Getting in late last night after another fantastic day of conversations and catching up with social media I am struck by how out of step we are with the mood back home.
On the one hand our trip seems to be irrelevant compared to the seismic shifts taking place and the alarming stories that are emerging, and trying to focus on art is tricky at times whilst wondering what the latest developments are.
But on the other hand it also seems that in fact this trip is only reinforcing just how important art continues to be as a way of extending friendships and linking communities through shared enterprise. The conversations we are having and friendships we are making seem more important than ever.
And now, onwards, as we are now in Slovenia and our guided tour of the Celje art world with our wonderful guide Matija Plevnik is about to begin!
Another amazing day of conversations and exchanges as we headed out of Trieste and across the border into Austria to meet Nora Leitgeb, curator of art space Kunstraum Lakeside in Klagenfurt. Over lunch I chatted to Alex Samyi about language and the idea of language frames and then we went to the city gallery to meet Hannes Zebedin who had a show opening that evening.
Later that afternoon we met Gerhard Maurer who has been leading a contemporary art project in his local area of town.
Back in the car and across the border again (thanks to our wonderful driver, curator Frederica Purgatori) and into Slovenia (via some spectacular Alpine scenery) and so to Celje to meet Matija Plevnik, Andrea, Maja, Simon and others. By this time it was 10pm and definitely time for refreshments. We stayed the night in Celje courtesy of Matija and next day back to Trieste via train and tram after a morning’s cultural endeavours.
It is becoming clear that we have been treated to so many new and interesting experiences that it will take some time for the dust to settle and for us to get any sort of perspective on everything that we have learned. This blog is a record of our travels but so much more will have to be written in due course.
For now it is to bed before we head off to Mostar in the morning but we cannot close this chapter without recording huge thanks to Elisa Vladilo for arranging everything and to all the wonderful new friends we have met already.
After yesterday’s gentle start it was definitely down to business today as we met artists and curators in Trieste with an interest in public art.
We began by meeting Guillermo Giampietro (above), a video and performance artist from Argentina.
Moving on for coffee we met curator Maria Campitelli and photographer Carlo Andreasi and after lunch and a tour of art space XOPP we had tea with artists Barbara Stefani and Adriana Torregrossa.
This was a fantastic day of exchanges of ideas and experiences. Guillermo showed us a short film of his protest art against the regime of 1970s dictatorship – work of genuine jeopardy that led to his arrest and a reminder of the role that art has to play in political life. I was very struck by the thoughtful philosophical underpinnings of Carlo’s photographic project – a big contrast with Adriana’s relational work engaging with Muslim communities and making evident their ways of life, whilst our discussions with Barbara about her monochrome, figureless reworkings of Hopper paintings on found boxes showed once again that painting as an art form is alive and well!
Overall our experiences (and difficulties) of making art felt reassuringly familiar. We talked about funding, locations, audiences, permissions, opportunities and much more and my head was spinning by the end. We agreed to keep in touch – I’ve no doubt that connections and collaborations will emerge: this was just the start of a conversation and there is plenty more to say….
Many thanks to Elisa for organising and to the the artists for meeting with us. A very good day!
Ps more upside down pictures – to be corrected.
Well this art malarkey is tough but someone’s got to do it.
After the joys of a 6am flight we arrived in Trieste to be met not only by our wonderful host Elisa Vladilo but also by a mini tornado and torrential rain. So that’s what Europe now thinks of Brits abroad.
A coffee and local cherry strudel later and calm was restored as we arrived at Elisa’s amazing apartment overlooking the Gulf of Trieste.
We talked through our plans for the next few days and Elisa has quite clearly laid on our very own Grand Tour of local art essentials.
But that is for tomorrow. It is Sunday afternoon in Trieste and it would be churlish not to join in the local promenade of the beach front. We even have a dip.
Talk of politics in the current climate is never far away – “Ah, Si, Brexit” greets the news that we are from the UK and our apologies on behalf of the nation are met with somewhat baffled amusement. We in turn try to keep up with the latest news from home.
So we are acclimatised. Apart from this iPad which insists on posting photos upside down, for which apologies, I would try to fix but a cold beer on the balcony awaits. So even amidst the turmoil the small pleasures remain.
And tomorrow we get to work.
So tomorrow Rebecca Ilett and I leave the UK for Europe. Our fact-finding trip to meet with artist friends across the Channel has taken on a new and wholly unexpected twist in the light of the events of the last couple of days. We suddenly find ourselves able to get some first hand reaction to the news and we shall no doubt be having many a long conversation in the days ahead. We leave in sombre mood but mustn’t lose sight of the possibilities ahead and indeed remind ourselves in the current circumstances just how important cultural exchanges are as a way to extend friendships and share experiences. Art is a great way to transcend politics and to connect to others through altogether different channels. So to our European friends we say thanks for having us to visit and we’re looking forward to some very fine adventures!
