Traces from iaab: Akshay Raj Singh Rathore
Akshay Raj Singh Rathore, currently on a residency at iaab Basel, presents 3-works at an artist run archive space called DOCK in Basel. [dated September 2012]
Akshay Raj Singh Rathore, currently on a residency at iaab Basel, presents 3-works (i- series videos, The unbearable lightness of being I & -culure I) at an artist run archive space called DOCK in Basel. The exhibition will be on view until end October.
Apart from this presentation at DOCK Basel, a major part of Akshay’s residency was a site-specific work 'Let it Bloom', executed on a swiss farm outside of Zurich. This is a time bound work and the final realization will happen when the plants bloom in November end.
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Artists brief on project:
Let it Bloom - a site -specific installation
I applied to the Pro-Helvetia residency programme with Let it bloom, a site-specific installation. Finding the right environment and the right person/organisation to host it was an integral part of the project. Thanks to IAAB, I met Martin and could work at his farm on a beautiful and insüiring land. Beyond the realisation of this particular project, working at Martin’s farm had a very important resonance on my entire residency and the conceptualization of my work around the larger notion of ‘–Culture’.
Let it bloom stems from an earlier work of mine titled Rai Ka Pahad. Close to the English expression ‘don’t make a mountain of a mole hill’, this first work, Rai Ka Pahad - literally ‘mountain of mustard’ is titled after a very commonly used Hindi phrase from which the idea of the sculpture originates. The seeds accumulate to shape a floating organic mountain chain. Imposing, mountains frame our landscape and defy the sky. Symbol of immutability, they pass through times, like myths and phrases are transmitted from a generation to another…magic of human oral legacy. Rai Ka Pahad is a very literal sculpture of a mountain covered with mustard seeds and in that sense it deliberately plays with a strictly formal approach to the medium and first layered imaginary of the metaphor. The parable of Mathew in the New Testament says that ‘if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain move from here, and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you’. The painstaking accumulation of mustard seeds evokes this same quantity of faith it takes to do the impossible.
In collective, political and geographical imaginaries, mountains stand alone complex. Natural territorial borders or geopolitical ones, they have been at the heart of disputes and decisive historical battles. In this context, Rai Ka Pahad takes on the shape of Eastern Ghats hills. Located in Orissa, these have been at the centre of agitation lately, because of their aluminium resources disputed between the locals-asked to relocate- and Vedanta, the industrial company wanting to mine the rich grounds threatening to uproot the lives of thousands…
Let it bloom is an organic mustard mountain, blooming in a natural environment and landscape. Carrying on further the various explorations and researches initiated during the process of making Rai Ka Pahad, this is a new phase of the work, a mountain of mustard sculpted in a natural environment, with natural soil and sown seeds, which, with time, will bloom.
Beyond the interesting but evident visual contrast between the two works, the idea is to explore the evolution from one physical form to another- here from the barren to the fertile- and the meanings such an evolution can carry intrinsically. After relying on the literal meaning of Rai Ka Pahad, with Let it bloom, I explore further the simplicity and maybe triviality of a literal reading of metaphors. Like in the parable of Mathiew, Rai Ka Pahad stands as the first phase, it accumulates faith to enable the bloom. The displacement of the disputed chain of mountains to a peaceful and neutral country, Switzerland, is possible but metaphorical.
Akshay Raj Singh Rathore
Hof Blum, September 2012
Alexander Hahn to participate in seminar on Curatorial Practice
Swiss electronic media artist, Alexander Hahn will be participating in the seminar moderated by Bangalore-based artist and curator, Anil Kumar at the United Art Fair. [dated September 2012]
'Curatorial Practice & its Intervention in Artistic Practice and Theory’
A seminar presented by The United Art Fair with the support of Pro Helvetia – Swiss Arts Council
29 September 2012 / Pragati Maidan, New Delhi
Swiss electronic media artist, Alexander Hahn will be participating in the discussion moderated by Bangalore-based artist and curator, Anil Kumar.
