The Documentation of AR Pavilion – Athens: Launch
The Documentation of AR Pavilion – Athens: Installation views
ARTISTS at RISK (AR) is a new institution at the intersection of human rights and the arts. AR is dedicated to mapping the field of persecuted visual art practitioners, facilitating their safe passage from their countries of origin and hosting them at “AR-Safe Haven Residencies”. AR also curates related artistic projects.
In ATHENS, Artists at Risk (AR) is presenting the first AR-PAVILION, an exhibition with AR-Resident artists Erkan Özgen, Issa Touma and Pinar Ögrenci. It is curated by Marita Muukkonen and Ivor Stodolsky, the co-founding directors of Perpetuum Mobile (PM).
The preview will be on 7 April from 2pm-5pm at the pavilion in Varvakios Square, which is in the park across from the Varvakios Market, a little uphill from Athinas street 55.
Programme:
14:00. PUBLIC LAUNCH of Artists at Risk (AR) and opening of the AR-PAVILION
Chaired by Marita Muukkonen and Ivor Stodolsky, Co-Founding Directors of Perpetuum Mobile / Artists at Risk
- Announcement of the first Public Call for artists at risk (deadline 15 May)
- Presentation of the new residency AR-Safe Haven Athens
- Introduction to AR-Athens Resident Pinar Öğrenci (Istanbul / Athens) and the former AR-Helsinki Residents Issa Touma (Aleppo / Gävle) and Erkan Özgen (in absentia, Diyarbakir / Helsinki).
- Opening of the AR-PAVION an exhibition with AR artists
14:30. TALK REAL, a nomadic political talkshow by European Alternatives (https://talkreal.net/). This round table (with audience) will be filmed.
The panelists are Lauretta Macauley (President of the United African Women’s Association), Iliana Fokianaki (director, State Concept, Athens), Pınar Öğrenci, Navine G. Khan-Dossos (artist), Margarita Tsomou (moderator).
15:30. A WALK AND TALK through AR PAVILION by Ivor Stodolsky and Marita Muukkonen, Co-Founding Directors and Curators of AR/Perpetuum Mobile.
We also recommend coming with us from the AR Pavilion at Varvakios Square to the opening of “Universitas” a group exhibition by AthenSYN curated by Sotirios Bahtsetzis, based workshops on refugee topics curated by Katja Ehrhardt, a collaboration with Avtonomi Akadimia at Trii Art Hub, Drakou 9, Metro Station Syggrou Fix at 19:00.
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BACKGROUND
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AR-SAFE HAVEN ATHENS
AR-Athens has developed over two years, supported by a growing network of local and international friends and partners. Prior events in Athens have included participation in Synapse 1 and 2 of Athens Biennale 2015-2016.
PUBLIC CALL for ARTISTS AT RISK
Our first public call for art practioners at risk is now open. Rather than as asylum seekers or refugees, we welcome AR-Residents as honoured visiting art professionals. AR-Residencies enables practitioners to take a “breather” from their home country, or to use the programme as a “stepping stone” to re-orient their professional lives. Art practitioners at risk of grievous suppression of freedom of expression, persecution or politically motivated threats to their basic freedoms may apply here: artistsatrisk.org/apply.
An international jury will select AR-Residents to be granted short or long-term residencies. The jury will be appointed by the co-directors of AR with help of the Advisory Board (see below).
ADVISORY BOARD of Artists at Risk (AR)
Maria Alyokhina (Pussy Riot)
Hrag Vartanian (Editor-in-Chief, Hyperallergic.com)
Helge Lunde (Executive Director, ICORN)
Julie Trebault (Artists at Risk Connection, PEN America)
PRIZES
The European Parliament honoured Perpetuum Mobile with the CIVI EUROPAEO PRAEMIUM (the European Citizen’s Prize) for AR, and Safe Haven Helsinki won the Annual Art Act Award in 2016.
Scope of AR
Artists at Risk (AR) is designed as an institution of worldwide scope. Visual artists will be AR’s primary focus, although other creative intellectuals—such as theatre and film practitioners – or others that need assistance beyond what can be provided by organisations such as PEN, SafeMUSE or Freemuse, may find placement at AR. The musician Ramy Essam, “the singer of Tahrir Square”, was our first AR-Resident. As part of a collective effort with its many partners and networks, including PEN-America (ARCoalition), ICORN (The International Cities of Refuge Network) and new funding opportunities, AR is taking the first steps towards establishing a version of PEN for visual artists at risk.
AR-SAFE HAVEN RESIDENCIES AND AR-RESIDENCY PARTNERS
AR-Safe Haven Helsinki, operating under various titles since 2014, is co-organised in cooperation with HIAP-Helsinki International Artists Programme, and is funded by the City of Helsinki Cultural Office.
AR-Safe Haven Athens will receive its first AR-Resident in spring 2017, funded by the EU “Re-Build Refuge Europe” project. AR-Athens has developed out of local partnerships, and was part of Athens Biennale 2015-2016.
AR-Safe Haven Berlin is being launched in 2017 as part of the same EU project, and is hosted in partnership with SAVVY Contemporary.
AR-Saari Residence/Saastamoinen Foundation includes two months on the west coast of Finland, followed by a one-months stay in Helsinki.
AR at Wysing Arts Centre (near Cambridge, England) is launching a dedicated 3-month AR-Residency in 2017.
AR at the Nordic Black Theatre (Oslo) is hosted by one of the Nordic Region’s oldest transcultural performing arts institutions.
AR at Free Home University (Lecce, Italy) is funded by Musagetes, Canada.
AR-Resistance Residency (Provence, France) commemorates the underground resistance fighter Lisa Fittko (guide to Walter Benjamin) and resistance worldwide.
Further residencies are in the process of joining this growing network.
Artists at Risk (AR) is a Perpetuum Mobilεzation
Perpetuum Mobilε (PM) is a curatorial platform which brings together art, engaged practice and enquiry. PM’s longer-term thematic platforms include the Re-Aligned Project, the Perpetual Pavilion, the Perestroika Project, The Arts Assembly, Artists at Risk, Sino-Fi and Mobile Talks.
Co-Founding Directors: Marita Muukkonen and Ivor Stodolsky (in alternating order)
Secure chat: Element (@artistsatrisk:matrix.org).
Email: [email protected] (PGP-encryption available)
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The above Athens events are co-funded by the EU Creative Europe project “Re-Build Refuge Europe”, which Perpetuum Mobile is part of with European Alternatives, the Museum of World Cultures (Gothenberg), AthensSyn and Zemos98 (Seville). This project is also part of organising the upcoming annual European Alternatives TRANSEUROPA Festival (transeuropafestival.eu/
Co-Funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union
Related at AR:
