspective, I think we, as human beings, are always already intertwined with other beings, with other stories, with pasts, with futures. We really are not isolated. And so, as a practice, I think it makes sense to not isolate.
And I think when we isolate ourselves, as artists, the work becomes less relevant. Like at this time we’re in, I feel a desperate call to find new ways to be human. And I don’t believe that I can find out by being alone. I actually want to be more and more involved with others, and not just humans. We need to learn different ways of being human. And one of the big leaps that I see is involved in that is recognizing that we are not singular units of human. We are a system of components within other wider systems of components. And we have more agency than we think we do a lot of the time. And so when it comes to the idea of connection, what I’m more concerned with is recognizing, acknowledging how connected we already are rather than pushing to form new connections.
From your point of view, how can local communities in Malta be involved?
Engaging local communities can be challenging, but storytelling through bodies can be powerful. Using familiar yet recontextualized narratives, particularly through film and photography, can connect with people. I initially made an open call for scuba divers to share footage of seagrass but received little response. Future efforts might include more accessible storytelling methods, inviting community members to share their experiences and perceptions.
Involving the community also means tapping into the social and cultural fabric of Malta. Since the local imagination is often shaped by the tourism industry, using visual media can resonate strongly. By framing familiar narratives in new ways, we can spark curiosity and deeper engagement with the environment and heritage. And if we can find somehow a narrative or narratives that are close to the known, but a bit beyond, slightly into the unknown, then we have something that people will connect to.
What messages do you hope to convey through this creative experience?
I aim to inspire appreciation for our natural environment and its crucial role in our future. My work encourages looking deeper and recognizing the interconnectedness of human and non-human narratives. If I had to try and pin down possible points that I’d like to communicate, it’s more than anything, to appreciate the beauty of what we have along the coast, and to recognize its massive importance. Not to neglect, not to shrug things off without looking a little bit deeper. And more than anything, just to look, to listen, and to open the pores of our bodies and hearts, to the more than human narratives, more than human lives… Pretty much, recognizing that being human is also dependent on all the more than human and that the way that we’ve been human so far has been quite flawed. We have power, we have agency to shift. We don’t need to get too complicated about it. Just need to listen.
How is dance so important in that matter?
Thinking back, it’s always been dance. I started ballet lessons when I was three years old and I never stopped dancing since. And it always brought me a sense of joy and freedom that I would never replace with anything else. I started professionally when I was 27 years old, and very soon I started getting this feeling that there were parts of me that I couldn’t bring to light in that role of a dancer in a dance company : I wanted to make, I wanted to challenge, I wanted to question, I wanted to break the systems and call them out on their bullshit. And as a member of the National Dance Company, you can’t exactly do that. And so that’s when I left and started trying to forge my own path.
And rather than dance as a career and rather than trying to be a technical dancer, I have always found dance more as a tool. And that’s something that was a tool for me to question, to find joy, to push my body, to be with other bodies in an intimate space, to go through experiences with others, to connect with the space around me and study it and learn it and collect knowledge. [...]
June 12, 2024Events / Place Hacking / TopicsThe Portuguese visual artist Martinha Maia will travel to Gozo this summer to participate into Beyond What Drifts Us Apart – BWDUA – in the frame of the Mahalla Festival and a residency program by MagiC Carpets.
MagiC Carpets is a “Creative Europe” platform uniting 21 European cultural organisations that create opportunities for emerging artists to embark on journeys to unknown lands to create, together with local artists and local communities, new works that highlight local specificities.
BWDUA will take place between July 19 and July 28 at the Dwejra-Tower in Gozo.
Martinha Maia will stay in Gozo for this residency for one month and prepare her new site-specific work in cooperation with local communities like the fishermen of Gozo.
Beyond What Drifts Us Apart is curated by Elyse Tonna, organized by Unfinished Art Space in cooperation with the Istanbul based cultural association Diyalog with a financial support by the Arts Council Malta.
Claudia Melo – from the MagiC Carpets partner organisation Ideias Emergentes nominated Martinha Maia for the participation in the residency at BWDUA in 2024.
Talking with Martinha Maia – interview by Lea Cordani
Could you tell us about your journey and your focus as an artist?
I began working with performance, installation, drawing, and video in 2000, right after finishing my university studies. My work is deeply concerned with the concept of the skin as a frontier. I explore the body and delve into questions about what the skin represents—whether it’s a boundary, an interior, an exterior—and the politics surrounding these concepts. Being a female artist, a woman, and a feminist shapes my perspective significantly.
