The independent cultural foundation Studio 4, is attempting to reconfigure and to apply the Agile Method –which is one of the four methods that are being used in the design and development of software and websites– into a cultural framework, implementing it for the first time in the programme of the 2nd edition of Public Art Festival: Survival.
This curatorial decision, is a first attempt to counterpoint a multileveled cultural programme with the human factor, making use of the range the world wide web has gained in an organic manner and of the way it functions, in contradiction to the traditional means of information and idea spreading.
Therefore, the actions and sub-actions of Public Art Festival: Survival will be announced gradually until the 24th of June, attributing to a periodical programme, consisting of talks, exhibitions, installations and performances in public spaces, tours, workshops, murals and parallel actions, which (if you would like so) you will be able to attend from start to end, even if you have a very demanding –personal, professional or such– schedule.
The independent cultural foundation Studio 4, presents:
• The Press conference of the 2nd edition of Public Art Festival, which will be held at the National Garden on Wednesday 3 May at 17.00. (please RSVP here, with subject P.C. PAF2, including your name and the name of the media you work for. Contact number: +30 6970 9194 96).
• The conference Survival: Art in “Public” Space which forms the inaugurating action of the 2nd edition of Public Art Festival.
Public Art Festival: Survival is carried out under the auspices of the City of Athens. PAF is a multileveled festival with Greek and international participations, it has a biennial frequency and it is constituted by cultural events that involve forms of art, which can be encountered in public space, such as street art, graffiti –specifically in the form of documentation material, or in a preservation context, regarding important pieces– and other forms of visual art.
The conference Survival: Art in “Public” Space is the first action of the 2nd edition of Public Art Festival, takes place at the City of Athens Cultural Centre with the support of the Organization of Culture, Youth and Sports of the Municipality of Athens, is curated by Andreas Fakis and aspires to pose, but also to answer, multiple queries which –amongst other– relate to the definition and identification of one of the most intuitive notions the man has seen, as well, as to what we perceive as art.
The conference is coordinated by Alexandros Psychoulis, Visual Artist, Art and Technology Professor, UTH.
Participants:
Αndreas Fakis Graphic Designer, Curator, Studio 4, Founder of Public Art Festival Voina (Russia) Actionist artist collective
Denys Zacharopoulos Art Historian, Artistic Director of the Athens Municipal Gallery, Museums and Collections
Martin Schulze (S. Korea) Curator, Public Delivery
Steve Kurtz (USA) Artist, Co-founder of Critical Art Ensemble
Sotirios Bahtsetzis Art Historian, Curator, Artecitya Thessaloniki
Yasha Young (Germany) Executive Curator, Director, Urban Nation: Museum for Urban Contemporary Art
Vasilis Charalambidis Graphic Designer, Artistic Director, BIOS, Romantso
Maria Chatzidakis Conservator of Antiquities & Works of Art, Professor, T.E.I. of Athens, Co-founder of st.a.co.
Julia Tulke (Germany) Street Art Researcher, PhD Candidate, University of Rochester
Costas Varotsos Sculptor, Professor of Visual Arts, AUTH
Τhe speeches will be both in Greek and in English without translation. Αt their completion, the audience will be able to pose questions to the speakers.
The inauguration party of the 2nd edition of Public Art Festival will follow, from 19.00 to 21.30.
Conference & Party Infro:
Saturday 6 May 2017 City of Athens Cultural Centre
17.00 – 19.00 (conference), A. Tritsis hall
19.00 – 21.30 (party), forecourt
Admission Free
Akadimias 50, Athens 106 79
More here and here.
Curatorial Statement
As “public”, may be perceived any place –tangible or intangible, outdoor or indoor, private or public, underground or overground, central or peripheral, mobile or immobile, terrestrial or aerial– which any one can have –visual, acoustic, physical or other– contact with, sans terms.
The thematic of Public Art Festival derives from the current social and economic treaty of the Greek area, which –despite the fact that it lies several decades back– was widely understood during the year 2010, when the Hellenic Democracy used the mechanism of: the International Monetary Fund, the European Commission and the European Central Bank, to postpone the possibility of bankruptcy.
In April 2010, Nikos Koundouros told me: “For tomorrow, we do not know. Some are frightened, some are hopping and some are pretending that nothing is happening”.
Survival has multiple uses and different readings.
It refers to the citizens of Greece, to Greece as an area, to Athens as the centre of Greece, and to the art the public space hosts, as its organic content.
The open call is still on, for anyone who would like to contribute in the utilization of the 2nd edition of Public Art Festival. The open call for is addressed to volunteers of every specialty. Those interested, can contact here, including a CV and the code of interest “PAF2_Volu” on the subject.
At the completion of Public Art Festival: Survival there will be a draw for two (2) accommodation packages for three (3) nights for two (2) adults at a four (4) star hotel in a summer destination for volunteers and interns. The accommodation packages can be used during September 2017.
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