PRESS RELEASE
Vienna, August 2009

Antitheses
KulturKontakt Austria cordially invites you to the third exhibition of its Artists in Residence 2009

In the third exhibition of the Artists in Residence Programme 2009, three young artists will present their works at Galerie ArtPoint: Aleksandra Petrusevska from Macedonia, Ivan Bazak from the Ukraine and Irena Lagator from Montenegro are our guests in Vienna from August to October 2009.

Vernissage:      
Tuesday, 9 June 2009, 7 p.m.

Exhibition duration:  
10 June – 31 July 2009
Mon. – Fri., 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Finissage:  
Saturday 03 October 2009, 6 p.m.
On the occasion of the „ORF Langen Nacht der Museen“

Place:      
Galerie ArtPoint, Universitätsstraße 5, 1010 Vienna

A project by:   
KulturKontakt Austria

Aleksandra Petrusevska is the curator and initiator of the F.R.I.K. Film Festival; Ivan Bazak is the curator and founder of the Carpathian Biennale. For this exhibition, the two artists have temporarily joined forces for a presentation in the form of videos and photography: under the title F.R.I.K. Film Festival meets Carpathian Biennale, they will give an impression of their most recent curatorial work and the artistic approaches they employed.

Background Information:
The F.R.I.K. Film Festival is an international film festival in Skopje, Macedonia’s capital city. The festival presents video art, short films and independent productions at three venues. F.I.R.K. is an NGO which presented its first cultural events to the public in 2008. The objective of F.I.R.K. is to cultivate a broad cultural dialogue, emancipated from prejudices and stereotypes. The association wishes to foster critical thinking and to develop contemporary art theory and practice in Macedonia, as well as to promote an exchange both of cultural ideas and of artists.
The Carpathian Biennale was launched for the first time in February 2009. A co-founder of the Biennale is the Carpathian Theatre, an interdisciplinary, multinational network of artists. The international art exhibition focuses on cultural exchange between the respective host countries. Each year the Biennale has two exhibition locations, one in Western Europe and the other in the Carpathian homeland. In 2009 the host countries are Germany and Ukraine, with the Biennale taking place in Cologne in February 2009 and in Javoriv in October 2009. The exhibition is always held at locations open to the public. It draws its strength from the local circumstances and allows places to tell their own stories. The Carpathian Biennale presents artists working in various genres and media, including performance, dance, photography, video art, music and the fine arts.

Aleksandra Petrusevska works with the media of print design, photography and painting. The idea behind her work is to find a new kind of dynamics and a contemporary form of expression. In her photographs (fragments of buildings, damaged walls, breaks, cracks and urban ruins), which she processes with the paint medium, she lets the present erupt, always retaining a view of a vague, contourless past. In her works, the artists reshapes destructive elements into something aesthetically pleasing.
 
The project that Petrusevska presents in this exhibition was created in Vienna while she was an Artist in Residence here. In it she creates a connection between her earlier work, her own past and the new experiences she had in Vienna and combines this with impressions of Vienna.

The Ukrainian-born artist Ivan Bazak will also present a selection of his earlier works. His media are painting, video and installation, and he is also a set designer. One theme of his works is his homeland, western Ukraine. His perspective is not sentimental, but filled with interest in and dedication to the reality and history of his homeland. He deals with the journey taken by people who leave their homes and come back again, who move between the present and the past, between melancholy and hope. “Houses” are a recurring motif in his works. Using this leitmotif he examines the relation between inside and outside, private and public, work and life.