My work spans various mediums and themes, but it always centers around dualities: private vs. public, inside vs. outside, the communication between the world and oneself. These frontiers can be both open and closed, which is a recurring theme in my art.
So, you mostly work with performances?
Yes, mostly performances. I use video to document these performances and sometimes create videos from small actions to convey specific ideas. In recent years, I’ve focused more on drawing and paper, and over the past four years, I’ve been working with fiber textiles. This shift might be linked to my childhood experiences; my parents owned a construction materials company, so I grew up around these materials. I’m familiar with them, and they evoke memories from my past, which influences my choice to use them in my work.
Can you give an example of a performance that was particularly significant to you?
Sure. In 2004, I did a performance called “Fatos” (which means “suits” in English). I created ten suits that symbolizes protection but also restricted movement. You can see this performance on my website. It was a significant piece for me because it marked a transition from being a student to taking my work seriously as an artist. It was a kind of ritual passage for me.
During that time, political issues in Portugal, such as debates over women’s rights and feminism, influenced my work. There were attempts to roll back freedoms like the right to abortion, and these issues resonated deeply with me as a female artist. Additionally, there were challenges related to transphobia and colonialism, which also impacted my artistic concerns.
What drives your artistic practice? Is it feminism, or something else?
Feminism is a major influence, but my work is also driven by various issues that arise over time. I love poetry, and some of my works have a poetic rather than a political tone. My approach is often intuitive; I sometimes create without fully understanding why, and through this process, I discover ways to express myself. This exploration can be more about sensibilities and personal expression rather than a clear, rational explanation.
Have you read the concepts of the exhibition? How do you see your work relating to the exhibition’s theme?
Yes, I think my work aligns well with the exhibition’s focus on connections and community. For example, I created a sculpture using a net, which embodies the tension between opposing forces and the need for balance. This idea of finding the right tension to maintain stability is similar to diplomacy and dialogue, which are crucial in addressing contemporary geopolitical issues. My work reflects these themes of connection and balance, resonating with the exhibition’s goals.
So, you’re saying that we need more connection and diversity in our world?
Exactly. It’s not about good versus evil; both sides have elements of both. The problem arises when people see themselves as entirely good and the other as entirely evil, which prevents meaningful dialogue. Extreme ideas on both sides create a lack of space for conversation and understanding, which is something I’m deeply concerned about and try to address through my work.
Could you explain your perspective on the relationship between mental and intuitive aspects of your work?
Drawing engages the mind, but it’s also about embracing the unpredictable. I love when unexpected things happen because they are beyond my control.
You mentioned your statement is about feminism. Can you elaborate?
Absolutely. In Portugal, we have a strong tradition of religion, which shapes our societal mindset. This often creates challenges for women, who remain somewhat invisible and face ongoing struggles. These issues stem from our Judeo-Christian heritage and Greco-Roman cultural influences, which have perpetuated misogynistic policies. It’s an ongoing battle for women to ensure we aren’t subjected to violence and oppression. This struggle is tied to intuition because it’s something deeply felt in our bodies that we need to express.
Have you read the concepts of the exhibition? How does your work relate to the theme of the exhibition?
Yes, Elise explained the concept to me. The idea revolves around establishing connections rather than blocks. We’re working with towers—Torre Vigia—that historically controlled territories, which is relevant to current geopolitical situations. It’s very contemporary and timely.
Elise chose my work because of a sculpture I made with a net. This piece explores the balance of opposing forces, similar to political tensions and relationships. Finding the right tension is crucial; push too hard, and it breaks. This concept is akin to diplomacy and dialogue, which are essential yet often lacking in today’s polarized world. My work reflects these struggles and emphasizes the need for dialogue over division.
So, you’re saying we need more connection and diversity because things are too binary now?
Exactly. I don’t believe in pure good or evil. Both coexist, but extreme perspectives hinder dialogue, leading to violence and intolerance. This affects the most vulnerable—women and children—in various contexts, not just wars but also in impoverished regions. Many of these problems stem from Western policies.
Do you work with communities to address these issues?
Yes, understanding community perspectives is vital. For instance, in Portugal, men fish while women manage homes and logistics. This dynamic is similar in Malta. Women’s unseen labor maintains the balance. I want to highlight this invisible force in my work, using nets as a metaphor for tension and balance. Working with fishermen was actually one of my initial ideas. But my work evolves based on what I observe and feel is important at the moment. I discuss these ideas with Elise, and they may change over time. [...]
