An exploration of the perception of time through capturing moments instead of time. The experience of a slower pace and the unpredictable natural conditions raise questions about the meaning of time. Perceptions of time vary and are linked to different values. Caught in the construct of time, we sometimes get lost in thoughts about the future and miss the moment. But where are the boundaries of the present in the flow of time?
Why is everything here so sweet? Life in Jogja is sweet, maybe extremely sweet; from its food and beverages to its cigarettes… Somehow, despite its adverse effects, sugar sweetens our life. Gula is never sold out is a long duration performance, which recreates the production process of sugar. From line work to service, the work takes a playful approach on this historically loaded ingredient.
Mount Merapi, one of the most active stratovolcanoes in the world, is wrapped in many layers of hidden histories, local myths, and constant surveillance of data collecting technology. Artists, scientists, academics and many more have been fascinated by this entity, resulting in many trans-collaborative projects and approaches trying to capture its essence.
The work explored the myth of Siluman (shape-shifter) originating from close surroundings of the volcano in Indonisia – Mount Merapi. White Tiger of Mount Merapi is believed to be a mythical being-an apparition of the protecting ancestor of the villagers beneath Merapi.
The durational performance “When things don’t come together” explores the meaning of collaboration when the team falls apart, somebody is missing, the plans that were made seem impossible and the only things that remain are fragments of work that do not want to fit together: A research, different materials, images, a figure with a language of movements.
Our performance was based highly on trust and understanding, and we decided to take some risks. Our references were mostly performance artists such as Anne Imhof, Bill Viola, Guoqiang Tsai, Marina Abramović, and Tehching Hsieh. We agreed that the piece should include a certain extent of interaction with the audience and be presented in a fine art context. Without a plot, there would certainly be some surprises, and the right attitude to face them was to improvise within our roles. With rigorous concentration, exhaustion of the physical body, and deprivation of verbal communication, we tried out different things within three hours.
We meet many strangers in our daily life. Everyone has their own life path . I imagine the possibility of dialogue in these daily encounters. I found that by listening to different people’s stories, I could make a vivid connection to the city. The first person in Yogya to tell me his story was Seyang, a bentor driver. Through his personal story, I felt the lifeline of the city from his personal story with its individual history.
“I nearly forgot what mum said to me.”“Most of the time I don’t follow what she said.” “Maybe she’s right, but I have to make my own mistakes.” Every time you recall a memory, it gets further from the truth: mistrust and self- doubt distort the traces that are left from every past encounter, coloring your approach to every new person you meet.
Puppets don’t have life. But they tell stories. Well…we tell stories. This story is about a boy who got his adventure in a totally different world. If it sounds familiar to you, we assure you there will be something new. Like the boy can be you and me, and this strange fantasy world is actually not very far from us.
Brigitta is a member of the art collective and study forum named KUNCI. It experiments with methods in producing and sharing knowledge through the acts of studying together at the intersections between affective, manual and intellectual labor. Since its founding in 1999 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, KUNCI has been continuously transforming its structure, ways and medium of working.
We spoke with historian Monique Ligtenberg about how Switzerland was involved in the colonial period in Indonesia, what the repercussions are to this day, and what it all has to do with the documenta scandal.
Our artistic explorations touch into the bodily action of chewing gum, delimiting spaces and the space between the private and the public.
Identity crisis exists in every subtle moment in our lives, and we want to express these by revealing our uncertainty, struggles, reflections of other people regarding our identity, as well as historical events in the past.
With the switch of power, will the meaning of “pain” and “pleasure” we are so used to, take on different meanings, or be juxtaposed and create new discoveries for us?
How can we find an inner dialogue considering being in a identity crisis?
The children’s game “Chinese Whispers” is the starting point of a reflection on biases within communication. By including artificial intelligence as a player, we confront ourselves with the notion of “Othering”. Image generating and captioning software is looped together to exacerbate the system’s biases, while an AI voice calling on a telephone complains about its work being criticized.
Twenty Five people from more than ten different countries and over fifteen different majors came together in the biggest city of Switzerland, Zurich. In four weeks we found out how to curse somebody with a spell, how to work together and what it means to hold a lecture in a transcultural environment.
Ready for a new adventure? On 29 March 2022 we are happy to share some information about the upcoming Transcultural Collaboration, International Semester Programme. Online Information Event29 March 2022 11.00 – 12.00 London12.00—13.00 Zurich18.00 – 19.00 Hong Kong, Singapore, Taipei19.00 – 20.00 Tokyo Zoom: https://zhdk.zoom.us/j/5568218974Password: 468588
On 10 and 11 December, the participants of the 2021 Transcultural Collaboration programme presented their works at One Minute Space in Athens. The exhibition covers a wide range of topics. We invite you to take a look at the projects and be inspired. Projects presented: The Toilet II: What traces remain? Where do you come from? Kin Feasting Access Point microwave~d Looking Through Water Common Ground Group
On 10.12 – 11.12.2021, the international semester programme Transcultural Collaboration will present its final exhibition at One Minute Space in Athens. The works presented are the results of eight independent, but deeply intertwined projects.
On 28 October, the participants presented their works to the public at Communitism here in Athens. The artistic sketches presented offered an insight into the collaborative and transcultural working processes of the first four weeks of the programme.
Latent Community are Sotiris Tsiganos and Ionian Bisai, two filmmakers from Athens who are searching for hidden and untold aspects to create counter-stories. They provoke a field of tension by deliberately allowing different perspectives to collide. It is these tensions that convey a deeper message that cannot otherwise be shown.
