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It is time to forget the physical pavilion and real economy but not
Fukushima: DesertoRosso coming soon for Art Basel <span
id="result_box" class="short_text" lang="en"><span title="Cliquer
ici pour voir d'autres traductions" class="hps">and
simultaneously </span></span>at the Venice Biennale.<br>
<br>
More info next week there <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.twitter.com/franckancel">http://www.twitter.com/franckancel</a><br>
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Le 08/06/11 11:18, Francis Hunger a écrit :
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<div class="gmail_quote">
<div class="gmail_quote">---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>
From: <b class="gmail_sendername">beral madra</b> <span
dir="ltr"><<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:madraberal@gmail.com" target="_blank">madraberal@gmail.com</a>></span><br>
Date: 2011/6/8<br>
<br clear="all">
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB"></span></div>
<div style="margin: 7.5pt 0cm auto;"><span lang="EN-GB"><font
size="3">PRESS RELEASE<span> </span></font></span></div>
<div style="margin: 7.5pt 0cm auto;"><span lang="EN-GB"><font
color="#ff0000" size="3"><span>please distribute</span></font></span></div>
<div style="margin: 7.5pt 0cm auto;"><span lang="EN-GB"><font
size="3"><span></span></font></span><b><span
lang="EN-GB"><font size="3">THE REMOVAL OF AIDAN
SALAKHOVA’S SCULPTURES FROM THE PAVILION OF AZERBAIJAN
IN 54<sup>TH</sup> VENICE BIENNALE</font></span></b></div>
<p style="margin: 7.5pt 0cm auto;"><span lang="EN-GB"><font
size="3">I was invited by the Ministry of Culture of
Azerbaijan to be the advisory curator of <span> </span>the
exhibition of Azerbaijan Pavilion in 54th Venice
Biennale. From September 2010 on I have worked with Mr.
Chingiz Farzaliev, who acted as commissar and local
curator. All the works of these artists have been
evaluated in meetings in Baku and Venice. Aidan
Salakhova has presented her sculptures in every detail
which have been produced in Carrara and these works
together with the works of the artist have been
published in the catalogue and announced in the website
from April 2011 on.</font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 7.5pt 0cm auto;"><span lang="EN-GB"><font
size="3">31st of May, when I came to the pavilion I was
informed that<span> </span>Ministry of Culture has
found Salakhova’s two sculptures which were installed in
the entrance of the Palazzo controversial to the
prestige of the country. </font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 7.5pt 0cm auto;"><span lang="EN-GB"><font
size="3">Aidan Salakhova <span> </span>and me, we felt
very concerned and responsible of the image of the
exhibition and respecting the position of the other
artists we tried to be positive and find a solution. As
it could not be removed during the opening days, the
sculptures were covered with textile. Until 5th of June,
every day<span> </span>we have discussed with the
authorities and responsible people of the pavilion and
explained that: </font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 7.5pt 0cm auto;"><span lang="EN-GB"><font
size="3">-Removing the sculpture will mean “censorship”
and it will do more harm to the image of the country
than the sculpture itself; it would be much effective,
if the officials would place a label next to the
sculpture and declare that the authorities are not
acknowledging and approving the form, message or concept
of this sculpture, that it is the interpretation of the
artist. </font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 7.5pt 0cm auto;"><span lang="EN-GB"><font
size="3">-The concept of the sculptures has been
misinterpreted and misjudged by the authorities or by
their advisers; all symbols, signs, objects Salakhova is
using have a historical and traditional knowledge and
anchorage.</font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 7.5pt 0cm auto;"><span lang="EN-GB"><font
size="3">-The meaning and message of this work is
extensively explained in my catalogue text and is
eventually the artist’s interpretation of “being woman
under the religious dictums”; here the religion is not
only related to Islam but also to Orthodoxy and other
religions, which before Islam introduced the veil;</font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 7.5pt 0cm auto;"><span lang="EN-GB"><font
size="3">-The selection of artists and the works have
been made by me and by Mr. Farzaliev with utmost
responsibility and prudence; during this process there
was not one negative hint that came on Salakhova’s work.
</font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 7.5pt 0cm auto;"><span lang="EN-GB"><font
size="3">-The Venice Biennale is a platform for extreme
artistic freedom, for sensitive topics, for limitless
criticism; therefore all countries must consider and
accept this context before participating.</font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 7.5pt 0cm auto;"><span lang="EN-GB"><font
size="3">However, we were not able to convince and stop
the removal of these sculptures.</font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 7.5pt 0cm auto;"><span lang="EN-GB"><font
size="3">In my 25 years of curating profession, I have
never experienced this kind of conflict. However, lately
I am observing - probably most of my colleagues also do
- the growing intrusion of the political and official
power on contemporary art production and on the artists
and curators in many countries, including the developed
democracies. Contemporary art production and its
theoretical and critical context is being employed and
exploited by the official power as well as by the
private sector as a tool for high prestige and glory;
but at the same time its content and concepts are not
tolerated and acknowledged. </font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 7.5pt 0cm auto;"><span lang="EN-GB"><font
size="3">We in the production sector of contemporary art
are witnessing and enduring this use/abuse process. We
release protests and supports for the victims of these
attitudes. Journalists investigate and write about it.
However, at the end the damage is done and the artist or
the curator suffers.</font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 7.5pt 0cm auto;"><span lang="EN-GB"><font
size="3">In the case of Azerbaijan Pavilion, I think
from now on this is the problem of the artists and
curators living and working in Azerbaijan. I have done
my best, to bring the Azerbaijan contemporary art
production into the agenda of international contemporary
art; however I must acknowledge that I was naive and I
failed. The artists, art critics and curators in
Azerbaijan should act and liberate art making, art
production and creative criticism and take their long
deserved position in the international art. </font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 7.5pt 0cm auto;"><span lang="EN-GB"><font
size="3">On the other side, this is also becoming a
general problem in the art world and I think the artists
and curators should have an international legal
protection against these conflicts.</font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 7.5pt 0cm auto;"><span lang="EN-GB"><font
size="3">Beral Madra</font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 7.5pt 0cm auto;"><span lang="EN-GB"><font
size="3">Tuesday, 07 June 2011</font></span></p>
<br>
-- <br>
<div>beral madra<br>
curator, art critic<br>
<font color="#ff0000">BM Contemporary Art Center</font>,
Istanbul<br>
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href="http://www.bmsuma07.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">www.bmsuma07.blogspot.com</a><br>
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<div>0090 <a moz-do-not-send="true" href="tel:212%202311023"
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