March 9, 2024All PostsThe exhibition of Isidore Fićović ”I am in a New Now”, lasted until September 8, 2023 in SULUV Gallery in Novi Sad. The exhibition is realized through the Exchange and Cooperation Program: Connect, Mark, SULUV 2023. It represents the process of rethinking the relationship between past – present – future , through the EYE of the present moment reflecting key sentences: “the spirit spreads like the light of thought” and “if you don’t say what you feel, you will stay without the heart.”
“I am in a New Now” questions what is that which makes a difference and stands between two worlds, between warm and cold, in the age of artificial intelligence and contemporary way of creating a new reality.
For Isidora,
Upon her exhibition in Novi Sad.
Is it a fight or a pact between machines and humanity? While we are dreaming about the future, does the future dream about us too? Are the macchines turning into us or we are the ones who are turning into robot?
I “feel” like I am in a simulation sometimes. When I wake up, it feels like a new stage of the game has started. I check my phone where I dive into another World. An artificial World where everyone is happy, rich, perfect and glamorous. The more we lose in real World ,the more we gain in cyber World. As long as we leave our pyshical World hungry, our persona is being fed. We turn off our feelings as soon as we turn our mobile phones off. When was the last time you really interact with the World outside? Listened to the birds’ chirping, watched a blue sky without recording it? What was the last time that you danced like noone is watching?
Once, I read about “Quantum Zeno Effect”, which describes the situation that an unstable particle, if observed continuously, will never decay. It can be interpreted as “ a system can not change while you are observing/watching it.” So, are we also can not change under the surveillance?
Today, machines can do many things from translation to content wrtiing. Even they can flirt with you. But, do they dream about you? How many gigahertz heartbeat is needed them to love you? Will your hearts be aligned in the same frequency while watching the sunset together?
And what about ethics?
Erkin Duman from Türkiye
Photo: Aleksandar Danguzov
exhibition is supported by Austrian cultural forum
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@isiartstudio
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Isidora Fićović / I am in a New Now
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February 23, 2024Seen BeyondThe scandal that involved the 15th Documenta lifted a huge number of critiques and opened massive discussions about the freedom of art between artists and the public opinion.
What happened exactly? Just 4 days into the 100 – day show, the organizers declared that they would remove a piece of the exhibition because “triggers anti-Semitic readings”; the piece in question is called “People’s Justice” and was made in 2002 by the Indonesian Collective Taring Padi, portraying the difficult times that Indonesians had to face under the country’s military dictatorship. The artwork is not reserved for the country of Indonesia solely, but it’s more in general a denunciation of oppression that people have to face because of the world’s governments decisions, and it’s related to militarism and violence. The core idea of the artwork is, indeed, representing oppression in every form.
What caused the scandal was the presence of two particular characters presented in the art work: one of them was a man with side – locks and fangs wearing a hat emblazoned with a Nazi emblem, the other was a soldier with pig’s head, wearing a star of David and neckerchief and a helmet with “Mossad” written on it. It’s quite obvious the reason that caused the dispute: the artwork was considered offensive and carrier of old stereotypes about Jews; in response to the art piece, Israel’s embassy in Germany stated that Documenta was promoting a Goebbels – style propaganda and later, Germany’s culture minister Claudia Roth joined the critiques stating that to her, this is an anti-Semitic imagery. People’s Justice was removed, but this decision left a mark on the public opinion’s beliefs, polarizing the society between who believed that taking down the project was a good decision and those who thought this was an act of censorship.
Let’s take a step backwards first: this year’s exhibition was curated by the Indonesian art collective Ruangrupa and the idea of the exhibition was to set a different focus, instead of concentrating in the western hemisphere, the focus should be put on artists from the global south. By doing so, I think it’s important not to forget that other countries and other cultures have different sensitivities, and loaded topics in Germany might not be considered as much sensitive for other countries; furthermore, giving the internationality that Documenta has reached in the past decades, I believe that it is important to keep in mind that the exhibitions should be seen through different lenses and not through German eyes only. Back to the starting point, we said that the decision to take off the artwork from the exhibition polarized the public opinion, but the drop that broke the pot was the decision taken by Metrum to create a code of conduct to apply for the next exhibitions, to avoid other “incidents”. The decision was not accepted by many people, especially artists, whom are afraid that this measure will limit their ability to express their art completely.
