Looking at the environmental, social and economic dynamics of the last decade (or, to put it bluntly, "the end of the world as we know it"), it is increasingly clear that the imperative of continuous growth and development is no longer a sustainable vision for our future, if we want one at all.
But even though more and more individuals come to this realization, the greater systems that govern our world and our societies seem less willing to change their ways. Sometimes it feels as if we are caught in a current against which it is pointless to fight, but swimming upstream seems more important than ever as we do not have as much time as would normally be needed for such fundamental cultural shifts.
The role of art in this context is problematic: should it serve as a means of to develop sensibility and empathy for a deeper understanding of these questions? Or would this be a restriction of artistic freedom and an invitation to propaganda? Is art a luxury of the developed world that should be abolished first when we reduce our consumption and limit our material needs? Or is it, on the contrary, the most important tool to survive and maintain our hopes in an otherwise hopeless and frightening world?
Connecting four cities with a close relation to water and building bridges between two ECOC cities among them – Dresden in Germany by the river Elbe, Budapest in Hungary by the river Danube, Rijeka (ECOC 2020) in Croatia on the coast of the Adriatic, and Kaunas (ECOC 2022) in Lithuania by the Nemunas and Neris rivers –, the project Flowing Connections (FLOC) explores the artistic, ecological and cultural questions of waterside living, the rivers and seas that nourish and threaten our cities in equal measure, divide and unite people, nationalities and landscapes, and our caring or abusive relationships with them.
With an international curatorial team including curators from each partner country, FLOC will establish a pool of cca. 160 artworks from and around the partner countries and from all around the world that will be then shown in three exhibitions of various scale in Germany, Hungary and Lithuania: first as part of the OSTRALE Biennale O21 exhibition in Dresden during the summer of 2021 in cca. 6000 m2, then at the Project Space of the Art Quarter in Budapest during the spring of 2022 in cca. 400 m2, and finally in frame of the ECOC program of Kaunas during the summer of 2022 in cca. 1500 m2. The exhibitions are accompanied by an Artist in Residence Program in frame of which four artists or artist collectives from the partner countries will spend a month in Dresden preparing artworks in four shipping containers, that will later on be exhibited in all four partner cities in frame of the exhibitions and by themselves in Rijeka.
The curatorial and exhibition work of FLOC is complimented by a series of internal workshops for the leaders and employees of the partner institutions, where experiences and good practices in the fields of digital cultural management, art education, the cultural use of postindustrial facilities and the inclusion of people with disabilities will be exchanged, shared and researched, resulting in a publication and a documentary film about the results. The project is co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union.
“My youth in Lithuania was marked by the existence of political borders between East and West. Since I got engaged with art, I was in a permanent search for boundaries between disciplines or media, wishing to overcome them. But generally, I am interested in coexistence itself as an idea; and art is my preferred way of storing and transporting information between different places or cultures. There is one particular phenomena that has always entranced me: the fluid (dynamic) continuity emerging from particular artistic positions. Some artworks never come to a dead end, but permanently stay in flow and offer a conservation of energy. Tireless pushing and unveiling of man-made boundaries and inventing of new formats seem to be an essential part of that process. I guess, the secret is to move toward the starting point, instead of beginning at the starting point.”
Patricija Gilyte is a visual artist, former participant of the OSTRALE O11 and O16 exhibitions; invited artist of the Kaunas Biennial 2011, REWIND - PLAY - FORWARD. Member of the curatorial team for the 3rd Artists’ Biennial "Factor X. The Chromosome of Art" at Haus der Kunst Munich 2017; member of the German Artists’ Association and the Lithuanian Artists’ Association and Letmekoo (Lithuanian Interdisciplinary Artists’ Association). Studied at the Academy of Art Vilnius / Art Institute Kaunas and at the Academy of Fine Arts Munich. In addition to site-specific works, her work includes performative sculpture, video art and installation, and is dominated by questions concerning the concept of the border. Supported by various scholarships, her work developed during residencies and cooperation projects in Germany, Austria, Lithuania, Poland, Greece, Serbia, Turkey, Switzerland. Her video works have been shown in various international exhibitions. In 2019 the KKKC Kunsthalle Klaipeda, Lithuania presented her solo exhibition EQUINOX, in 2020 her solo exhibition will be opened at the Vytautas Kasiulis Art Museum in Vilnius. Mandated by the „Kaunas – European Capital of Culture 2022" institution.
