Close Encounters Wien, Bratislava, Budapest

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS connects the three culture metropolises Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest in the representation of contemporary art, the promotion of encounters and the development of a “new closeness” marked by reciprocity. CLOSE ENCOUNTERS is borne by artists and cultural actors of the three cities and the creation of a cultural cross-border network. The objective is to raise public awareness on a broad level of the respective art scenes and of the opportunities offered by synergies in this large cultural space.

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS creates an active transnational network of artists, cultural actors and theoreticians for a sustainable exchange and for the implementation of art projects between Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest. CLOSE ENCOUNTERS starts with presentations, performances, DJ-lines and publications in Vienna and in the Web.

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS initiates a cross-border exchange of ideas and invites artists, cultural actors and theoreticians from Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest to comment on CLOSENESS between these cities – in geographical, historical and emotional respect. These comments will be uploaded to the Web as short videos and will be published in the catalogue.

Start

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS 08 starts on 17th May 2008 by presenting contemporary art from Bratislava and Budapest in different locations in Vienna and by the creation of a culture network for a sustainable exchange between the three cities. CLOSE ENCOUNTERS 08 is generated by CLOSENESS relating to the geographical context as well as to the close collaboration of the participants and the furtherance of border crossing encounters.

Aims

  • Development of a sustainable cultural cross-border exchange
  • Promotion of contemporary artists in Central and Eastern Europe
  • Strengthening of local initiatives and art scenes through transnational networking
  • Sensitizing of a broad public for the respective art scenes
  • Reciprocal relations and new synergies between the culture metropolises
  • Dismantling of fear and stereotypes

Activities

  • Creation of a cross-border cultural network Vienna-Bratislava-Budapest
  • Development of mutual exhibition projects, performances, art in public space
  • Preparation of a culture theoretical analysis of the historic and geographic closeness of these three cities – opportunities and obstacles (remembrance politics and identity constructions)
  • Development of future perspectives and visions for a new model of relations and final dismantling of stereotypical East-West categorizations

Background

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS takes the recently completed highway between Vienna and Bratislava and the final border openings through the Schengen enlargement as incentive to develop a sustainable exchange and to urge a clear road also for new cultural synergies! Thereby making a contribution to alter fixed pictures in the heads and to dismantle persistent relicts of East-West categorisations.

The cultural exchanges between Vienna and Bratislava, the closest capital cities of the world, have only developed very slowly since the change 1989. Mutual representation of artistic production and the realisation of cultural cooperation projects, 18 years after 89, are still standing in no relation to the spatial closeness of the two cities; this applies equally to Budapest. A closeness holding the greatest potential for cultural density and diversity, at the same time entailing the necessity to reformulate the relationships between the cities. The often quoted historic model of relations between these cities in the k.u.k. monarchy can only function as a nostalgia catalyst and has to be released by visions for the future.

Until now large cultural manifestations in this neighbourhood were mainly effected in sine wave patterns, i.e. on given occasions such as the fall of the iron curtain 89 or the EU East enlargement 2004. At the end of 2007 the long-awaited highway between Vienna and Bratislava was completed. At the same time pass controls were abolished through the Schengen-Enlargement. However, a majority of all Austrians objected to this final border openings fearing a rise in criminality. (Die Presse, 11.12.07: 75% of the Austrians fear a rise in criminality by the expiration of national border controls.) Our neighbours have a different view in this matter; as such, the Slovak Prime Minister Fico underlined that joining the Schengen zone was the most important event in history for his country since the change 1989.

In this context a sustainable intensification of the contacts between the culture metropolises Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest in the realisation of mutual art projects is becoming all the more important in order to dismantle fears and stereotype constructions. The effective practical implementation of border crossing art and culture projects strongly requires an increased provision of cultural policy frameworks.

