PROJECT SPACE
15th of September-15th of October
Romania transitioned from a totalitarian system, that did not allow any critical debate, to a system in which the right to critically judge the injustices around us is willingly surrendered and in which we seem to consent to another form of domination, one accompanied by the rise of nationalism, racism and sexism (all of which also existed in more concealed forms before 1989 but which are now openly revealed and promoted). These developments took place against the background of an all-encompassing market economy that permeates every aspect of life in Romania.
The events scheduled to take place as part of the Project Space will bring forward people, attitudes, actions that overcome constraining situations; people who take responsibility and who consider that it is up to them to make a change; different initiatives that have in common their struggle against authority, their willingness to take risks, and their attempt to create the conditions necessary to think differently.
The program of the space will be structured around four modules:post-communism, feminism, education and display.
*Post-communism*: The events in this module will refer to ways of analysing the past and the present while constructing free spaces from where we can influence reality. It is important to clearly show what communism really meant in Romania but it is also important to be conscious of the fact that in many cases, the critique of communism is used to validate conservative, nationalist and sexist positions, and also to claim that the path Romania is on now is the only possible
alternative.
*Feminism*: This module’s events will refer to the necessity to shape and publicly declare feminist positions in a context where every aspect of daily life (the mass media, the public and private sphere, etc) is saturated, almost exclusively, by stereotypical images of women: the self-sacrificing woman; the devoted wife and mother; the sexual object;
the victim. This is a reflection of a culture and society dominated by a heterosexual male view that refuses to acknowledge any other perspective.
*Education*: The events in this module will try to conceive a type of education that would not be based on competition but on collaboration, where the sharing of knowledge would not be hierarchical, and where learning strategies would generate new ways of perceiving and constructing our reality.
*Display*: The events from this module reveal ways in which dominant ideologies become manifest in the public space (in the city, in the media, in institutional organization and their public image) and also ways in which pockets of resistance to the dominant discourse are created, spaces where people can exercise their right to question and think critically, places where the possibility to choose differently remains open.
The presentations, discussions, workshops, performances scheduled to
take place at Project Space will tackle at least one of these four
subjects.
September
15
Opening of the project
16
*Think global, act local!*
*11:00 – 12:00:* „*Food not bombs* – people against war“. Iniţiativa
Libertară (Bucuresti).
*12:30 – 14:30**:* *Workshop about mobilization against G8* –CAMAS
collective (Iasi). After a short introduction of the alter-mondialist
movement, there will be a discussion about the dynamics of the anti G8
mobilization from this year in Heiligendamm, Germany, about the
choreography of the protest, about subjects ignored by the mainstream
media.
*15:00 – 17:00**: People Global Action* (presentation sustained by a
group of activists from Greece).
GA – People’s Global Action –started its activity in 1998, as a
structure coordinating groups and individuals having in common the same
anti-capitalist and anti-authoritarian ideas and practices. PGA is the
informal initiator of Intercontinental caravane in 1999, of the
international days against G8 WTO, World Bank, IMF in Seattle, Genoa,
and Prague. In Europe, PDA meetings take place approximately every two
years. Starting with 1998, these meetings were occasions for numerous
knowledge exchanges, and for creation of relationships that lead to more
efficiency in common actions.
*17:30 – 20:00**:* Screenings of independent films.
Starting with *21:00:* concert VARLIN – anarcho punk (France) at
Punkoteca Pirat (str. Atelierului nr 14, piata matache, gara de nord) in
Bucharest.
*„Think global, act local“* is the title of a series of events realized
by a group of volunteers who develop alternative social projects,
promoting critical thinking and models of self-organization. This group
is proposing a direct action against different forms of discrimination
(sexism, racism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, homophobia), against
authoritarianism and against hierarchical order in society.
The workshops, screenings, actions and presentations that will take
place under this title whish to propose the idea that it is up to each
of us to question and change the injustices surrounding us. During the
events, DIY publications will be available for the public (among them
also a small collection of Romanian music fanzines), different counter
cultural accessories and other free information materials.
* *
17
*Think global, act local!*
*11:00 – 13:30:* *Presentation of the vegetarian alternative* (ethical,
ecological and health reasons). Societatea Vegetarienilor din România.
*14:00 – 15:00**:* *The problem of migration in the countries of the
former communist bloc*. Simina Guga – licensed in sociology.
