PRESS RELEASE
Vienna, May 2010


Tea Hatadi from Croatia, Heldi Pema from Albania and Ardan Özmenoğlu from Turkey will be exhibiting artworks at Galerie ArtPoint from 9 June to 30 July 2010. The exhibition includes installations and images relating to war, aggression and fear, as well as works focussing on questions of origin and identity. The three artists are spending the months of April, May and June 2010 in Vienna in the context of KulturKontakt Austria’s Artists in Residence Programme for visual artists and photographers.

Vernissage: Tuesday, 8 June 2010, 7 p.m.
Exhibition duration: 9 June – 30 July 2010
Opening hours Mon – Fri, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Location: Galerie ArtPoint, Universitätsstraße 5, 1010 Vienna
A project by: KulturKontakt Austria

The Croatian artist Tea Hatadi takes a special interest in war museums and military museums in Europe and is researching the influence of war on art for her doctoral thesis. In this connection, Hatadi will present a large-format, rose-covered installation at Galerie ArtPoint. The installation is a kind of memorial entitled “Fight and Faith”; it commemorates the end of the Second World War 65 years ago, but it is also a reminder of the constant threat of war in the world today. Hatadi has no wish to relativise; she aims to point out the aggressive potential that exists in all people. She wants to remind the public of their own emotions and for this purpose she deliberately uses the colour red: a colour that on one hand symbolises love, but is also associated with danger and death.

Heldi Pema, who hails from Albania, is a painter, graphic artist, video artist, photographer, musician and performer. The paintings and photographs he has created for Galerie ArtPoint revolve around the issue of identity. For example, he shows people in resplendent costumes and masks, which serve the sole purpose of making the wearers appear big and powerful in order to conceal their own fears. Pema works with authentic costumes such as a bullfighter’s garb, but also creates unusual new designs of his own. Through these works he attempts to confront the beholders with their own feelings: with fears and loneliness as well as with joy and humour.

The preferred genre of Turkish artist Ardan Özmenoğlu is the screen print, but she also does sculptures and installations. In her works, she often makes reference to the history and culture of her country of origin. She creates traditional images using the methods of mass production. Among the works she is exhibiting at Galerie ArtPoint is a screen print showing Suleyman the Magnificent. Özmenoglu compares the latter with Ludwig van Beethoven and thereby suggests some form of contact between the two. Another work shows Franz Kafka, whom she depicts on post-it notes by means of screen printing. Post-it notes, which are so much a part of our everyday lives, have a special quality for the artist, in that they develop a life of their own, sometimes falling off the wall onto the floor and thereby changing the original picture. Nevertheless, the aesthetic approach remains important to Ardan Özmenoglu, who feels that it can be both a provocation and an invitation.

The ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE PROGRAMME
KulturKontakt Austria invited 14 young artists to come to Vienna as Artists in Residence in 2009. These artists have the opportunity to exhibit the works they develop during their three-month sojourns at four exhibitions held at Galerie ArtPoint. The Artists in Residence Programme, which was initiated by KulturKontakt Austria in 1992, is open to artists from Eastern and South Eastern Europe and Turkey. Since the beginning of the programme, more than 5,500 artists have applied and some 220 artists have participated as artists in residence. Through the Artists in Residence Programme, KulturKontakt Austria enables artists to develop contacts and participate in exchange with the Austrian and international art scenes.

COMING SOON
Mladen Miljanovic, Henkel Art.Award-Winner 2009 Opening: 24 June 2010, exhibition duration: 25 June 2010 – 12 September 2010
KulturKontakt Austria is the longstanding, tried and tested partner of Henkel CEE for this project.
Location: MUMOK Factory, Museumsquartier, 1070 Wien

3rd Exhibition of the Artists in Residence Opening: 7 September 2010, exhibition duration: 8 September 2010 – 08 October 2010
Milorad Đjokić (Serbia), Boróka Piros (Romania), Arpine Tokmajyan (Armenia)

Brief biography of Ardan Özmenoğlu
Ardan Özmenoğlu was born in 1979 in Ankara (Turkey). She studied at Bilkent University in Ankara in the Graphic Design Department of the Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture, and graduated in 2006. She works in the field of graphic arts and prints as well as with the media of sculpture and installations. Ardan Özmenoğlu lives and works in Istanbul.

