Going Public '06 - Press Release

Politics, Subjects and Places.

A project by aMAZElab
Artistic direction claudia zanfi

Urban interventions, workshops, films, debates, cultural exchanges, pubblications

Board members:
Claudia Zanfi, Artstic Direction aMAZElab; Luigi Benedetti, President Provincia of Modena; Paolo Negro, Formigine Cultural Department; Vasif Kortun, Artstic Direction Platform Garanti, Istanbul; Carlos Basualdo, curator Philadelphia Museum; Marti Peran, curator and professor University of Barcelona; Christine Tohme, director Askal Alwan Association, Beirut; Yorgos Tzirtzilakis, professor Architecture Faculty, University of Volos, Greece.

Atlante Mediterraneo. Themes and research.
Istanbul, Beirut, Nicosia, Tel Aviv, Alexandria, Barcelona

Six cities are identified as “case study” for the Going Public ’06 event, Atlante Mediterraneo. Artists, students, researchers, geographers and sociologists carry out their own research into the chosen topics: the flow of people, economies and cultures.
The identity of the Mediterranean, its many faces, its importance and its future. Thinking in terms of what the place can give, we may discover all the different ways in which we might understand all its different layers of complexity. The seamless relationships between different territories, shores, cities and inhabitants. A vertical and horizontal exploration of the territory between the Mediterranean and Europe, between East and West. From Istanbul to Barcelona via such cities as Beirut, Nicosia, Tel Aviv and Alexandria. A round trip providing ever-new arrivals, contracts, migrations, contaminations, and endless propagations.
The effects of globalisation and the new geopolitical scenario have brought about phenomena of rapid transformation in our sense of place and have upset delicate social and environmental balances. The desertion of our traditions and the expansion of metropolitan areas, the growing migratory flows and the tourist hotspots, the ancient trade routes and the great infrastructures, the complex, hybrid role played by the cities and the great Mediterranean ports with all their productive and artistic cycles, their social and ethical aspects, their opening towards the surrounding territories and their ties with the continental dimension.
The founding of the “EuroMediterranean Space” and the creation of the corridor known as the “Meridian Corridor” are a territorial expression of a global policy which concerns all the Mediterranean countries, seen as a single political/geographical unit. Thus there is an issue of favouring the interplay of different cultures and different peoples, as well as of the geographical moderation of the points of exchange and mobility.

Activities
At its 5° edition, the Going Public project develops over 2006 autumn a series of activities and appointments for reflection and research, such as:

4/10 September 2006
Alexandria, Egypt
A garden for all.
(workshop)

Partecipation with Gudran Association for Art and Development to implement a rural area near Alexandria, an old fisherman village. The artistic works will encourage local people to produce art and crafts and renew their own village. The project with Going Public volounteers will implement the construction of green areas, a public garden for all.

20/30 September 2006
Nicosia, Cyprus
Transcrossing memories.
(urban installations)

Alongside international cultural events, through a concrete territorial intervention with both local communities, Going Public ’06 will present all the activities of study and research undertaken by the project.
“The Memory Box” is a mobile device to collect popular history from the common people. This bilateral intervention will serve as a travelling public space open to everyone, and will host various presentations, artistic projects, readings, films, video, debates, performances etc… The project is held in collaboration with Universities, Art schools, theoreticians, architects and artists in Cyprus, from both sides.

10/15 October 2006
Tel Aviv+Jerusalem, Israel
Floating Simmetry.
(video installations)

A multi-channel video projection, Floating Simmetry, by the artists Ofri Cnaani (Israel) and Jenny Vogel (Germany) will document a journey through the geopolitics and human symmetries of the Nicosia-Jerusalem axis.

23/30 October + November 2006
Formigine and Modena (Italy)
Atlante Mediterraneo.
(workshop, international youth meeting, urban installations)

In order to facilitate the actual exchange between culture and the young generation, this event takes the form of a workshop with young artists and students, from Italy and five “case study” cities (Istanbul, Beirut, Nicosia, Alexandria, Barcelona) which face onto the Mediterranean. The young people will be guests of the Province of Modena Cultural Department, and the workshop will be held by a prominent international artist. The results of the artistic research will be presented on public places and will serve as a contribution towards the publication/atlas/guide to be produced on the theme. The programme will be anticipated by a meeting with members of the world of culture called to discuss the topic of the year: the Mediterranean Atlas and its human geographies.
Artists: Akram Zaatari (Lebanon), Atlas Group (Beirut/NYC), Oda Projesi (Istanbul), Achilles Kentonis (Nicosia), Sameh Elhalawany (Alexandria).
Critical contributions by: Tony Chakar (Lebanon), Vasif Kortun (Istanbul), Yannis Papadakis (Nicosia), Jorgos Tzirtzilakis (Greece), Sharon Rotbard (Tel Aviv), Marti Peran (Barcellona), Michelangelo Pistoletto, others.

All the urban installations will be shwon in the historical center of Formigine city and at the Central Train Station of Modena from 30th October to 3rd December.

Opening saturday 29th October:
- h 3 pm, public debate with the artists.
- h 6 pm, opening with buffet, and music party.