The debate on what could and could not be exposed in a museum is a sensitive topic, and it’s up to the artist to understand when something could be considered offensive or not: probably the Indonesian collective should have thought that in a country like Germany, a clear exposition of Jewish characters would have been seen differently compared to them considering the country’s past. At the same time, if we stand with the censorship mind-set, the collective couldn’t have exposed publicly their perspective about the Israeli government and to me, this concept of hiding your thought from your artwork because it might not be liked by someone tends to be a wrong move. Personally, I believe that there should not be set any line or any restriction on art because it could be used as a powerful tool to initiate dialogue and create public debate, which is precisely what People’s Justice (which is the name given to the artwork) did; this is why I agree with the #standwithdocumenta initiative. The artwork from the Indonesian collective, as we said before, has the purpose of showing what oppressive governments do to people, and it’s not unknown that the Israeli government adopted a harsh behaviour towards Palestinians during the decades, so the critic is not towards the Jewish community or the religion itself, but against an oppressive government.
The problem here is obvious, where do we draw the line between freedom of expression and human dignity? When does art become too much? Article 1 of the German constitution states that “Human dignity shall be inviolable ” which means that freedom of expression finds its limits in denigrating someone’s personal dignity. On the other side, article 5 of the German constitution states that “art and sciences, research and teaching should be free. ” which, on the contrary, means that there should not be any restrictions on what artists make and teachers teach. These two articles seem to be contradictory, but the constitution also provides another important tool called Wehrhafte Demokratie (defensive democracy): this tool is used by the German courts to limit someone’s freedom of speech (or art) to save the main right provided by the constitution, which is human dignity (article 1).
Wehrhafte Demokratie demonstrates that closing up the artwork is actually a legal way to protect a community’s dignity and therefore, cannot be changed. However, this doesn’t mean that it cannot be criticized: as I said before, the artwork could have been a fantastic way of creating a discussion not only to reflect the Israeli government’s behaviour today, but also to reflect on the thin line that separates freedom of speech from the violation of human dignity but unfortunately, to me, the decision to take it down shows that institutions prefer putting on a patch instead of trying to initiate a deeper and more mature dialogue between people. [...]
February 8, 2024Events / TopicsWith the first and second documenta in 1955 and 1959, the initiator of the documenta Arnold Bode brought contemporary art from abroad, especially from the USA, back to Germany for the first time after the dictatorship of National Socialism. In doing so, he brought the other into your own. At the two exhibition venues – the Fridericianum and the Orangery in Karlsaue, which were still partly ruins at the time, the old and the new, our own and the others were mingled. The one became an enrichment of the other.
With this, the curator team around Arnold Bode and Werner Haftmann created an incomparable platform for an international dialogue beyond all borders, be it regional, national, ethical or gender-specific. The basis was created, among other things, by the German Constitution with its Paragraph on Freedom of Art and Science in what was then West Germany.
I was a Stranger, Obelisk at Koenigsplatz by Olu Oguibe, Documenta 14, 2017
A large international audience also travelled with the international artists. With 134,000 visitors, documenta 2 recorded even more interested parties than its predecessor. (The steady increase in visitors continued from then on).
This was always made possible under the responsible, creative leadership of the curator team with support from the administration, which made the organizational implementation possible.
Man Walking to the Sky by Jonathan Borofsky, documenta 9, 1992
Of course, there have always been controversies, but in dialogues they resulted in the artists and guests who were invited and arrived not being perceived as degenerates or threats, but rather as enriching their own culture and vice versa. So both were always experienced as enriching the other.
One of the many examples in this sense is the creative intervention by Joseph Beuys under the title 7000 Oaks – Urban Forestation instead of City Administration for documenta 7 1982 under the artistic direction of Rudi Fuchs.
This was an artistic and ecological intervention that sustainably changed and enriched the urban living space. The project was also initially very controversial; an artist came from outside, had dealt with local and ecological conditions and had made a lasting contribution to enriching the public space of the city of Kassel. By documenta 8, Beuys planted 7,000 oak trees, each with a basalt stele. The impact of the work on the public is high today. Suddenly, the foreign was perceived as an enrichment of one’s own living space.
7.000 Oaks by Joseph Beuys, documenta 7, 1982
The trees with basalt steles are now part of Kassel’s cityscape.
I have my doubts that an artistic intervention like that of Joseph Beuys in 1982 will still be possible under the conditions of a Code of Conduct as proposed by the management consultancy Metrum. This further leads to excessive organizational structure.