Join us for an evening of experimental interventions by 32 thriving artists. This event is presented by the international «Transcultural Collaboration» programme in collaboration with Communitism.
TC21 officially started a few weeks ago. We touched down in Athens and took our first steps towards an enriching collaboration. Come back soon for more program insights and to learn more about this year’s participants and projects.
Clean up Individual Feedback Talks Questionnaire Goodbye Trip To Engelberg Goodbye Dinner in Engelberg After packing and cleaning up the last remains of the final presentations at Toni Areal, we packed all our warmest clothes to go up to the mountains. Engelberg was our destination to calm down from all the excitement – and yes – stress of the past weeks. But also and mainly, to get together as a group one last time again for some quality time before we all part ways. We ate, drank, danced, cooked, threw snow balls, chit-chatted, played, discussed, hugged, made promises to not lose touch and went up the mountain in a gondola to go sledding. Thank you for your effort, your energy, ideas, courage, your strengths and weaknesses, for sharing emotions, insights, believes and concerns. Thank you for many moments of laughter, tension, anticipation, of desperation, tears, of quarrel, helplessness, achievement, success, of fear, rage and joy and happiness. And after all, thank you for new friends and companions.CAN.
Set up incl. technician Rehearsals Mentoring sessions and coaching Final rehearsals Group Dinner Inaugural Conference and Official Launch of Shared Campus Final presentations Friday and Saturday Final party Clean up After three intensive months in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Zurich, this is the highlight and peak of the semester programme: at the end of the week the final presentations were due.Especially in the last few weeks, after arriving in Zurich, the anticipation and tension has increased once again. The pressure was tangible, the nerves were strained. Many have been tied to their beds with the flu for a couple of days. Nevertheless, all the groups and mentors worked at full speed, stayed for night shifts to be ready for the final presentations on Friday and Saturday night. And when Friday came, everyone was ready and excited. The spots were installed, sound checked, costumes fit, make up done. The halls filled with curious visitors fairly quickly. Also, many conference guests stayed, to immerse themselves either in conversations or some of the performances/installations. Thank you to all …
Location and exhibition space sighting Zurich University of the Arts Team work prototyping Mentoring sessions and coaching Presentations incl. technician First mark through Group Lunch The last two weeks were fully dedicated to the upcoming final performances and installations on Friday and Saturday, December 6th & 7th. The participants worked individually in their groups, checking in with the mentors, Dimitri, Ricardo, Maximilian, Elizabeth, Nuria and Daniel to discuss their plans from time to time. After the exhibition in Shanghai, almost all the groups mixed into new constellations again. Kian and Yuyus work evolves around social atmospheres. Seain and Nick joined Lena, Leal, Milos and Rae. Their working title is FLUX. Gloria and Joe were joined by Timo. They are staging an item shop. Raúl and Lambert formed a new team and are dedicated to the topic of language. Rose and Cindy have joined the group BouDai12. Now nine members in total, they continue to work around the subject of the political situation in HK: Aline, Harisson, Tobi, Colin, Duy, Cass, Riar, Rose and Cindy. Brooke, …
Zhao Chuan is a writer, curator and theatre director of Grass Stage, an independent Chinese theatre collective. The alternative, socially engaged performances of his theatre productions take place in public spaces: They turn restaurants, construction sites or lecture halls into stages. At the end of each performance, the audience is invited to talk about the work. Zhao Chuan explores, challenges, critically questions and criticizes different social aspects. Liv, Tobi, Aline, Duy and Colin met him for an open talk on the terrace of the old villa where the programme’s Shanghai exhibition took place. Liv: Tobi, Aline, Duy and Colin, you have been invested in the ongoing protests in Hong Kong and your work in Shanghai also evolves around it. Given the political situation, the museum officials have stressed that we are not allowed to touch sensitive topics. In the first mark through you had to come up with a cover story. How do you deal with the tie of not being able to address the subject of your work? Aline: My feelings towards the censorship …
Reflection Shanghai Lecture The Phantom of Zurich and From a social Movement to a perfect Hedonistic Lifestyle by Daniel Späti Input on Collaboration by Dimitri de Perrot Workshop Introduction Group building and idea development Input on Bonds & Ties by Ricardo Eizirik After traveling from Shanghai to Zurich over the weekend individually, we all met again at TONI Areal. Still jetlagged and drained from the intense weeks at McaM Shanghai, many participants fell ill. Temperatures were low and so was the energy level. Nevertheless, the program picked up on Tuesday with the introduction of Dimitri, Max and Ricardo: New mentors, who will be accompanying us through the last phase in Zurich. There was a space for the groups to reflect upon the opening event in Shanghai and to give feedback. The main tenor of the They also discussed whether they wanted to stay in the current groups or split and rearrange. Some groups were very sure about splitting up, like the What’s Next group and some groups were certain they wanted to stay together. Eventually, …
Group Work Set up and rehearsals Opening Event at McaM Shanghai Goodbye Dinner Shanghai Flights to Zurich The abandoned villa on the premises of the museum turned more and more into a bustling work space. As the days grew nearer to the opening event on Saturday, one could feel the tension rising. The groups were busy ordering material on Taobao, getting to work a functioning internet connection, installing sound and tv screens, building big wood structures and experimenting with different material. While some groups had a clear vision how their work will look like and were rehearsing the detailed schedule of their performance, others dealt with a minor crisis and dismissed many ideas they had come up so far: Only to begin at square one to start working even more focused. When Saturday came, all the groups were ready and eager to present their work at the opening event. It was an exciting and successful afternoon with many curious visitors who joined. Congratulations to all the participants and thank you to everyone involved at McaM …
