Project: aMAZElab Art&Cultures, Milan

Original idea and Art Director: Claudia Zanfi

In collaboration with: Sarajevo Center for Contemporary Art (SCCA); Open Society Foundation.

With contributions from: the European Union Culture Commission; The Italian Embassy, Sarajevo;  Emilia Romagna Regional Government, Bureau for Cultural Promotion Abroad.

With the patronage of MiBAC, Ministero Beni Artistici e Culturali, Rome

PROGRAMME:

1) Presentation of the book ARCIPELAGO BALKANI. An Alternative Map 

Published by Silvana Editoriale and curated by Claudia Zanfi, the book offers an alternative journey through the ‘New Balkans’, featuring an analysis of the city’s contemporary cultural life and that of the people in this youthful melting pot, through the eyes of both artists and writers.

2) Exhibition of works from the ‘Open City’ project 

Artists: Marina Abramovic, Albanian Pavillion, Alterazioni Video, Balkan Depot / Tomislav Tarek, Pavel Braila, Yane Calovski, Danica Dakic, Calin Dan, Biljana Djurdjevic, Group Elementi (Biljana Isijanin & Ljupco Isijanin), Thomas Hirschhorn, Hristina Ivanovska, Armin Linke, Rasa Todosijevic – Marinela Kozelj, Borjana Mrdja, Oliver Musovik, Vladimir Nikolic, Damir Niksic, Adrian Paci, Antonio Petrov, Tadej Pogacar, Stefano Romano, Massimo Sciacca, Shoba, Igor Sovilj, Biljana Stefanovska, TooA / Cogni – De Mattia, Zaneta Vangeli, and Srdjan Jovanovic Weiss.

3) The ‘Public Dialogues’ Conference

A dialogue with and mapping of the independent cultural scene in Bosnia: ABART, the Abrasevic Cultural Centre, Mostar; the Biennial of Konjic and Kultzona; the MUM Collective, Mostar Urban Movement, Mostar; CID, Center for Informative Decontamination, Banja Luka; Tac.ka, the Prijedor Artists’ Association; the Duplex Gallery, Sarajevo; etc...

Interventions will be made by:

Dunja Blazevic, director of SCCA, Sarajevo;

Daniele Onori, culture manager of the Italian Embassy, Sarajevo;

Igor Sovilj, artist and cultural activist, Prijedor;

Claudia Zanfi, director of aMAZElab Art&Cultures, Milan.

The ARCIPELAGO BALKANI journey thus completes its fourth and final step. After the site-specific projects presented in the town of Modena (Italy), Skopje (Macedonia) and Tirana (Albania), our tour comes to its end in Sarajevo (Bosnia Herzegovina).

20 years after the outbreak of war in the Balkans, (Summer 1991) the project sets out to plot a path no longer through the past – with all its scenes of war and destruction – but to the future of this huge and youthful melting pot which the Balkan area currently represents.

Thus, an opportunity to discuss and create the future together.

*********************

ARCIPELAGO BALKANI – SARAJEVO

PUBLIC DIALOGUES

29^th September – 15^th October 2011

OPENING Thursday 29^th September 2011

5pm – 7pm > Symposium and presentation of the book “Going Public. Arcipelago Balkani”

7pm – 9pm > Opening of the exhibition with aperitif

At the KRITERION Art House,  Obala Kulina Bana 2, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia Herzegovina

Media Partners: Artribune; Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso; Teknemedia; Studio Pesci.

ph. Igor Sovilj, Mostar Old Bridge Revisited , 2010, courtesy the artist and aMAZElab, Milano