Prizes / Scholarships / Residencies (selection)
2008
einmonatiges Stipendium am Frans Masereel Centrum, Kasterlee (Be)
dreimonatiger Aufenthalt bei der Ateliergemeinschaft Milchhof e.V. , Berlin (DE)

2007
sechsmonatiger Aufenthalt am Kala Art Institute, Berkeley (USA)

2005
3. Preis beim Post-it Design Wettbewerb von 3M, Istanbul (TR)
Solo exhibitions (selection)

2009
That was then…, Rush Arts Gallery, New York (USA)

2009
Dékolleté, Ilayda Art Gallery, Istanbul (TR)

2008
It’s either Istanbul conquers me or I conquer Istanbul, Gallery Play Studio, Istanbul (TR)

2008
Play Revisited, Galerie IAC Berlin (DE)

2008
Rendezvous, ES Konsept Gallery, Istanbul (TR)
Group exhibitions (selection)

2009
New Prints 2009/Summer, Autumn, IPCNY-International Print Center New York (USA)
NurtureArt 2009 Benefit, Claire Oliver Gallery, New York (USA)
The code is Istanbul, kuratiert von Beral Madra, Point Hotel, Istanbul (TR)
I am alone, but..“, kuratiert von Denizhan Özer, Daire Art Gallery, Istanbul (TR)
The Art Market/Art Bazaar Summer, Lyons Wier Gallery, New York (USA)
28. Contemporary Artists Istanbul Exhibition, Turkish Painting and Sculpture Museum Association hosted by Akbank Art Center, Beyoglu, Istanbul (TR)
New Prints 2009/Winter, Anchor Graphics & Columbia College Chicago for Global Implications: Southern Graphics Council Conference 2009, Chicago (USA)
XXV Jubilee International Festival Sarajevo, Organic Art Life, Sarajevo (BA)

2008
The Chelsea International Fine Art Competition Exhibiton, Agora Gallery, Chelsea, New York (USA)

2008
Art is my playground, Kucuk Ciftlik Eglence Park, Istanbul (TR)

2007
Buca Education Faculty 2. International Visual Arts İzmir Biennial, İzmir (TR)
1. Contemporary Artists Meeting, Ilayda Art Gallery Istanbul (TR)
Istanbul Modern Arts Gallery, “Young Artists”, Istanbul (TR)
Monotype Marathon 2007, San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art (USA)
Anonymous Drawings I, Blütenweiss, Berlin (DE)

2006
Ateliers of Alexandria, AAW International Workshop Exhibition, Assembly of Artists and Writers, Alexandria (EG)
The 25. Contemporary Artists Istanbul Exhibition, Turkish Painting and Sculpture Museum Association hosted by Akbank Art Center, Beyoglu, Istanbul (TR)
Feiticio-Object Petitio-Fetishism, Bilkent University, Fine Arts, Design and Architecture Building Exhibition Hall, Ankara (TR)

Brief biography of Tea Hatadi
Tea Hatadi was born in 1980 in Koprivnica (Croatia). She studied painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb, where she began working on her doctorate in 2008. She also studied for two semesters at the Academy of Art, Architecture and Design in Prague (Czech Republic). Tea Hatadi is a member of the artists’ group Projekt 6, which she co-founded in 2006. Her artistic work includes video, installations and computer graphics as well as combinations of various objects and materials. Tea Hatadi lives and works in the Croatian capital of Zagreb.