“It is hard to believe in a curatorial statement in general. But at the same time, it is very tempting to interpret the text-based curatorial work as phylacteries. This was the name of open-ended scrolls hung around the necks of represented figures that were to cure the difference of the image by supplying narratives beyond the limits of pictorial representation. The word originally meant a watch post, amulet, and a prayer box. So the text watches over the meaning, fixing it or attempting to do so. The image accepts it, wears it, or may consider it parasitical. What meanings we attribute to the images also depends on what texts we read.”
Krisztián Kukla is a curator and the artistic director of Art Quarter Budapest (exhibitions, artist studios, artist in residence). Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Debrecen. As a DAAD scholarship holder he studied art history and philosophy at the WWU Münster. Currently he is an associate professor at the Faculty of Media and Communication of Milton Friedman University, Budapest, and a lecturer at the Faculty of Aesthetics of Pázmány Péter Catholic University. From 2011-2015 he was the managing director of the MODEM Centre for Modern and Contemporary Art in Debrecen, Hungary. Since 2015, he is the artistic director and organizer of the Leopold Bloom Art Award, the most important independent art prize in Hungary.
“We are looking for »modes of destabilization of the system of apparent reality through mechanisms of discursive analysis (and visual representation) in order to create gaps, territories of the ‘possibilities undiscovered’ which are to be found outside of the given choices imposed by the dominant politics of culture«. We are interested in topics of imaginative geographies (E. Said ), that is – the ways that other places, people, and landscapes are represented, the ways these imaginings reflect the preconceptions and desires of their inventors, and the relations of power between these authors and the subjects of their imaginings. We find the potential in non-institutional educational platforms as a way of forming collectivities, public exchange of critical positions and personal relation to the notion of official truth and belief systems.”
Slobodne veze is a self-regulating initiative of artists, curators and cultural practitioners, founded in 2009. Two founding members participate in the curatorial team: Ivana Meštrov (to the left) studied art history and archaeology at the University Pantheon-Sorbonne in Paris with a focus on contemporary art. Until september 2020, she was curator of the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Rijeka (MMSU), responsible for the exhibition program of the Museum of the European Capital of Culture Rijeka 2020. Nataša Bodrožić (to the right) studied at the Faculty of Political Sciences in Zagreb, at the University Lumiere 2 in Lyon and at the University of Arts in Belgrade. So far she has co-curated or produced numerous exhibitions, symposia and projects in public space in Croatia and abroad. Ivana Meštrov and Nataša Bodrožić were both co-curators of the Biennial of Young Artists of Europe and Mediterranean (BJCEM)> MEDITERRANEA 16:ERRORS ALLOWED, in Ancona, Italy in 2013.
“Contemporaneity is a central category of our work, carried by the spirit of interfering, enriching our society and constantly contributing to renewal. This is only possible if questions, issues and paradigms of our time are not reduced to one view. We are looking for diverse answers, individual positions and complex artistic perspectives. Constantly examining our own attitudes, questioning the foreign and the new with interest, is for us both a basic attitude and a challenge. Looking outwards opens up the possibility for us to bring in our own points of view and place them in an open discourse. For us, creativity arises from the forces of cultural identity, global exchange, urban open space and empirical play in art. To promote and challenge these will continue to be our mission.”