*15:30 – 17:00**:* *Free Software*. Sindicatul – Tîrgu Mureş.*
**Critical Mass* : Sindicatul – Tîrgu Mureş.
*17:30 – 18:30:* *Protecting your identity on the internet* –
interactive seminar
*19:00 – 20:30: **Sexualized violence in war and political crisis.
*Alexandra Geisler – licensed in Social Science and Human Rights, doing
her PhD on Human Trafficking of minoritized groups, founder of Erinyen –
anarcha-feminist collective in Berlin and the director of the german
section of WILPF –International Women’s League for Peace and Freedom.**
*21:00-23:00: Silkscreen workshop*. By any Means Distro – Bucureşti.
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*12:00 – 20:00: *“Space for ideas“- workshop
During the workshops called „Space for ideas“ we will prepare the
content and design of various visual materials which will be present in
the city in different forms: clothes, prints, posters, etc. These
materials will communicate messages related to the four themes of the
program of events (post-communism, feminism, education, display) and
they will be a reflection of the discussions and of the different
associations and collaborations between the people and groups involved
in the whole project.
**
19
*12:00 – 20:00: *“Space for ideas“ – workshop
20
*12:00 – 20:00: *“Space for ideas“ – workshop
21
*19:00:* Cafe *„Me, you…and who else?“* organized by ACCEPT Association.
The ACCEPT Association is the first non-governmental organization of
human rights from Romania which protects and promotes the rights of LGBT
persons at national level.
The Café „Me, you… and who else?“ organized by ACCEPT Association will
give the opportunity for individual conversation to take place that
would hopefully question the existing preconceived ideas about
differences between people.
Also, a public/personal archive will be available.
22
*19:00:* Screening of documentaries related to LGBT issues from the
archive of ACCEPT Association.
1. *Politics of the heart *
*Canada 2005**,* documentary
68 minutes
*Director:* Nancy Nicol
2. *Heneini *
*SUA 2005*, documentary
62 minutes
*Director:* Irena Fayngold
3. *They still smile*
Belarus 2002, documentary
16,47′
Director: Irina Sizova
23
*12:00 – 20:00: *“Space for ideas“ – workshop
**
24
*12:00 – 20:00:* *„At work… Temporary free spaces“* –workshops and
discussions. Reni Hofmüller.
Reni Hofmüller from Graz is an artist, musician, composer, performer,
organizer and activist in the fields of (new) media technology usage and
of their political importance in general, engaged in the development of
contemporary art and convinced that thinking makes a difference.
The workshops, discussions and presentations that will take place over
four days will include topics such as: the relation between gender and
technology, the role of free software and open source in promoting the
freedom of information, women as content producers in the field of
culture and technology, etc. The contents of the workshops are not
established in advance but would be decided together with the
participants in a democratic, non- hierarchical situation.
The photo documentation realized during the workshops and discussions
will be used later for a symbolical appropriation of the space of the
city. Locations in Bucharest that have an importance for the alternative
history of women will be marked by these photos representing women in
non-stereotypical situations, both in the real space of the city and on
a virtual map of Bucharest, which will be hosted on the project website.
(www.spatiul-public.ro )
**
25
*12:00 – 20:00:* *„At work… Temporary free spaces“* –workshops and
discussions. Reni Hofmüller.
*20:00**: Poliphonic Orchestra*.* *Performance.* *
26
*12:00 – 20:00* *„At work… Temporary free spaces“* –workshops and
discussions. Reni Hofmüller.
*20:00:* *„**Appropriation as an artistic practice with political
background* *“ *– presentation byReni Hofmüller.
27
*12:00:* Walk in the city to locations with importance for an
alternative history of women.
*20:00:* Dinner and discussions in the garden of the Project Space.
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*12:00 – 20:00: *“Space for ideas“ – workshop
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*12:00 – 20:00: *“Space for ideas“ – workshop
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*12:00 – 20:00: *“Space for ideas“ – workshop
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Octombrie
01
*12:00 – 18:00: *“Space for ideas“ – workshop in collaboration with CARE
centre.
The Centre for Action and Responsibility in Education (CARE), operates
on the premises of the National Billingual College George Cosbuc and it
was establish in order to provide students, graduated students and
teachers with a space for dialog, opportunities for scholastic
improvement, talent development and community involvement.