Irena Lagator works with a combination of fine arts, architecture and design. The artist will show her work “Limited Responsibility Society Experiment 2009”. This work is a project in progress; it was initiated in 2008 and presented in the same year in Serbia. It is based on the antitheses of nature and technology, light and space, reality and concrete representation, construction and deconstruction, experienced and interactive referential meaning, as well as on experimentation with the concept of sculpture.
The exhibited work deals, on the one hand, with the question of multiple authorship versus the poetry of individual creative potential, and on the other hand with the question of social responsibility and the human conscience. Lagator embodies this in processes of interactivity and performativity.
An important element of her work is the adaptation of the material. Lagator uses cash register receipt rolls from the local supermarket, which makes her work “universally accessible”. The title is also significant: The term “Limited Responsibility Society” is deliberately taken from the business sector and thus from our reality. It is used in different ways and forms in different countries: Germany/Austria: Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung (GmbH),  France: Société à Responsabilité Limitée (SARL); Italy: Società a Responsabilità Limitata (SRL); Great Britain: Limited Liability Partnership (LLP); Russia: О́бщество с ограни́ченной отве́тственностью (OOO); Ex-Yugoslavia: Društvo s Ograničenom Odgovornošću (DOO).
This real, commercial term and the material used in the work are filtered through the form and language of art. This gives the work the potential to define new values, which, through forms of experimental and experienced processes of various countries, redefine themselves within a contextual framework.

Artists in Residence Programme:
The series of exhibitions ‘Presentation of Works by the Artists in Residence’ takes place four times a year in KulturKontakt Austria’s Galerie ArtPoint and shows works by artists who were invited to a three-month stay in Vienna by KulturKontakt Austria. The Artists in Residence programme is directed towards artists from Eastern and South Eastern Europe, and has been offered by KulturKontakt Austria since 1992. Since the initiation of the programme, more than 5,000 artists have applied and around 210 of them have taken part in the Artists in Residence programme. With its Artists in Residence programme, KulturKontakt Austria enables artists to make contact and exchange experiences with the Austrian and international art scenes.

NOTICE
4. Exhibition of Artists in Residence:
Vernissage: 03 December 2009, Exhibition duration: 04 December – still open
Irina Gheorghe / Alina Popa/Rumania, Lana Hujnić/ Bosnia-Herzegovina, Vlad Nancă/ Rumania

Exhibition to 20th anniversary of KKA:
„Da, Dort & Dazwischen – 20 Jahre KulturKontakt Austria“
Vernissage:  Tuesday 13 October 2009
Exhibition duration:  14 October– 27 November 2009
Opening hours:  Mon. – Fri., 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Ort: Galerie ArtPoint, Universitätsstraße 5, 1010 Vienna
EINTRITT FREI!
A Project of:  KulturKontakt Austria
Curator:  Elke Krasny
Exhibition design:  Ivan Bazak, Alexander Schuh

 
Short Biographies
Aleksandra Petrusevska
Born in 1981 in Skopke, Macedonia. She lives and works in Skopje. The artist completed her studies for graphic design at the Faculty for Fine Arts Skopje in 2005. In 2008 she completed her Master degree in graphic design at the European University Macedonia in Skopje. Petrusevska works with the medias print, photography, design and painting.

Grants
2009 KulturKontakt Austria (KKA), Artists in Residence, Vienna, Austria

2007 European Cultural Foundration, “STEP beyond’ Mobility Fund, Project (or) Art Fair, (art fair for contemporari art) Rotterdam, The Netherlands

2006 European Cultural Foundation, “STEP beyond’ Mobility Fund, Travel, Research in The Netherlands

Solo Exhibitions
2008 “Refound time”, Cultural Center CK, Skopje, Macedonia

2007 “13 km from the center”, National Gallery Museum Kumanovo”, Bezisten, Stip, Macedonia;
 “13 km from the center” Multimedia Centre ”Mala Stanica”, Skopje, Macedonia

Group Exhibitions
2009 “Cultural Competitions for the Games of the Francophonie“, Beirut, Lebanon;
 “Identity”, Biennial of young artists MOCA, Skopje, Macedonia;

2008 “Atitude”, Magaza, Bitola, Maceondia;
 “Creativity and catastrophe of art”, Museum of Contemporary Art, Skopje, Macedonia; Weil Gallery, A & M University, Corpus Christi, Texas;
 VII Biennal of visual art, Varna, Bulgaria;
 AKTO Contemporary art festival, Bitola, Macedonia;
 “Project (or) Art Fair”, Rotterdam, The Netharlands;
 “The Iwano Project VII“, Workshop regional art project, Novi Sad, Serbia