Date: 29 September 2012
Time: 5:00 – 6:30 pm
Venue: The United Art Fair Seminar Hall
Entry: As per United Art Fair rules
Beside Alexander Hahn and Anil Kumar other panelists include Johny ML, Head Curator, United Art Fair and the artist Chintan Upadhyay. The seminar aims to address current questions about curation. Whether curation acts as an ‘alibi’ to theoretical practice of visual culture is debatable. Does it clamor for an ‘independent identity’ of its own, as a separate stream from and akin to artistic practice and theory? The discourse continues as the panelists aim to delve into whether site-specificity of an artwork and context-specificity of curation have a possible meeting point, real or metaphorical?
Swiss-born Alexander Hahn is in India on a three-month residency. A pioneering electronic media artist who lives and works in New York and Zurich, Hahn is a fellow of the Whitney Museum Independent Study Program. His videos, installations and computer prints have been exhibited worldwide, most recently at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Kunstmuseum Solothurn/CH, Museum der Moderne Salzburg/AT, Padiglione d'Arte Contemporanea, Ferrara/IT, National Art Museum of China, Beijing/CN. Hahn is the recipient of the following awards: New York State Council on the Arts Grant, Zurich Work Award, Cultural Prize of St. Gallen, and the Swiss Federal Grant.
Curatorial practice as a production's process
Pro Helvetia New Delhi in collaboration with 1 Shanthi Road, Bangalore presents a presentation and discussion by Swiss curator and academician Patrick Gosatti in Bangalore. [dated July 2012]
Pro Helvetia New Delhi in collaboration with 1 Shanthi Road, Bangalore presents a presentation and discussion on
Curatorial practice as a production's process
by Swiss curator and academician Patrick Gosatti
Date: Wednesday 25 July 2012 at 6:00 pm Venue: 1 Shanthi Road, Shanthi Rd, Bangalore
HA Anil Kumar, Indian curator and critic has kindly consented to be the moderator.
Entry is open to all.
For more information contact 1 Shanthi Road at 98802 27706
Photo credit: Uriel Orlow, The Short and the Long of it II (installation view), 2011, la rada, Locarno (CH).
Information on Patrick Gosatti:
• University of Art & Design, Geneva | Aesthetics and Art Theory Teacher 2010Prepared Master classes and provided bibliographic references and organized workshops
• Festival Les Urbaines, Lausanne | Co-Curator 2010-12 Conceived the exhibition’s programs, organized installations in the public space, negotiated collaborations with institutions
• Art Collector magazine, Basel | Art Journalist 2010Prepared backround research and wrote articles in French on contemporary art
• Kunst-Bulletin magazine, Zürich | Italian Editor 2009Provided monthly coverage of international contemporary art, edited and proofread layouts, participated in editorial meetings
• IILA Pavilion, 53th Biennale di Venezia | Freelance Coordinator Assistant 2009 Coordinated large-scale installation, developed and supervised the budget, planned travels and logistics
• la rada_spazio per l’arte contemporanea, Locarno | Co-Curator 2008-12 Organized exhibitions, edited catalogues, arranged loans, established budget and collaborations
• Galerie Eva Presenhuber, Zürich | Production Assistant 2008 Scheduled artwork’s production, supervised the production’s process, prepared the artworks for exhibitions and collections
• Galerie VU’, Paris | Gallery Assistant 2006 Organized the collection for archiving and restoration, fostered contacts with international institutions, guided gallery’s visits
Selected Publications
• Uriel Orlow, The Short and the Long of It, Mousse Publishing 2011
• Solvej Dufour-Andersen, Collection Cahiers d’artistes, Pro Helvetia 2011
• Twisted Realism, Raphaël Cuomo & Maria Iorio, Mousse Publishing 2010
• Veduta, Adrien Missika, Mousse Publishing 2010
• Wang Qingsong, in Timer / Intimacy, cat., Skira, Milano 2007
Languages spoken: Italian, French, German, English
Swiss film at European Film Festival in Ahmedabad
The Embassy of Switzerland in India presents Stationspiraten, a Swiss film by Michael Schaerer on the occasion of ‘Europe in Amdavad’ - the European Film Festival 2012 in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. [dated July 2012]
The Embassy of Switzerland in India presents Stationspiraten, a Swiss film by Michael Schaerer on the occasion of ‘Europe in Amdavad’ - the European Film Festival 2012 in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
Date: 25 & 26 July 2012
Venue: Cinépolis, Ahmedaba
The film “Stationspiraten” (Bold Heroes) Fiction, 90 min., by Michael Schaerer / Switzerland, Sep 2010
The lives of five teenagers intersect in a hospital. Four of the five have cancer; one is waiting for his diagnosis. Each reacts to the situation in a different manner: although Benji battles the constant pain in his leg, he keeps the station in good spirits. Michi is waiting for his leg prosthesis, aiming to be out on the football pitch again soon. Kevin discovers newfound courage thanks to Laura on the 7th floor. Jonas' passion for flying is stronger than any medicine he‟s taken. And Sascha learns how to be a true friend. Together the five “station pirates” confront the fatal illness head on. Together they seize life.