Solo exhibitions (selection)
2009
Trokut/Triangle – small form, SC Gallery Kiosk, Zagreb (HR)
Ne ubij!/, Gallery S, Koprivnica (HR)

2007
Body Painting Live Performans, Teatar &TD, 3. Velesajam kulture, $FF, Zagreb (HR)

2006
Museum of softwar, work in progress, Matica hrvatska, Križevci (HR)
Retrospective view ", Gallery K, Križevci (HR)

2001
“Angels” , Matica hrvatska, Križevci (HR)
Projekt 6 Exhibitions

2009
Subversive Correspondence 2, The Gallery at Willesden Green, London (UK)
Subversive Correspondenc 1, Broadwalk Arts, Bristol (UK) 2008 Stereotypes and prejudices, Gallery Karas HDLU, Zagreb (HR), Gallery Kortil,
Rijeka (HR)
Dogma, Gallery Kazamat, Osijek (listopad) (HR)

2007
Exchange experience explore, Gallery SC, Zagreb (HR)
SUFFEST, Gallery "KLK", Križevci (HR)
Group exhibitions (selection)

2009
Generation X – female perspective, Gallery Jogurt, AKC Medika, Zagreb (HR) 2008 Vox Feminae Festival, Club SC, Zagreb (HR)

2007
Vox feminae, Club SC Zagreb (HR)

2006
Pasionska baština, Gallery Kristofor Stanković, Zagreb (HR)
Inter(aktiv), Gallery SC, Zagreb (HR)
Under level 7, public toilet, Zagreb (HR)

2004
Pasionska baština , Gallery Kristofor Stankovć, Zagreb (HR)
Exhibitions 2010
Gallery Vladimir Filakovac, Einzelausstellung, Zagreb (HR)
Gallery Striegl, Einzelausstellung, Sisak (HR)
Gallery Vladimir Nazor, Gruppenausstellung, Zagreb (HR)
Gallery Duplex, Gruppenausstellung, Sarajevo (BA)
Gallery O3ONE, Gruppenausstellung, Belgrad (RS)
Gallery Striegl, Gruppenausstellung, Sisak (HR)

Brief biography of Heldi Pema
Heldi Pema was born in 1977 in Tirana (Albania), where he currently lives and works. He studied multimedia and concept art at the Academy of Arts of Tirana. In 1999, 2001 and 2002 he attended the Salzburg International Summer Academy of Fine Arts, where he took classes with Hermann Nitsch, Jacobo Borges, Tone Fink and Ilia & Emilia Kabakov. Pema works with the media of photography, video, installation, mixed media and drawing.

Solo exhibitions (selection)
2008
Temptation, Raum Gallery, Tirana (AL) 2007 Lake Survilance cclstv, Municipal Theatre, Iseo (IT) 2005 Temperim 3, National Gallery of Arts, Tirana (AL) 2004 Temperim 2, Veve Foundation Gallery, Tirana (AL)

2003
Temperim 1, Veve Foundation Gallery, Tirana (AL) 1999 Herbariumoid, Art Academy Gallery, Tirana (AL) Group exhibitions (selection)

2009
Creative Identity, Biblioteca Civica ‚Italo Calvino‘, Turin (IT)
Cosi vicina Cosi lontana, Palazzo Ducale, Genua (IT)

2008
My Space, Europäisches Monat der Fotografie, Haus am Lützowplatz, Berlin (DE) Ardhje, Zeta Gallery, Tirana (AL) 2. International Milli Prize, Prishtina (KOS) Mur mur & Bla bla, O’artoteca, Mailand (IT) My Space, Zeta Gallery, Tirana (AL) Le Pavillon des Livres, National Bibliotheca, Tirana (AL)

2007
52. Biennale Venedig, Albanischer Pavillon, Venedig (IT)
Virtualbania, Pavel House, kuratiert von Alban Hajdinaj, Graz (AT) Onufri 06, 14. international art prize, Tirana (AL)

2006
Onufri 05, 13. international art prize, Tirana (AL)
There is no Place Like Home, National Gallery of Arts, Tirana (AL)

2005
Tirana Biennale 2, kuratiert von Edi Muka und Gezim Qendro, Tirana (AL) Real Presence, Remont Gallery, Belgrad (RS)

2004
Short in Venice, Gallerie A+A, Venedig (IT) Real Presence, Remont Gallery, Belgrad (RS) PiataForma, Municipal Theatre, Venedig (IT)

2003
Variations in Balkan Spaces, Art Box, Thessaloniki (GR)