2007 “The Iwano Project VII”, Workshop regional art project, Belgrade, Serbia;
 “Designing Content Skopje”, International workshop conceptualized by Hristina Ivanoska and Yane Calovski (as an part of the organisation team);
 Magaza, Bitola, Macedonia

2006 took part in the “Lost Highway Expedition”, a massive movement of individuals that passed trough the cities of the Balkans. Exhibition in MOCA, Skopje, Macedonia;
 “Annual Award DENES 2006”, The Contemporary Art Center, Skopje, Macedonia;
 “OFF”, press to exit project space, Skopje, Macedonia

2005 “White Nights Festival”, collective exhibition and performance on theme “identity”, Skopje, Macedonia;
 Art biennale of young artists, MOCA, Skopje, Macedonia;
 workshop at “Real Presence”, performance at the Republic Square, Belgrade, Serbia

Ivan Bazak
Ivan Bazak was born in 1980 in Kolomyia, Ukraine. He lives and works in Berlin and Kyiv. He studied at the National Academy for Fine Art and Architecture in Kyiv, as well as at the Arts Academy Dusseldorf. In 2001 he attended the master class of Prof. Magdalena Jetelova in Saint Petersburg. He is cofounder of the Carpathian Theatre, which was founded in 2005. Since 2009 Bazak is cofounder and curator of the Carpathian Biennal.
The media with which Bazak works, include painting, video and installation. Bazak also works as stage designer. A repeatedly emerging theme in Bazak´s work is his native country, Ukraine. His gaze is not sentimental but full of interest and engagement for reality and the stories of his home country.

Residencies / Grants
2009-2011 Participation at NRW France-Transfer

2009  Artist in Residence, KulturKontakt Austria, Vienna, Ausria

2008  Artist in Residence, Centro Cultural Andratx, Andratx, Spain;
  Artist in Residence, Galeria Arsenal, Bialystok, Poland

2005  Grant for Fine Art of Märkische Region, Gallery of the Town of Iserlohn, Germany

2002  Grant, Goethe Institute St. Petersburg and IFA – Institute for Foreign Relationships

1999  Grant, Centre for Contemporary Art Kyiv; in Kyiv, Ukraine
  and in Topolcianky, Slowakia

Solo Exhibitions
2009 Charim Gallery, Vienna, Austria

2008 “From...To.”, Galeria Arsenal, Bialystok, Poland
“Where is my home? Where are you at home?”, Centre for Contemporary Art, Kyiv, Ukraine

2008 “Houses”, Kewenig gallery, Cologne, Germany

2007 “Berni in Grandma’s House/Vitalik visits his mother”, Museum at Ostwall, Dortmund, Germany

2005 Kunstverein Engen, Germany

2004 “Kolomyja”, Centre for Contemporary Art, Kyiv, Ukraine;
 „New works“, Studio Achtneuntel, Berlin, Germany;
 „Agua“, Gallery Jule Kewenig, Palma de Mallorca, Spain

2003 „Landscapes“ Kewenig gallery, Cologne, Germany

Group Exhibitions
2008  “Belarusian perspektives”, Galeria Arsenal, Bialystok, Poland

2006  “Spivaks Generation”, Kewenig gallery, Cologne, Germany;
“Arts last word”, on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the death of Heinrich Heine and Robert Schumann, Kunsthalle Dusseldorf, Dusseldorf, Germany

2005/06 “Napoli Presente: posizioni e prospettive dell’arte contemporanea”, Palazzo
  Arti Napoli, Naples, Italy

2005  “Munch Revisited”, Museum at Ostwall, Dortmund, Germany
  Gallery Lia Rumma, Naples, Italy;