Written by: Jürgen Ladenburger
For more information on the film visit: www.stationspiraten.ch
For screening details kindly contact the festival coordinator at afa.culture@yahoo.fr or visit www.cinepolisindia.com
Organisers: Alliance Française d‟ Ahmedabad, British Council Ahmedabad, Goethe Zentrum Ahmedabad
Partners: The Embassy of Switzerland in India, European Union Delegation office, EU Film Festival, FFSI
Patrick Gosatti at Experimenter Curator's Hub, Kolkata
Swiss curator Patrick Gosatti to participate at the Experimenter Curators Hub 2012. Patrick teaches at the University of Art & Design, Geneva and has co-curated the Festival Les Urbaines, Lausanne. [dated July 2012]
Swiss curator Patrick Gosatti will be participating at the Experimenter Curators Hub 2012 in Kolkata this July. Patrick has been teaching Aesthetics and Art Theory at the University of Art & Design, Geneva and has been the Co-curator of the Festival Les Urbaines, Lausanne. He has also been writing for the Art Collector magazine, Basel and the Kunst-Bulletin magazine, Zürich.
Date: 27 & 28 July 2012 Time: 11 am – 7 pm Venue: Experimenter, 2/1 Hindusthan Road, Gariahat Kolkata 700029 Entry: By registration / to register 033 - 24630465 / 40012289
Synopsis:
The objective of the Experimenter Curators Hub 2012 is to secure and take forward exchange of thoughts, views & possibilities of collaborations between the curators at the hub. Another objective is to discuss how curatorial practice can be developed through innovations and collaborations.
For more information please contact: Experimenter at 033 - 24630465 / 40012289
Organiser and Partners: Experimenter ( www.experimenter.in )
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Talk at 1 Shanthi Road in Bangalore
Patrick Gosatti will also be making a presentation on ‘Curatorial practice as a production's process’ at 1 Shanthi Road in Bangalore. Date: Wednesday 25 July 2012 at 6:00 pm Venue: 1 Shanthi Road, Shanthi Rd, Bangalore
Entry: Open to all
Information on Patrick Gosatti:
• University of Art & Design, Geneva | Aesthetics and Art Theory Teacher 2010Prepared Master classes and provided bibliographic references and organized workshops
• Festival Les Urbaines, Lausanne | Co-Curator 2010-12 Conceived the exhibition’s programs, organized installations in the public space, negotiated collaborations with institutions
• Art Collector magazine, Basel | Art Journalist 2010Prepared backround research and wrote articles in French on contemporary art
• Kunst-Bulletin magazine, Zürich | Italian Editor 2009Provided monthly coverage of international contemporary art, edited and proofread layouts, participated in editorial meetings
• IILA Pavilion, 53th Biennale di Venezia | Freelance Coordinator Assistant 2009 Coordinated large-scale installation, developed and supervised the budget, planned travels and logistics
• la rada_spazio per l’arte contemporanea, Locarno | Co-Curator 2008-12 Organized exhibitions, edited catalogues, arranged loans, established budget and collaborations
• Galerie Eva Presenhuber, Zürich | Production Assistant 2008 Scheduled artwork’s production, supervised the production’s process, prepared the artworks for exhibitions and collections
• Galerie VU’, Paris | Gallery Assistant 2006 Organized the collection for archiving and restoration, fostered contacts with international institutions, guided gallery’s visits
Selected Publications
• Uriel Orlow, The Short and the Long of It, Mousse Publishing 2011
• Solvej Dufour-Andersen, Collection Cahiers d’artistes, Pro Helvetia 2011
• Twisted Realism, Raphaël Cuomo & Maria Iorio, Mousse Publishing 2010
• Veduta, Adrien Missika, Mousse Publishing 2010
• Wang Qingsong, in Timer / Intimacy, cat., Skira, Milano 2007
Languages spoken: Italian, French, German, English
Das Narrenschiff/ The Ship Of The Fools, 2012
A video- installation by Indian artist Iram Ghufran, who is currently on a residency at iaab, Basel. The work draws its title from Sebastian Brandt's satire 'Das Narrenschiff'. [dated June 2012]
A video- installation by Indian artist Iram Ghufran, who is currently on a residency at iaab, Basel. The work draws its title from Sebastian Brandt's satire 'Das Narrenschiff' published from Basel in 1494. The video uses images from the Basel State Archive and the archives of the Burgholzli Clinic, Psychiatry Department, Zurich University.