 

Agenda

Saturday, 17th May – Saturday, 31st May 2008

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS IN SOHO
Location: Ragnarhof, 1st floor
Grundsteingasse 12, 1160 Vienna

Opening: Sat. 17.05.2008, 16.30 – 24.00 hrs
Duration: 17.05.-31.05.
Opening hours : 18 – 31 May, Tue-Sun: 17.00 – 21.00 hrs

 

Exhibitions Ragnarhof

CASE HISTORY

Postproduction Exhibition in 10 stations
Curator
: Mira Keratová, Bratislava

TRANSBORDER / TRANSFRONTERA

Video-Installation
Zoltan Kunckel, HU/D

New Nomadism, Migration and Mobility:
MODELL OF THE NEW NOMADIC TYPE.

Service for Item Conservation, Museum and Archive of Nomadism
Interactive Art Space and Multimedia Installation, 2008
Julia Erzberger (HU, D) – Kata Mesterházy (HU)

 

Performances / Live-Acts

Thursday, 22nd May – Sunday 25th May,
daily 17.00 – 21.00 hrs

PRAYER WHEELS

Prayer wheels for the free flow of thoughts and positive vibes
Interactive Installation and Performance
HINTS Institute Budapest

Ragnarhof (in the courtyard) 1160 Vienna, Grundsteingasse 12
and in public space

Sa. 24.5., 18.30 hrs

NEW NOMAD MUSEUM PRESENTATION

Location: Ragnarhof, 1160, Grundsteing.12, 1. Stock
Festival SOHO in Ottakring
Katalin Mesterhazy und Julia Erzberger präsentieren ihr neues Online-Museum für „nomadische“ persönliche Güter und die ersten Ergebnisse der Feldforschung bei SOHO in Ottakring.
Website: www.nomad-museum.com

Sat. 24.5., 20 hrs

Bratislava Live!

DJ-line & Performance
with Erik Binder, Bratislava

 

Exhibitions Project Space KulturAXE
1030 Vienna, Esteplatz 7

Friday, 23rd May 2008

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS Exhibit I
Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest

AKTE * ZEICHNUNGEN

Projektraum KulturAXE
1030 Wien, Esteplatz 7
Opening: Fr. 23.05., 19 hrs
Duration: 23.05.-29.05.2008
Michal Ivan, Bratislava
Zhenya Kozhuharova, Wien
Zeichnungen by the courtesy of HINTS Institute Budapest:
Kalender 2008 “from misunderstanding to compatibility”
Cover: Ágnes Eszter Szabó, Irma Llauszky
Zeichnungen von Zsolt Tibor, Tamás Komár, Société Réaliste, Balácz Sasvári, Tamás Llauszky, János Fodor, Beatrix Szórényi, Szóvényi-Mandl°Myth Workshop, Bori Rutkai, Attila Stark, Juli Vécsei, Tomi Budha, Tamás Fürdei, Ágnes Eszter Szabó, Irma Llauszky.

Wednesday, 11th June 2008

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS Exhibit II
Wien, Bratislava, Budapest

“BODY”

Projektraum KulturAXE
1030 Wien, Esteplatz 7
Opening: Wed. 11.06., 19 hrs
Duration: 11.06.-26.06.2008
Repräsentationen des menschlichen Körpers in verschiedenen künstlerischen Medien.
KünstlerInnen aus Wien, Bratislava und Budapest präsentieren ihre Zugänge zum menschlichen Körper, in den Medien Malerei, Zeichnung, Skulptur, Video, Druck, in der Darstellung des eigenen Körpers oder anderer Körper, als Reflektion oder subjektive Wahrnehmung der Identität, als künstlerischer Ausdruck, als kulturelle oder soziale Aussagen.

SOHO IN OTTAKRING

Live at the Festival SOHO in OTTAKRING!
www.sohoinottakring.at/…

SOHO IN OTTAKRING 2008 – 10 years SOHO!
Festival: 17.05. – 31.05.2008

With CLOSE ENCOUNTERS KulturAXE directs together with the Festival SOHO in OTTAKRING the focus on the cultural exchange with Bratislava and Budapest. For the duration of the Festival from 17th to 31st May, the RAGNARHOF in Ottakring becomes the centre of CLOSE ENCOUNTERS with our neighbouring cities. 30 artists from Bratislava and Budapest will present exhibitions, performances, interactive art spaces and DJ-lines.