Andrea Hilger (to the right) is the 1st representative and artistic director of OSTRALE. Born in 1970 in Leipzig, artist, organizer, founder and director of the OSTRALE – Center for Contemporary Arts 2007, founder of TANZart Dresden 1997 and HILLUMINATION – Light + Stage Design 2001, board member of Tanzbühne Dresden e.V. since 1999. 2009 recipient of the Förderpreis of the City of Dresden, member of the Orga-Team of the Konferenz der Konkurrenten (Conference of Competitors) in preparation for the European Capital of Culture 2025 applications. Antka Hofmann (to the left) is the 2nd representative, co-founder and co-director of OSTRALE, and since 2013 deputy head of the exhibition construction team. Born in 1977 in Großenhain. Artist, cultural manager, lives and works in Dresden and Heiligendamm. As an artist, she has had solo exhibitions in Berlin, Leipzig and Dresden, as well as various group exhibitions in Germany, Poland, Russia, Belgium, Spain and Malta.
OSTRALE - Center for Contemporary Art (Dresden / Germany) is primarily concerned with providing a space for international, cross-border cultural projects. In doing so it is helping to develop an open cultural landscape where different artistic viewpoints engage in dialogue. As well as seeking connections between artforms, it also aims to create links with science, education and social engagement. OSTRALE exhibitions and projects have a long-lasting impact because they focus on important social issues that address the European identity. The artistic expression, free of any purpose or use imposed from the outside, exemplifies the profound nature of what the works are trying to convey. OSTRALE exists at the heart of Dresden’s vibrant cultural life, a scene that embraces all forms of art. OSTRALE acts actively on both the local and the international level participating in art exhibition projects outside of Germany as well, for example in Hungary, Poland, Malta, Kenya and many other countries. OSTRALE is the lead partner of the FLOWING CONNECTIONS project.
Art Quarter Budapest (Budapest / Hungary) is an independent art centre. It was initiated in 2012 and it functions as an exhibition place for contemporary art, studio house and residency program in a unique renovated factory building, the former Haggenmacher brewery. Numerous Hungarian visual artists and creative enterprises found their constant base in the building complex. Art Quarter Budapest runs an international artist in residency program, provides space for a unique experimental sound studio (Spatial Sound Institute) and organizes exhibitions in its non-profit Gallery called Project Space. AQB became a cultural melting pot of an international creative community with a wide variety of artists from the music, applied arts, dance and visual art scenes. Focusing on our audience development, we are organising art events and cultural programs for the local community and also creating international networks at the same time.
VSI Kaunas 2022 (Kaunas / Lithuania) was established by the Kaunas City Municipality, the Kaunas District Municipality and the association “Kultūros tempo akademija”, as the main organisation responsible for the implementation of Kaunas European Capital of Culture 2022 programme. The organisation’s main goals are closely connected to the City’s strategic development plan and include the involvement of society in changemaking and addressing some of its key challenges. Since its establishment, the organisation has been highly focused on local and artistic community engagement for the research, interpretation, promotion and preservation of modernist heritage, as well as the development of international partnerships among modernist cities. Building up to the title year of 2022, the current activities of Kaunas 2022 comprise a range of international and local projects, including an international heritage summer school, heritage related conferences, the development of the online heritage platform modernizmasateiciai.lt and others.
Slobodne Veze (Loose Associations - contemporary art practices, Croatia) is a self- regulated artists’, curators’ and cultural workers’ initiative. They are looking for modes of destabilization of the system of apparent reality through mechanisms of discursive analysis. The organization is active in Croatia and abroad. In 2013 they co-curated the Mediterranea 16 - Young Artists Biennial in Ancona, Italy and their collaboration with the Biennial network continues till today. In 2013 they started a project & citizens campaign, internationally known as MOTEL TROGIR, for the preservation and critical re-evaluation of late modernist architectural heritage. Within this framework they are organizing cultural events, exhibitions, artist in residence programs, study visits, guided tours, but the most important segment of the project is the research of the period 1945-1990 in Croatia and publishing related to it. Currently they are also partners in the EU project Collective domain of cultural memory.