2003  “Incontri… Dalla collezione di Graziella Lonardi Buontempo”, Académie de
  France à Rome, Villa Medici, Rome, Italy

2002  “Globalization: The annihilation of being different?”, NRW-Forum for Arts and Economy, Düsseldorf, Germany

2001  “September 11”, Artists Union of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine

2000  “Our people & our countryside”, Hamilton/ Mississauga, Canada

Awards
2008 Winner of Young artists award CEE / Henkel Art Award Vienna, Austria

2000 Sculpture symposium “Shades of forgotten ancestors”, 3rd Price, Kolomyja, Ukraine

Publications
2008 Catalogue of the exhibition “Houses”, Kewenig gallery, Cologne, Kyiv

2007 Catalogue of the exhibition “Berni in Grandma’s House/Vitalik visits his mother”
 Museum am Ostwall, Dortmund, Bielefeld

2006 Ivan Bazak „Nie gesehene Tiere, Geschichten aus Zentraleuropa“, Cologne, Kyiv
 Catalogue of the exhibition “Arts last word”, on the occasion of the 150th
 Anniversary of the death of Heinrich Heine and Robert Schumann, Kunsthalle
 Dusseldorf, Dusseldorf/Kassel

2005 Catalogue of the exhibition “Napoli Presente: posizioni e prospettive dell’arte
 Contemporanea”, Naples
 Catalogue of the exhibition “Munch Revisited – Edvard Munch and Contemporary
 Art“, Museum am Ostwall, Dortmund, Bielefeld

2003 Catalogue of the exhibition “Incontri… Dalla collezione di Graziella Lo nardi
 Buontempo”, Académie de France à Rome, Villa Medici, Pescara

2002 Catalogue of the exhibition “Globalization: The annihilation of being different?”,
 EMPRISE Art Award at the NRW-Forum Dusseldorf

www.karpatentheater.com
www.ivanbazak.com

IRENA LAGATOR
Irena Lagator was born in 1976 in Cetinje (Crna Gora)/Montenegro. She lives and works in Cetinje. She studied at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Cetinje and at the ENSBA/École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts du Mans in France. She deliberatly uses the first principles of minimalism and of conceptual art. In her installations Lagator deals with social and historical themes about the particular places.

Residencies / Grants
2009 Artist-in-Residence, KulturKontakt, Vienna, Austria
2009 Artist-in-Residence/symposium, ORTung, Salzburg, Austria
2007 Artist-in-Residence, Viafarini, Milano, Italy
2006 Artist-in-Residence, Neue Galerie am Landesmuseum Johanneum, Graz, Austria

2005 Modelmania: workshop with Olafur Eliasson and Yona Friedman, ArtExperience Domus Academy, Venice, Italy

Solo Exhibitions
2009 “Neighbourhood”, with Jelena Tomašević and Natalija Vujošević, Atelier DADO, gallery for contemporary art, National Museum of Montenegro, Cetinje, Montenegro

2008 “What We Call Real”, Atelier DADO, gallery for contemporary art, National Museum of Montenegro, Cetinje, Montenegro

2007 “Is It Still Winter, Outside”, Museum of Contemporary Art, with Petra Maitz: “Lady Musgrave Reef”, Banja Luka, Bosnia-Herzegovina;
“Living Space”, gallery ‘Beograd’, Belgrade, Serbia

2006 Living Room, Art Pavilion, Podgorica, Monetengro

2005 “Please Wait Here”, Church of San Zeno, Pisa, Italy;
“What is Missing”, Gallery HAOS, Belgrade, Serbia

2004  “Opening of the Book”, Gallery Biljarda, National Museum of Montenegro, Cetinje, Montenegro;
“Passerby!“ Gallery Cultural Center Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia

Group Exhibitions
2009 “Little Constellation”, Galleria Neon Campobase, Bologna, Italy

2008 “Library. Open Balkan Book”, 1st international biennial of contemporary art, Čačak, Serbia
“City. The Face of City”, Cultural Center Gallery, Čačak,/National Museum Art Gallery, Krusevac, Serbia