Location: Ragnarhof, 1st floor
Grundsteingasse 12, 1160 Vienna

www.ragnarhof.at

OPENING!

Saturday, 17th May, 16 hrs 30,
Ragnarhof, 1st floor
Grundsteingasse 12, 1160 Vienna

City Councillor for Cultural Affairs Andreas Mailath-Pokorny
District Governor Franz Prokop
Moderation: Caroline Fekete-Kaiser, KulturAXE
From Bratislava: Mira Keratová, Billboart Gallery
The artists are present.

 

Exhibitions SOHO in OTTAKRING

Saturday, 17th May – Saturday, 31st May 2008

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS IN SOHO
Location: Ragnarhof, 1st floor
Grundsteingasse 12, 1160 Vienna

Opening: Sat. 17.05.2008, 16.30 – 24.00 hrs
Opening hours : 18 – 31 May, Tue-Sun: 17.00 – 21.00 hrs

Exhibitions Ragnarhof

CASE HISTORY

Postproduction Exhibition in 10 stations
Curator
: Mira Keratová, Bratislava
Artists: Erik Binder, Henrich Borároš, Aneta Mona Chisa, Egoart (Viktor Freso, Lukas Harustiak), Richard Fajnor, Roland Farkaš, Dorota Kenderová, Mira Keratová, Marek Kvetan, Veronika Šramatyová, Szilárd Szabó, Lucia Tkáčová

TRANSBORDER / TRANSFRONTERA

Video-Installation
Zoltan Kunckel, HU/D

New Nomadism, Migration and Mobility:
MODELL OF THE NEW NOMADIC TYPE.

Service for Item Conservation, Museum and Archive of Nomadism
Interactive Art Space and Multimedia Installation, 2008
Julia Erzberger (HU, D) – Kata Mesterházy (HU)

Exhibitions Details

CASE HISTORY

Postproduction Exhibition in 10 stations
Curator
: Mira Keratová, Bratislava

Presented Works

  • Henrich Borároš, Roland Farkaš, Szilárd Szabó  –  Csitt  (Photodocumentation, 2000-2003)
  • Aneta Mona Chisa, Lucia Tkáčová  – Action in Slovak National Gallery (Photodocumentation, 2000)
  • Egoart group  –  Author´s signing and public expose of their busts  (Photo- and Videodocumentation, 2004)
  • Richard Fajnor  –  Poor performance  (Photo- and Videodocumentation, snce 1998)
  • Roland Farkaš  –  The artists has the right just to lay all day and watch the sky  (Photo- and Videodocumentation, 2002)
  • Dorota Kenderová  –  On TV  (Videodocumentation, 2003)
  • Mira Keratová, Lucia Tkáčová  –  kvalita super no problem  (Photo- and Videodocumentation, 2004)
  • Marek Kvetan  –  Superartist  (Photodocumentation, 2004)
  • Veronika Šramatyová  –  Come and win  (Photo- and Videodocumentation, 2003)
  • Lucia Tkáčová  –  Bodyguards  (Videodocumentation, 2003)

Exhibit I KulturAXE

Freitag, 23. Mai, 19 Uhr – Eröffnung

AKTE * ZEICHNUNGEN

Michal Ivan, Bratislava; Zhenya Kozhuharova, Wien
sowie Zeichnungen by the courtesy of HINTS Institute Budapest:
Kalender 2008 “from misunderstanding to compatibility”

CL Exhibit I, curated by Caroline Fekete-Kaiser, KulturAXE

Ort: Atelier KulturAXE, 1030 Wien, Esteplatz 7
Eröffnung: Fr. 23.05., 19 Uhr

Ausstellungsdauer: 23.05.-06.06.2008
Täglich außer So von 10-19 Uhr

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS  verbindet die drei Kulturmetropolen Wien, Bratislava und Budapest in der Repräsentation zeitgenössischer Kunst, der Förderung von Begegnungen und der Entwicklung einer „neuen Nähe”, die sich durch Reziprozität auszeichnet.  CLOSE ENCOUNTERS  wird getragen von KünstlerInnen und KulturakteurInnen der drei Städte und beginnt mit Präsentationen, Performances, DJ-lines und Publikationen in Wien und im Web.