The Swiss Experience, Forum Schlossplatz, Aarau June 15 - 24, 2012
Works
1] There Is Something In The Air, 2011DV/ 28'25/ Col & BW/
Sound Work developed during the Residency
2] This Glass Refused To Be Fixed, 2012Broken glass, glue
3] Das Narrenschiff/ The Ship Of The Fools, 2012DV/ 04'44/ Col/ Sound
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Project Brief:
Das Narrenschiff/ The Ship Of The Fools, 2012 A ship of fools had set sail from Basel sometime in the 15th century… its cargo of lunatics, renegades and renunciators destined to travel through centuries of philosophy, history and art… not landing on any particular shore, but always available as an allegory to draw from.
A work in progress, 'Das Narrenschiff/ The Ship Of The Fools' emerges from a reflection on the medieval European practice, wherein cities and towns would get rid of the insane, and deviant population by casting them away on ships and boats, while at the same time, welcoming a cargo of foreign lunatics aboard other ships as entertainment. The work draws its title from Sebastian Brandt's satire 'Das Narrenschiff' published from Basel in 1494. A critique of the medieval Church, Das Narrenschiff is known for its woodcuts by Albrecht Durer, some of which may have inspired Bosch's famous 'Ship of Fools'.
The video / installation includes a video projected on part of a canvas with paper boats made from Brandt's Das Narrenschiff, adrift on a black charcoal sea. The video also uses images from the Basel State Archive, photographs from the archives of the Burgholzli Clinic, now part of the Psychiatry Department of the Zurich University, images of art work by the clinically insane inmates of several hospitals and clinics of Switzerland from the 1850 onwards. 'Das Narrenschiff/ The Ship of Fools' is a travelogue, a reflection on the history of people who travelled on ships and sometimes went missing.
The artist:
An award winning filmmaker, Iram Ghufran’s work largely emerges from various interdisciplinary practices - filmmaking, photography, research and writing. Her work has been shown in several international art and cinematic contexts. She was a member of the Sarai Media Lab from 2004 to 2011 and has been teaching photography at the AJK Mass Communication Research Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia University. Iram’s first documentary There is Something in the Air, won her the National Award this year.
‘Project CINEMA CITY’ screening at Rote Fabrik, Zurich
Shreyas Karle, currently on a residency in Switzerland is taking the opportunity to present ‘Project CINEMA CITY, Research Art & Documentary Practices’, at Rote Fabrik. [dated June 2012]
‘Project CINEMA CITY’ screening at Rote Fabrik, Zurich Shreyas Karle, currently on a residency in Switzerland is taking the opportunity to present ‘Project CINEMA CITY, Research Art & Documentary Practices’, to Swiss audiences at Rote Fabrik on Wednesday 20 June. The series of documentaries are part of an archival project that is produced by the National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi.
For more information on the screenings click here
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Project brief:
Project CINEMA CITY Research Art & Documentary Practices
The city and the cinema are twins of the 20th century. In the Asian region especially, the post-colonial cities, huge metropolises and ever-moving populations of this century have contributed to the evolution of a discipline which is as much about an imagination of the city as about a distinct cinematic practice. The histories of these contemporary cities, then, are inextricably linked to their ‘cinemascape’, and vice versa.
