[spectre] Tirana: Medieval_Unreality Workshop

[Nina Czegledy]

Apologies for cross-posting.

Medieval_Unreality Workshop
September 22- 29, 2003
Cultural  Center Lindart, Tirana, Albania
http://www.lindart.org/project_info/projekte03/unreal/
Workshop leaders: Nina Czegledy and Maia Engeli

The concept of the workshop is related to the "E-mail from the Medieval
Ages" project  initiated by a group of Albanian activists, including
writers, artists and psychologists whose aim is to assist families
affected by blood-feuds in Albania.

During the communist regime, the ancient "Canon of Lek Dukagjin" regulating
code concerning individual and tribal conduct in Albania has been
surpressed. The collapse of the state after 1989 has forced many Albanians
to turn to their old covenants, the natural relationships (those of blood),
to fill the void created by the lack of cultural links (work and class
relations, social coexistence  etc). These days, as a result of
blood-feuds, about 1500 families (800 children) have confined themselves
within the four walls of their houses under the terror of death, which
waits outside. The goal of the "E-mail from the Medieval Ages" project  is
to build new  communication channels through written and visual materials
using virtual mediators and developing an interactive web-site. The
Cultural Center Lindart and the Forum of Albanian Women's Journalistsare
are developing "E-mail from the Medieval Ages",

Since January 2001, under the direction of Eleni Laperi,  Lindart has
initiated and supported over a dozen projects, workshops and exhibitions
both within the country and abroad. Several of these pioneering projects
such as "Dare to be different" the first art exhibition of Balkan women
artists in Fier (2001), "Windows and Curtains", net stories(2002) and the
Medieval_Unreality (2003) workshops presented "first time ever" cultural
landmarks in Albania.

In the framework of the Medieval_Unreality Workshop, an interdisciplinary
group of Albanian participants developed and edited a computer game through
the core media of the first-person shooter game "Unreal Tournament". The
interdisciplinary workshop included eight people: artists, 3D animators, a
psychologist, and a lawyer. Two lectures/talks were scheduled to provide a
wider context for the participants. Prof. Mark Tirta, an authority on
Albanian ethnology from the Institute of Folk Research, talked about the
Canon and its historical and contemporary interpretation. Ana Adamovic a
visiting artist and photo documentarist provided a first hand account of
her visit to a confined family in the town of Shkodra. As  a starting point
for the workshop a pre-developed game environment -consisting of plain
geometry and behavior, all white without decoration demonstrating the
conflict in an impressive way- was provided for the participants. The
prepared environment consisted of plain geometry and behavior, all white
without decoration. The workshop participants added images, costumed the
players and edited the game space itself. Four teams were formed and from
Monday, September 22 until Saturday September 27 each team developed their
own level for the game by modifying spaces, lights and adding images. Every
team also designed their own player. The workshop aimed to achieve an
artistic expression in this quite unusual format, which focused on creating
a message to be understood through a spatial experience. On Saturday
evening, in the framework of an informal party, the completed games were
presented by the participants to the public. The Medieval_Unreality project
concept and the workshop results will be next presented on October 4, 2003
at the Skinning Our Tools: Designing for Context and Culture Forum, at the
Banff New Media Institute, Canada.


The next phase of the "E-mail from the Medieval Ages" project proceeds
beyond the workshop sessions. According to the goals of the project,
computers will be installed in the home of families confined in blood feud
in rural Albania.  The Medieval_Unreality workshop enables our participants
to actively work with these families jointly developing interactive games.
The final workshop product will be available on the web (a bilingual
English/Albanian version), on CD, and published in an international
publication.

****


This report is posted from sunny, dusty, rapidly transforming Tirana, where
newly planted trees line the main boulevards, power shortage is a constant
daily feature, the noise of generators is deafening, cafe life is thriving,
crossing the streets remains a hazard, bicycles try to share the roads with
an armada of Mercedes, wine is good, salads are excellent and people have
infectious smiles. The exhibitions of the 2nd Tirana Biennale (interesting,
refreshing, unpretentiously presented) continue till October 25, 2003 at
two major venues in town.


nina czegledy