Dear Friends,
I am sending a STATEMENT OF SUPPORT FOR ARTISTS, CURATORS and INSTITUTIONS involved in the exhibition
EXCEPTION: Contemporary art scene from Prishtina,
scheduled to be open on the 7.02.2008 in Belgrade, Kontekst Gallery
FORCED TO CLOSE JUST BEFORE THE OPENING.
The curators and the institution needs an international support! I send as it was plenty the images from the day of the opening.
The statement is as well attached.
Very best
Rosa Reitsamer and Marina Grzinic
Sorry for cross posting.
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PLEASE SIGN AND SEND BACK either to Rosa Reitsamer: fem.seq@gmx.at or Marina Grzinic margrz@zrc-sazu.si
STATEMENT OF SUPPORT FOR ARTISTS, CURATORS and INSTITUTIONS involved in the exhibition EXCEPTION: Contemporary art scene from Prishtina, scheduled to be open on the 7.02.2008 in Belgrade, Kontekst Gallery
The statement is a reaction to the fact that the exhibition EXCEPTION, Contemporary art scene from Prishtina (Kosova) that was scheduled to open on 7 February 2008 (and to be on display until 15 February 2008) at KONTEKST Gallery in Belgrade WAS FORCED TO CLOSE JUST BEFORE THE OPENING.
The Serbian police that had to intervene just before the opening as they estimated that they cannot guarantee safety to the curators and the public, after an organized group of Serbian nationalist forces attacked the gallery space and even destroyed Dren Maliqi’s work Face to face.
The artists taking part in the exhibition are Artan Balaj, Jakup Ferri, Driton Hajredini, Flaka Haliti, Fitore Isufi Koja, Dren Maliqi, Alban Muja, Vigan Nimani, Nurhan Qehaja, Alketa Xhafa and Lulzim Zeqiri
On 8 February 2008, the curators of the project Vida Knezevic, Kristian Lukic, Ivana Marjanovic and Gordana Nikolic asked PUBLICLY the Ministry of culture of Serbia and the city of Belgrade to react firmly against such nationalist forces in order to protect the exhibition in the future. The curators insist on the right to present the project in Belgrade in the near future.
On 8 February, these violent nationalist forces attacked again, they threw stones in the windows of the KONTEKST gallery and broke them and as well they destroyed gallery’s sign on the door.
All of us signed under this statement are expressing our support TO ARTISTS, CURATORS and INSTITUTIONS involved in the exhibition EXCEPTION: Contemporary art scene from Prishtina.
We ask the Serbian Government and the governmental bodies of the Serbian Ministry of Culture as well as the Belgrade city council and city institutions to ACT and PROTECT (in accordance with the law) the artists, curators and institutions involved in the organization of the exhibition project. Also, we apply to these bodies to ask for the SUPPORT and help in organizing the reopening of the project and to allow an open non violent platform discussion on the topic.
The exhibition is an important project by the young generation in Serbia who is willing to see, discuss and understand historical and current relations between Serbia and Kosova.
The exhibition was presented previously at the Museum of Contemporary Art Vojvodina, Novi Sad (22.01 – 05.02.2008). The exhibition is a joint effort of two organizations Kontekst, Belgrade, and Napon, Novi Sad.
THE SIGNED STATEMENT WILL BE SEND TO ARTISTS, CURATORS AND INSTITUTIONS INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT, TO SERBIAN’S GOVERMENTAL BODIES, BELGRADE CITY COUNCIL’S BODIES and SERBIAN MASS MEDIA.
SIGNATURES:
Rosa Reitsamer, Vienna, gallery aRtmosphere
Manuela Schreibmaier, Vienna, gallery aRtmosphere
Marina Grzinic, Ljubljana, Vienna, artist and researcher
Tanja Passoni, Ljubljana, freelance translator
Sebastjan Leban, artist and theoretician
Staš Kleindienst, artist and theoretician
Reartikulacija, artistic-political-theoretical-discursive platform
Statement to be signed>
http://esferapublica.org/statement.doc