Friedrichsplatz, documenta 14, 2017
The implementation of a Code of Conduct at the documenta is a forced voluntary commitment by curators and artists and definitely represents a threat to artistic freedom. The freedom of art and science is clearly defined and guaranteed in the German Constitution of 1949.
Therefore, I ask you to join us to prevent this. [...]
January 4, 2024Drifting / Seen Beyond
“I am a musician, then I am a bit of a Black Sea person, but above all I am a revolutionary. And I don’t hesitate to put forward what I really know to be true, at least if I am forced to do so.”
“Ben bir müzisyenim, ondan sonra biraz Karadenizliyim, ama hepsinin ötesinde ben bir devrimciyim. Ve gerçekten doğru bildiğim bir şeyi en azından çok zorlanırsam ortaya koymaktan çekinmem”
During my time in Turkey I visited the province of Artvin on the Black Sea coast in the northeast of the country for the first time. Whilst I had the opportunity to experience the cultural, natural as well as the political settings that are given in the eastern Black Sea Region.
One of the biggest music icons of Artvin was Kazım Koyuncu, a Musician, Songwriter, Actor and Activist. With his lyrics, poems and speeches he was a left-wing pioneer and therefore a role model for many young people in the region.
He was born in November of 1971 in Hopa, Artvin. In the 80’s he moved to Istanbul to pursue his musical career and released his first songs with the Band ‘Zuğaşi Berepe’ (Children of the Sea). In the year of 2001 Koyuncu released his first solo album: “Viya!”
In the following year after his first big success, he was asked to compose the soundtrack for the popular TV series “Gülbeyaz” and also tried his hand at acting for a small role in the series. His breakthrough came with the ‘Hey Gidi Karadeniz’ concert series.
In 2004 after he published his second and last soloalbum: “Hayde” he fell ill with lung cancer which could later be traced back to the Chernobl disaster. In 2005 he gave his last concert and succumbed to the consequences of his cancer on June 25, 2005.
Kazım Koyuncu became the first musician with Laz descent to gain mainstream success and therefore contributed significantly positive to the identity of the Laz people. With his songs realized in Lazca, Hemşince (Homshetsma/Hamshetsma) Turkish, Megrelian and Georgian language he toured in the whole country.
In his music he added both authentic and modern elements to his music with bass, electric guitar, drums, and computer-aided sounds, as well as Black Sea authentic instruments such as Tulum, Kemen, and Kaval. Therewith he created a synthesis of traditional Black Sea Music and Rock Music and his unique style of music.
Since I only learned about the importance of Kazım Koyuncu due to Eda, a close friend of mine. I asked her what role he played in her life as a young woman being born and raised in Hopa.
Calling him “Brother Kazım”, Koyuncu always took a familial part in the lives of Eda and friends from the eastern Black Sea Region.
For her Kazım was not only any songwriter but was a political and philosophical idol. She was listening to his speeches at concerts, and still lives after his ideologies.
Her thought patterns on certain topics such as individualism, humanity, war, injustice, love, being a world citizen in his sense of living and more were consolidated and clearly shaped by the song lyrics.
Symbolic to the importance of him in her life, after his death Eda and her surrounding used to console themselves with the following sentence:
“Kazım abi ölmedi, aramizda yasiyor” (“Brother Kazım haven’t died, he lives with us”) [...]
October 23, 2023Topics
Franz Schubert lives in Vienna and Lower Austria. The artists works with digital media and 3D computer animation. His artistic practice reflects the visual frameworks of media environments and the ambiguities inherent in everyday perceptions and media structures.
During his three months stay in Summer 2023 as artist in residence of the Austrian BMKÖS (Ministry for Arts and Culture, Public administration and Sports) in Istanbul he drifted Istanbul in psychogeographical strolls in a correspondence with concepts developed by Situationist artist Guy Debord. Given that the layers of human habitation are thickest in cities, the project of psychogeography is to peel these away and reveal what is hidden, and what lies between the fissures of history.
Schuberts interest focused on the architectural structures made for Cats mainly in the districts Beyoğlu, and Şişli. Their diversity reflects the heterogenous structure of the Inner City around Taksim Square. The artist sketched the Cat Houses interpreting the different styles and forms of rapid urban growth in the metropol.
In his scetchbook the artists notes: “The city is home to numerous stray cats, many of which live in specially designed architecture exclusively for cats.”