In der KulturAXE zeigen KünstlerInnen aus Wien, Bratislava und Budapest Akte & Zeichnungen:

Michal Ivan, Bratislava
(auf Vorschlag von Doz.Jan Fekete, Akademie der bildenden Künste und Design Bratislava);

Zhenya Kozhuharova, Wien
(auf Vorschlag von Prof. Josef Kaiser, Universität für angewandte Kunst Wien);

Aus Budapest werden 13 Zeichnungen präsentiert, die dieses Jahr in einem Kalender erschienen sind (by the courtesy of HINTS Institute Budapest):
Kalender 2008 “from misunderstanding to compatibility”
Cover: Ágnes Eszter Szabó, Irma Llauszky Blätter von Zsolt Tibor, Tamás Komár, Société Réaliste, Balácz Sasvári, Tamás Llauszky, János Fodor, Beatrix Szórényi, Szóvényi-Mandl°Myth Workshop, Bori Rutkai, Attila Stark, Juli Vécsei, Tomi Budha, Tamás Fürdei, Ágnes Eszter Szabó, Irma Llauszky)

 

Exhibit II KulturAXE

Close Encounters – Ausstellung KulturAXE

Mittwoch, 11. Juni 2008

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS Exhibit II
Wien, Bratislava, Budapest

„BODY”

Projektraum KulturAXE
1030 Wien, Esteplatz 7
Eröffnung: Mi. 11.06., 19 Uhr
Ausstellungsdauer: 11.06.-02.07.2008

Täglich außer So von 10 – 19 Uhr & nach Absprache

Repräsentationen des menschlichen Körpers in verschiedenen künstlerischen Medien.
KünstlerInnen aus Wien, Bratislava und Budapest präsentieren ihre Zugänge zum menschlichen Körper, in den Medien Malerei, Zeichnung, Skulptur, Video, Druck, in der Darstellung des eigenen Körpers oder anderer Körper, als Reflektion oder subjektive Wahrnehmung der Identität, als künstlerischer Ausdruck, als kulturelle oder soziale Aussagen.

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS  verbindet die drei Kulturmetropolen Wien, Bratislava und Budapest in der Repräsentation zeitgenössischer Kunst, der Förderung von Begegnungen und der Entwicklung einer „neuen Nähe”, die sich durch Reziprozität auszeichnet.  CLOSE ENCOUNTERS  wird getragen von KünstlerInnen und KulturakteurInnen der drei Städte und beginnt mit Präsentationen, Performances, DJ-lines und Publikationen in Wien und im Web.

Emese Balikó, Budapest
Video – Light inside, 2003
The theme of the video can be approached from the ontology of the light which creates the image. In our culture the image generally means the image of the body. This work questions the nature of the light and the nature of the body. In the same time -or because of all this- it is a documentation of a self extinction experiment in an electric medium.

Jan Fekete, Bratislava/Vienna
Photoprints, Bodylandscapes in virtual reality, 2005

Marian Kralik, Bratislava
Drawings – Nude

Agnes Eva Molnar, Budapest
Video – “Last Minute”, 2007, Berlin

Eszter Agnes Szabo, Budapest
Object – Transsexual Pillow Body

Tamás Talabér
Photoprint – “Bori Rutkai” – singer & performer (ofspecko Jedno Music Band) in crochet costume, in aerobic motion with ham 2006, Mediawave Györ HU

Hatschepsut Huss, Vienna
Calendar 2008, male bodies

 

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ERSTE Stiftung
www.erstestiftung.org

Bundesministerium für Unterricht, Kunst und Kultur
www.bmukk.gv.at/…

Kulturabteilung der Stadt Wien
www.wien.gv.at/…

Verein SOHO in OTTAKRING
www.sohoinottakring.at/…

Collegium Hungaricum Wien
www.collegium-hungaricum.at/…