Video Europe for all

You do not need a special appointment with contemporary art; you need not visit elite spaces nor do you need to prepare – contemporary art is facing you, it has come to you. You give it some attention, you give it some time even if in passing. You will find that it is interesting, strange, poetic, attractive and challenging… If you are attracted, if there was something left unclear – come back. Each one of us, all of us – we are the audience for contemporary art!

This project is realized within the context of the Euro-Presidency of Bulgaria this year. It counts on the need to not only showcase our art in Brussels but to also offer a chance to see the art of our European co-citizens here.  

The video works were selected after negotiating with the artists and their representatives concerning the unusual location where the works are shown. The program does not deal with a specific theme. It rather counts on the differences, the variety, which is the defining factor for the wholeness of Europe. Some of the videos were made way back in the day when we were hoping, fighting and striving to become members of the EU. These are world classics by now, recognized samples for their respective national art scenes. They demonstrate the massive potential and the great variety of languages of contemporary art.  

Iara Boubnova and Kalin Serapionov are the authors of the project. It is a continuation of the “Crouch-Art” project of ICA-Sofia from 2007 – video works by international artists were showcased via projections in a central Sofia basement; the art lovers could see them almost at all times from the sidewalk through a small window, just like the popular street shops in the city.

“Video Europe for all” is realized with the support of the “Culture” Program of the Sofia Municipality and with the assistance of “Egida-Sofia” Ltd.

Screenings will take place every day between 5pm and midnight. The screenings are organized in groups of 3 each running for 1 week each. The project will go on until May 31, 2018.

This week we are presenting:

Anetta Mona Chisa and Lucia Tkacova, “Try again. Fail again. Fail better”, 2011

Cristina Lucas, “Pantone -500 +2007”, 2007 (on the photograph – the frame for 1878)

Ciprian Muresan, “Choose”, 2005 

 Part 2:
- Renata Poljak (Croatia). “Jump”, 2000, 4’. Courtesy of the artist.
- Fernando Sanchez Castillo (Spain). “Rich Cat dies of Heart Attack in Chicago”, 2004, 22’ 23”. Courtesy of the artist.
- Jaan Toomik (Estonia). “Father and Son”, 1998, 2” 35”,. Courtesy of the artist and Temnikova & Kasela Gallery, Tallinn

Part 3:
- Stefano Cagol, “Evoke / Provoke (the border)”, 2011. Courtesy of the artist
- Artur Żmijewski, “Them”, 2007. Courtesy of the artist and Galerie Peter Kilchmann
- Julia Willms, “Passageway”, 2005. Courtesy of the artist

 
Part 4
- Adel Abdessemed (Algeria/France). “God Is Design”, animation of 3050 drawings; music by Silvia Ocougne, 4’ 6’’, 2005. Courtesy of the artist and Christine Koenig Gallery, Vienna
- Jun Yang (China/Austria). “The Center of the World”, 8’ 50”, 2013. Courtesy of the artist and Gallerie Martin Janda, Vienna
- Julieta Aranda (Mexico/Germany). “lip, dip, paint, talk: your mouth is bleeding”, 8’ 3”, 2015. Courtesy of the artist

Part 5
- Ahmet Öğüt (Turkey). “United”, 2016-17, 2’ 50”. Courtesy the artist and Galerie KOW, Berlin
- Guido van der Werve (Netherlands). “Nummer acht, everything is going to be alright”, 2007, 16 mm film transferred to video, 10’10”. Courtesy the artist
- Zbyněk Baladrán & Barbora Kleinhamplová (Czech Republic). “Work of Eye”, 2014, 7’ 3”. Courtesy the artists

Part 6
- Pipilotti Rist (Switzerland). “Pickelporno”, 1992, 12’ 02”
Sound: Peter Bräker, Les Reines Prochaines (of which Rist was a member between 1988 and 1994). Courtesy the artist and Videoart.ch.
- Ana Čigon (Slovenia). “One More Kick”, 2009-2010, 3'40''. Courtesy the artist
- Camille Henrot (France). “Grosse Fatigue”, 2013, 13’. Courtesy galerie kamel mennour, Paris