In a serial of works Franz Schubert is experimenting with the concept of original and copy especially questioning the value of objects accumulated by its fame, pleading for a liberal handling of exchange of goods, knowledge and patterns. The copy of a Lois-Vuitton-Bag gets manufactered as a mass product in Turkey. Schubert rebuilt it during his residency to an exclusive Cat-residency.
With his practice, the artist became part of the cities pace by incorporating his concept into the architecture for Cats in Istanbul. He emphasizes that the caretaking of stray cats is a mechanism for creating a common sense absent in the political sphere. However, cat-residencies are portable, and they undergo a vivid exchange by people carrying them from one neighborhood to the other once in awhile. Some are anchored to the ground to withstand replacement. The artist left his Louis-Vuitton-Cat-House without any safeguards, free for exchange.
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September 20, 2023Détournement / Events / Topics / Voices
The exhibition “Among Friends: One Chapter of a Long Story” showcases works by artist Hüseyin Bahri Alptekin (1957-2007) and 16 of his close friends. In her conceptual text, Curator Pelin Uran quotes French philosopher Jacques Derrida‘s reflection about the dilemma of friendship.
“There is a future, which is predictable, programmed, scheduled, foreseeable. But there is a future, l’avenir, which refers to someone who comes, whose arrival is totally unexpected. For me, that is the real future. That which is totally unpredictable. The Other who comes without my being able to anticipate their arrival.” ~ Jacques Derrida
During Alptekin‘s lifetime, his friends were closely involved in the artist’s constant search for innovation and new inputs. His passion for collecting items of daily use and his drift through Istanbul were usually done in company with others. “I am not a studio artist“, he would emphasize. His second nature was opposing common views and deconstructing the mainstream.
Alptekin was deeply influenced by Jacques Derrida, he had visited his lectures at the Sorbonne. Deconstructionism is rooted in what Derrida called Différance: meaning is not static but rather constantly changing, a constantly morphing competition between concepts. The continual inquiry keeps intellectually engaged in seeking alternative perspectives and comprehensions. There is no definitive conclusion; the process of inquiry is the ultimate goal.
The same intensity can be found in Alptekin life, as Pelin Uran points out: “ found his creativity and vital force in movement, in flights, in frontiers and in thresholds as something to cross, to go beyond. Otherness and displacement, the flow of immigration, not belonging, not feeling at home in anyplace, the desire to flee and the melancholia that accompanies it have been the major concerns both in his life and in his work, as well as threshold philosophical concepts like hospitality and hostility, creation and destruction, high and low”.
The exhibition evokes Derrida‘s conception of friendship, highlighting the fact that every friendship is structured from its inception by the possibility of one of the two friends passing away first, leaving the remaining friend to grieve. Alptekin’s unexpected passing in 2007 meant a huge loss to all those close to him. However, his spirit as an artist inspires his friends until now. “Among Friends: One Chapter of a Long Story” features some works of his wide friend circle.
“Among Friends: One Chapter of a Long Story” can be seen at Galerist in Istanbul, until 28.10.2023.
Participating Artists: Hüseyin Bahri Alptekin, Can Altay, Thomas Büsch, Tunç Ali Çam, Grip-in (Ali Cindoruk, Eray Makal, Erhan Muratoğlu), Ayhan Hacıfazlıoğlu, Minna Henriksson & Staffan Jofjell, Şirin İskit, Emre Koyuncuoğlu, Michael Morris, Serkan Özkaya, Camila Rocha, Vahit Tuna and Nalan Yırtmaç. [...]
August 7, 2023All Posts / Places / Topography of MemoryFener Yoakimion Greek Girls’ High School was built during the Ottoman period in the Fener district. When schools for girls began to be opened in Constantinople in the 19th century, Patriarch II. Yoakim donated land for the construction of a school in Fener and the construction of the school started. The patriarch died before the construction of the school was completed, and Patriarch III Yoakim continued. The high school opened in 1882. Since both patriarchs contributed to the construction of the school, it was named “Yoakimion”, meaning “the work of the Yoakims”.
The school is located opposite the Fener Greek Boys’ High School.’ It was closed in 1988 due to a lack of students. In 2011, it was officially shut down. Unfortunately, the building, which is owned by the same foundation as the school, is currently closed to visitors. It was used for the exhibition of Greek artist Kalliopi Lemos, titled “Me, Between Worlds and Between Shadows”, as part of the Istanbul Biennial in 2013.
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