Days of occupation

 

 

For my feet in this summer heat it would be so much easier if the Academy had one, possibly two things organized during the day. In a sense it does as there are the lunch series talks and lecture talks but let me tell you there are so many more things going on that writing this blog is proving to be a very difficult task. Please don't get me wrong, I am not complaining I just don't want to leave anything out. This feeling automatically recalls to my mind Paolo Woods's lunch talk from few days ago and the story about his long time friend and colleague Claude Baechtold.He believed in the importance of every photograph he took during his stay in Afghanistan and later produced a video called "Sublime Afghanistan".  Like him at least for this blog I don't want to leave anything out and here I give you a little Flicker Text (the title inspired by Charlotte Cullinan "Flicker movie").Please if you can read it really fast.

 

Day  01.08.2013.

 

18:45-post the blog

 

19:24-bought an ice cream

 

19:30-20:45-Lecture series "Everything is going to happen here. You're going to love it ".Anne Szefer Karlsen, Bassam El Baroni and Barbel Hartje discussed issues in relation to the art education, fundings and in a sense motivations behind the art production. The idea of the Ignorant School master and the moment of questioning authority came up.

 

21:00 - Join students and professors at the Terrace of the Caffe Cult. As usual, stay for one drink.

 

" Bringen Sie mir Weis Sprizer....Bitte noch."

 

22:00- Talk with Stephen Mathewson and organize with him to exhibit the next day at the Alcatraz Gallery.( Remember I wrote to you about the small space next to the space where from the inside it reads " Today I am a king, tomorrow a slave").

 

00:30- Realized I am tired and that I will write tomorrow.

 

 

Day 02.08.2013.

 

08:45-Drink coffee. KP: What is this? Already the second week has passed? No, I think it has rocketed by.

 

10:30- Presentation of the class finishing after two weeks. Bassam El Baroni and his students during the time of their class investigated the ideas in relation to the re evaluation of the curatorial studies, art narratives and language and now in the space of the lunch talks at the Hohensalzburg Fortress are presenting their projects. Unfortunately I need to leave after the first talk. Visit briefly Hubert Scheibls's class. They are also packing things up today. The room smells of oil and pains.

 

11:56- For the first time catch the bus 170 to Hallein.

 

13:00- Lunch talk of Robert Kusmirovski. Transformation of the space in his work is incredible. On purposely the artist is playing with this idea of fake and original. What is beautiful for him may not be for some as he often transforms the space into old bunkers, animal testing hospitals, rotten and ruined facades. He dresses up in "costume" to further emphasize the importance of the complete feeling of the space and situation and also composes sound that quietly accompanies the works.

 

14:30- Lunch and needed coffee.

 

15:00- Stephen and I speak about the show I will organize. I visit the small gallery space and I am pleasantly surprised. The walls are freshly painted white and the smell of a "proper" gallery is present. Oh, the nerves kick in, will they like my works?

 

16:30- Presentation of the works of another class finishing after two weeks. Paolo Woods and his students showcase the works that the students made during their time in Hallein. Number of works on the wall, on the floor or on the table. Did they really do all of this here? Yes. Couple of his students spoke to me about the challenges they faced here and how they felt like they are stepping out of the comfort zones and were pushed to try to do something different.

 

17:30 - The Show. The music was great! Thank you Stephen and Teer, it was the best version of the Moon river song I have heard. The official hand shake and putting the sign of the gallery on the door made me realize that this event is marking its 18^th birthday!

 

18:17- Catch the train with two amazing women. First stop, RoN, Landesteliers, exhibition " Kristall".

 

19:30 - Second, no third opening of the day, gallery Eboran and exhibition of the work by Thomas Kilpper.

 

20:45-Cevapcici, drinks.As usual stay for only one drink...Oh, ok bitte noch.