The workshop realized together with the members of CARE centre
(students, graduated students and teachers Roxana Marin and Mihaela
Ghitiu) will aim to produce a series of practical objects for everyday
use (maps, stickers, bookmarks, mind maps, posters, etc), which will
emphasize, through their form and content, the importance and necessity
of critical thinking and the fact that each of us can make a difference.
All the objects realized during the workshops will be accessible in
electronic format on the project website.
02
*12:00 – 18:00: *“Space for ideas“ – workshop in collaboration with CARE
centre.
03
*19:00**:“Public schools in Romania: instruments of the Church for
perpetuating gender discrimination“-* presentation by Emil Moise.
* *
* *
**
The presentation entitled *“Public schools in Romania: instruments of
the Church for perpetuating gender discrimination“* by Emil Moise, will
discuss how, with the aid of the confessional teaching of religion in
public schools and also with the aid of the collateral actions which
rise from this fact, power relations in general and gender power
relation in particular are transmitted and perpetuated.
Emil Moise is an activist and a socio-humanist science teacher. His
fields of interest are: culture and civic attitude, applied ethics,
human rights, the theory of social decision, the promoting of tolerance
and of respect towards all human beings and towards nature.
04
*18:00 – 20:00:* *Ofensiva generozităţii* – discussions and
presentations. Invited project – The Rahova-Uranus Community Center–
architect Ruxandra Antal.
Ofensiva Generozităţii is a group of artists and volunteers working with
the community from Uranus-Rahova neighbourhood in Bucharest, part of a
project called „Build your community“, a communitarian art and social
involvement project. The workshops and the discussions proposed by
Ofensiva Generozităţii will be based on: screenings of documentaries
featuring locals talking about their everyday lives and about the
effects of gentrification on their community; presentation of video
documentation of theatre plays written and performed together with the
people from the neighbourhood; presentation of documentation material
about the reconditioning of a park from the area and the organization of
a „speaker’s corner“ where people from the area could talk about their
daily problems; presentation of a project for a community centre
designed by the architect Ruxandra Antal. Together with the members of
CARE centre, the members of „Ofensiva Generozităţii“ group will organize
a workshop about how to make personal maps. **
05
*12:00:* *Ofensiva generozităţii* – workshop *„Private map“ *– realized
together with the members of CARE centre.
06
*19:00:* *“The construction of the masculine martial identity on the
module maturity/immaturity in Romania“* – presentation and screening by
Stefan Tiron.
The presentation *“The construction of the masculine martial identity
on the module maturity/immaturity in Romania“ * by Stefan Tiron will
question if the image of the man before 1989, the man as the little
warrior, the sempai, the coach, the master is always connected to a
certain model of masculinity trained to perfection in the middle of
nature or in the middle of the living room. A masculinity placed on the
side of the road, next to the picnic or next to the health resorts.
Models of men (bruce li, chucky chen, arnold) were posted on walls or
studied directly from the pirated martial arts movies. We will see a
succession of such models in a projection of images and in an action movie.
Stefan Tiron is a curator and, according to his description „a paranoia
double agent, information dealer, dirty data miner, info broker, shady
somatic recipient and damaged cortical data retriever.“
**
07
*19:00:* *„The One Laptop Per Child in Romania initiative“* –
presentations and discussions. Liviu Pop.
The presentation *“The One Laptop Per Child in Romania initiative“ *will
refer to the OLPC project initiated by Nicolas Negroponte, project that
proposes a revolutionary educational alternative, destined for the third
world countries but not exclusively. Even if the laptop designed by the
MIT representative seems modest compared to the technical standards of
the latest information technologies, still it could represent a radical
improvement of the Romanian education system. The story of the initial
agreement and its ultimate demise by Romanian politicians shouldn’t be
the last chapter of OLPC project in this country, but rather the
beginning of a serious debate about a real modernization of the
education system in Romania.
Liviu Pop is a researcher in the field of media archaeology, analogue
and digital culture, the digitalisation of archives and independent
media production. **
08
*19:00:* „*How are our heroes now?“ *– presentation and discussion.
Cristian Cercel.