2020 | |||
01.09 | PROJECT BEGINS | ||
25.09. | KICK-OFF MEETING | – Selection of Artists in Residence – Communication matters (Website, Logo, usw.) – Financial discussion | ONLINE |
12.10.- 19.10. | 1. CURATORIAL MEETING | – Visiting exhibition sites – Jury meeting, artist selection | DRESDEN |
18.10. | WORKSHOP | – Digital Cultural Management – Financial training session for partners | DRESDEN |
2021 | |||
18.02.- 23.02. | 2. CURATORIAL MEETING | – Jury meeting, final artist selection – Positioning workshop, building discussions | DRESDEN |
24.02. | WORKSHOP | – Case study and brainstorming for the OSTRALE Biennale O21 | DRESDEN |
01.03.- 19.03. | FLOC-ARTIST IN RESIDENCE (1) | Anna Fabricius | DRESDEN |
29.03.- 16.04. | FLOC-ARTIST IN RESIDENCE (2) | KOLXOZ Collective | DRESDEN |
26.04.- 14.05. | FLOC-ARTIST IN RESIDENCE (3) | Gabriele Gervickaite | DRESDEN |
26.04.- 14.05. | FLOC-ARTIST IN RESIDENCE (3) | Gabriele Gervickaite | DRESDEN |
24.05.- 11.06. | FLOC-ARTIST IN RESIDENCE (4) | Melanie Richter & Kay Kaul | DRESDEN |
xx.06.- xx.06. | 3. CURATORIAL MEETING | – Artist assistance in build-up at the OSTRALE Biennale O21 – Artist selection for Budapest and Kaunas | DRESDEN |
29.06. | PRESS CONFERENCE - OSTRALE Biennale O21 / 11h | DRESDEN | |
01.07. | OPENING - OSTRALE Biennale O21 / 18h | DRESDEN | |
02.07 | PRESS CONFERENCE – FLOWING CONNECTIONS FLOC NETWORKING EVENT / CLOSING CELEBRATION | DRESDEN | |
01.07.- 03.10 | EXHIBITION OSTRALE Biennale O21* | * The realisation of the exhibition itself is financially supported by the funding institutions of the respective organising institution. Only the opening events are funded within the framework of the FLOC project. | DRESDEN |
xx.09.- xx.09. | CURATORIAL VISIT TO KAUNAS | – Visiting the exhibition venue of the Kaunas exhibition | KAUNAS |
2022 | |||
03.02.- 27.05. | EXHIBITION OUT of OSTRALE O22 Budapest, Flowing Connections | BUDAPEST | |
04.02.- 05.02. | WORKSHOP | – Art Education and Audience Development | BUDAPEST |
xx.04.- xx.04. | AIR-EXHIBITION Flowing Connections / Artist in Residence Exhibition | CROATIA | |
xx.04.- xx.04. | WORKSHOP | – Postindustrial Spaces In Cultural Use | CROATIA |
xx.05.- xx.05. | WORKSHOP | – Inclusion of people with disabilities – Concrete inclusion measures for the Kaunas exhibition | KAUNAS |
20.05. | PRESS CONFERENCE OUT of OSTRALE O22 Kaunas, Flowing Connections | KAUNAS | |
20.05. | PRESS CONFERENCE OUT of OSTRALE O22 Kaunas, Flowing Connections | KAUNAS | |
22.05. | OPENING OUT of OSTRALE O22 Kaunas, Flowing Connections | KAUNAS | |
22.05.- 28.08. | EXHIBITION OUT of OSTRALE O22 Kaunas, Flowing Connections* | * The realisation of the exhibition itself is financially supported by the funding institutions of the respective organising institution. Only the opening events are funded within the framework of the FLOC project. | KAUNAS |
xx.10.- xx.10. | WORKSHOP / WRAP-UP MEETING | – Evaluation of the whole project – Sustainability measures | DRESDEN |
xx.10.- xx.10. | PUBLIC PRESENTATION | – Panel talk with all partners – Premiere of the FLOC Documentary Film – Launch of the FLOC Booklet | DRESDEN |
Please note that exact dates of the planned activities might be subject to changes, especially regarding the current Corona pandemic situation. This timeline will regularly be updated when changes occur.