2007 “Recognitions”, Art Pavilion, Podgorica, Montenegro;
“Transforming Memory. The Politics of Images”, International Biennial of Contemporary Art/24th Nadežda Petrović Memorial, Čačak, Serbia;
“No Restriction”, 40th Herceg Novi Winter Salon of contemporary art, Herceg Novi, Serbia

2006 „Gates”, Sala Murat, Bari, Italy;
“At the Second Sigh”t, Pavelhaus, Laafeld, Austria;
“Non Place”, Röda Sten, Göteborg, Sweden;
“Ennui”, FACT, Foundation for Art and Creative Technology, Liverpool, UK;
“New Wave”, Centre for Contemporary art, Podgorica, Montenegro/Colegium Artisticum, Sarajevo, Bosnia-Hercegovina

2005 „Montenegrin Beauty“, Künstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin, Germany;
“At the Second Sight”, Salon of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Belgrade, Serbia;
S1 salon: Sheffield, UK

2004 “Violenta Imaginii, Imaginae Violenti”, 1st Bucharest Biennial, Romania;
“Love it or Leave it”, 5th Cetinje International Biennial of Contemporary Art; “Orchid”, 5th Cetinje International Biennial of contemporary art, Catalogue by Petar Ćuković;
« Articulation », BELEF, Belgrade, Serbia;
“The Present Moment in Montenegrin Fine Ar”, Mestna Gallery 1, Ljubljana, Slovenia

2003 “Variations in Balkan Spaces”, Thessalonica, Greece, Curator Zoran Erić;
22nd International Biennial of Mediterranean Countries, Alexandria, Egypt;
1st FONA, Museum of Contemporary Art Rijeka, Croatia;
“Logic”, BELEF, Belgrade, Serbia, Catalogue by Jovan Cekić;
4th International Print Triennial, Cairo, Egypt;
36th Winter Salon of contemporary art, Herceg Novi, Montenegro;
“Trash Aesthetics, Trash Ideology, Trash Technology”, 25th Moscow International Film Festival, Moscow, Russia

2002 12th Space International Print Biennial, Sungkok Art Museum, Seoul, Korea;
“Mirror of the Balkans”, National Museum, Kraljevo;
“Reconstruction”, 4th Cetinje International Biennial of Contemporary Art Catalogue by Svetlana Racanović, Iara Boubnova, Katarina Koskina, Andei Erofeev;
5th International Kochi Print Triennial, Japan;
35th Winter Salon of contemporary art, Herceg Novi, Montenegro

2001 “If you cannot move the mountain, you can come closer to it”, Museum 25th May, Belgrade, Serbia;
15th International Drawing Exhibition, Museum of Contemporary Art Rijeka, Croatia;
21st International Biennial of Mediterranean Countries, Alexandria, Egypt;
“Chain of Discovery”, Contemporary Art in Montenegro, Catalogue by Svetlana Racanović;
“Art&May”, Santa Scolastica, Bari, Italy
2000  3rd International Print Triennial, Cairo, Egypt;
In Situ: Château d’Oiron, Oiron, France

Awards
2007 “Transforming Memory. The Politics of Images”: International Biennial of Contemporary Art/24th ¬Nadežda Petrović Memorial, Čačak, Serbia (together with: Mariana Castillo Deball)

2006 “Milunović, Stijović, Lubarda”, Art Pavilion Award, Podgorica, Montenegro,

2003 XXII International Biennial of Mediterranean Countries, Alexandria, Egypt

2003 IV International Print Triennial, Cairo, Egypt

2002 12th Space International Print Biennial, Seoul, Korea

2002 “Reconstruction”, 4th Cetinje International Biennial of Contemporary
Art, UNESCO prize for visual arts

2002 35th Winter Salon of Contemporary Art, Herceg Novi, Montenegro

2001 Velibor Bucko Radonjić Award, Montenegrin National Theatre, Podgorica