The presentation „*How are our heroes now?“* will be made by Cristian
Cercel. During the national-communism promoted by Ceausescu, textbooks
(History and Romanian literature in particular) were presenting a heroic
narrative of the history of the Romanians (n.b.: the history was of the
Romanians and not of Romania). Without the existence of an authentic
alternative, the monopoly for the production and the reproduction of
identity was in the hands of the Communist Party, the education system
was one of the main channels through which a national identity, far from
being a comprehensive one, was propagated. What is the situation now,
when the alternative textbooks are an everyday reality for the high
school pupils? What are our brave national heroes doing now? How
different is the present „Romanian narrative“ compared to the one from
the national-communist period?
Cristian Cercel graduated in European Studies from the Literature
department of Bucharest University and has a Master of Arts in
Nationalism Studies from the Central European University, Budapest. He
works as a translator.**
09
*19:00: **„You cannot speak about communism on a street corner“* –
screening and discussions. Valeriu Antonovici.
*„You cannot speak about communism on a street corner“ *is a film about
memory realized by Valeriu Antonovic, a film that reflects on the
different perspectives of relating to the communist experience, from the
official discourses to the opinions of sympathizers of the former
communist party, from the ideas of randomly chosen people on the
streets, in parks, on the subway to the comments of sociologists,
anthropologists, and political scientists. All these different points of
view make place for a more nuanced analyses of the communist past.
The screening will be followed by an informal discussion with the author.
Valeriu Antonovic is a researcher in social sciences and a documentary
filmmaker.
10
*12:00 – 20:00:* *“ak kraak – videoactivism and critical documenting in
the context of activists‘ movement in Berlin and Germany since1989″***
–presentation, workshop, screenings. Katharina Koch, Marie Du Vinage,
Florian Hülsey, Elizabeth Grenier.
Katharina Koch, Marie Du Vinage, Florian Hülsey and Elizabeth Grenier
will present *“ak kraak – videoactivism and critical documenting in the
frame of activists‘ movement in Berlin and Germany since1989″*.The
presentation of the history and activity of the ak kraak group from
Berlin in the context of the international and German anarchist movement
and the workshop about alternative ways to produce documentaries will
discuss ideas related to strategies of self-organization, to the concept
of ‚do it yourself‘, to the critical way of dealing with documentary/
documentary filmmaking (subjective perspectives, self-reflected access,
ways of working together/relationship: filmmakers-protagonists, other
ways of documentary work then the corporate media style, etc). A
selection of films from the ak kraak archive, films realized between
1990 and 2007, will be showed in a video lounge. An archive of posters
and info material about the group will also be available.
* *
The registered association Videoaktiv (Videoaktiv e.V.) runs on a
nonprofit basis and produces documentaries that comment ongoing
politics, social concerns, art and culture with coverage of racism,
anti-Semitism, labour, exploitation, migration, gentrification, gender
and sexism. It documents international political and sub-cultural
activities of various left-wing groups.
Katharina Koch is a cultural anthropologist and filmmaker. Since 1999
she is working for Videoaktiv e.V. Berlin and realised various
documentations with different social, cultural and political
issues.(e.g. „Borderline – Southeast Europe“ (2004) and „We are girls,
but…Women artists in Romania between everyday life and visions“ (2006)).
Moreover she is co-organiser and co-curator of the annual festival
„balkan black box“ taking place in Berlin and of other independent art
and culture projects in the transnational context. Her scope of
functions and interests : film, documentation, art exhibition,
discussion/debate.
Marie du Vinage, is a visual communication student and videoactivist/
filmmaker since 1998, interested in all types of relationships between
everything that exists or even exists not yet.
Florian Hülsey is a screen writer and video artist from Berlin,
interested in what all types of relationships between everything that
exists mean.
Elizabeth Grenier studied film in Montreal and is now living in Berlin
and working with AK-KRAAK. Interests: human beings, being human.
**
11
*19:00:* Presentation by Indymedia Romania.
„Indymedia brings together groups of media and independent journalists
in order to present news in a grassroots, non-commercial manner.
Indymdia is a democratic channel for the creation of a radical
description of reality, rendered with accuracy but also with passion.“
(indymedia.org )
The presentation will discuss the potential of independent media as an
alternative to the passive acceptance of a predominant “ journalistic
objectivity“ subjected to dominant ideologies, a dynamics on which the
traditional interaction of publics with mainstream commercial media is
based on. The mission of the Indymedia Romania, as listed on their
website, will be discussed: creating a platform for promoting social
justice, freedom of expression and information, for democratisation of
technology and expertise, for breaking the monopoly of the media and for
constructing an „alternative press“, for promoting the „do it yourself“
principle, for constructing networks and for cooperating.
12
*13:00 – 16:00: **„Preconceived ideas- a day in the media“; „Antiracist
strategies“*. Ladyfest workshops.
*17:00 – 19:00: **„Activism in Romanian public life“.* Panel discussion
moderated by Marius Stoica.
* 20:00: **„ Borders of transition** „*. Presentation of „Commonplaces
of Transition,“ a collaborative video project between D Media (Romania),
Interspace (Bulgaria), Videoaktiv (Germany) and K:SAK (Moldova) focusing
on borders, labour, activism and transition. Screening of the first
finished video of the project, „Border Diaries“ (D Media and K:SAK,
2007), a poetic travel diary of a trip across Romania and Moldova that
reflects on the meaning of revolution, post-communism, history and
memory. Followed by open discussion about the meaning of transition and
post-communism. Joanne Richardson.
Ladyfest is a non-profit festival, organized by volunteers, the large
majority of which are women, for the encouragement of communication
between women and for the creation of a creative space for women.
The three days of discussions and workshops that will take place in
collaboration with Spaţiul Public Bucureşti | Public Art Bucharest 2007
project will refer to topics such as: the presence of women in the
public sphere; queer identities; activism against gender violence;
motherhood and its social and political implications; women as content
makers on the internet; video activism and gender identities, etc.
*„Activism in the Romanian public life“ *will take the form of a panel
discussion about the meanings of the term of „activism“ in politics,
mass media, in academic and artistic circles, in the civic society and
in the alternative social communities. We will discus the sense of
activism from multiple points of view and also we will reflect on the
shortcomings that the usage – and over usage – of the term can cause in
the Romanian context, especially in the mass media.
Marius Stoica studied philosophy at the Babeş Bolyai University in Cluj
and since 2004 is a member of D Media group. In the framework of the
group, he organized meetings and film screenings on the topic of video
activism in Arad and Timisoara and was also involved in a few of the
recent video projects of the group. He is concerned with the problems
that an activist attitude addresses (globalization, pollution, human
rights, etc) and with the alternative contemporary culture (the open
source movement, the psychedelic culture, post-left anarchism, etc).
Joanne Richardson proposes three series of film screenings followed by
presentations and discussions on the topics of borders, activism,
transition, post-communism, women’s work, precarity.
Joanne Richardson is founder of D Media in Cluj (an NGO working in the
intersection of new technologies and activist art), editor of two books
on media theory, and author of essays on art, software, copyleft, video
activism, immaterial labour, post-communism, and of videos on
globalization, migration and borders.
**
13
*10:00 – 19:00* *„Vegan baking“; „Women and technology“; „Queer
identities“; „Discussion/workshop about non-hierarchical, feminist
communication, about non-violence and self-organization“; „Motherhood
and its social and political implications“; „A collective text about
fear“; „Radical reading“*. Ladyfest workshops.
*20:00:* *„* *Women’s work*“. Presentation of two videos that were part
of a collaboration between DMedia and Candida TV (Italy): „Made in
Italy“ (2006, 42″) about the delocalization of Italian companies to
Romania and the migration of Romanians to Italy, and „Eden“ (2006, 18″)
about female workers in Italian firms in Arad, followed by an
introduction to D Media’s next project on women’s work and precarity
with Videoaktiv, and an open discussion about the changes in women’s
work from 1989 to the present. Joanne Richardson.
14
*10:00 – 16:00**:* *„Gender and wikipedia/the presence of the women on
the internet“; „Workshop/forum/panel about prostitution and
sex-trafficking“; „Video activism“; „Our bodies“*. Ladyfest workshops.
*19:00**:* *“**Precarious lives“*. Presentation of three short videos
>from a DVD magazine „Precarity“ compiled by Candida TV (2005), which
documents campaigns around the world against precarious work. Videos by
Chainworkers (Italy), Intermitants du Spectacle (France) and Precarias a
la Derivas (Spain). A discussion will follow addressing the theoretical
background of the discourse of precarity and recent feminist critiques.
Joanne Richardson.
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