Project Cinema City is a set of enquiries into the labour, imagination, desire, access, spaces, locations, iconization, materiality, languages, migrant peoples, viewing conventions, and hidden processes that create the cinema sthe city makes, and also the citiesits cinema produces. The enquiries are then processed into productions of text, film, art, cartography. The multi-disciplinary research work, produced output and all the residuals together form a cinema city archive that is transient and open-ended – to facilitate further readings, more works.
This show, a part of Project Cinema City, focuses on the cinema of the city of Bombay/Mumbai: its production processes and ancillary cultures; its stations of reception and recognition that run through a complex set of networks; the bazaars and streets of the city that hawk the footprints of cinema; and the city-zens’ memory of the contemporary that revolves around cinema. The Project will, in time, include cinema cities across Asia.
Presented by Rajeev Lochan, Director, National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi
Curator–Producer Madhusree Dutta
Co-Curator Archana Hande A Majlis initiative in collaboration with KRVIA
Curator's note
The City and Cinema: twins in the large clan of wars, moving peoples and goods, technology-based modernity, and colonial and post-colonial identities of the 20th century. They have never been separated in a crowded fair, and so have never got a chance to rediscover each other at the peak of their youth and at the height of their adrenalin rush. Instead, they have spun a thicker plot in which to impersonate each other, hawk moulds of one another and, most importantly, lay down a set of signs to codify the other.
The relationship between the city and its cinema is imaginary yet tactile, complementary and also ambivalent, momentary and still recyclable – in short, it speaks of a form and its apparition as well. Their relative size and perspective, however, remain fluid and interchangeable, often making the apparition seem much larger than the form itself.
Project Cinema City: Research Art and Documentary Practices is a collaborative endeavour in search of the joints between the form and its apparition, between the city and its cinema. The collaboration is modelled on contemporary, urban systems of post-industrial production: networks of assembling, processing, manufacturing, recycling all independent and yet interdependent. In this show, we display works that are simultaneously products of research, collation, pedagogy, creativity, criticality, and then, an attempt at archiving. In this endeavour of inter-disciplinary collaboration the authors are many, but they are distinct and not faceless. We have attempted a methodology whereby each one’s work exists independently, and yet attains fullness and exuberance only in relation to the works of others. It is perhaps not a coincidence that the series of public shows of Project Cinema City begins in the year that marks 100 years of the cinema in Bombay/Mumbai.
Madhusree Dutta
EXPERIMENTA INDIA @ Videoex Festival 2012 Zürich
EXPERIMENTA INDIA showcases compelling moving image art from India at the 14th edition of VIDEOEX, International Experimental film & Video Festival Zürich. [dated June 2012]
VIDEOEX, International Experimental film & Video Festival Zürich have invited EXPERIMENTA INDIA to showcase compelling moving image art from India at the festival this year. The participation has been supported by Pro Helvetia – Swiss Arts Council.
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VIDEOEX International Experimentalfilm & Video Festival Zürich 14TH EDITION 26 May - 3 June 2012
International Competition Schweizer Wettbewerb CH Fokus Klaus Lutz Guestcities Warschau und Lodz
Fimoteka Muzeum Art on TV Polish Found Footage Films Polish Women Artists of the 1970s and 1980s
Animationsstudio Se-Ma-For
Zbigniew Rybczynski Polish Period Music-Videos New Technologies
Experimenta India
From Tradition to Modernity – historical (60/70s) Identities – contemporary Changing Realities – contemporary
For complete festival programme click here
For more information visit: VIDEOEX - www.videoex.ch/videoex2012/festival.php
Experimenta India - http://experimenta.in/about-2/
Announcing recipients of Studio Residencies in 2013/2014
Pro Helvetia - Swiss Arts Council announces the names of Indian and Swiss artists who have been selected by the jury to avail of the Studio Residency it offers. [ dated June 2012]
Pro Helvetia - Swiss Arts Council announces the names of the artists who have been awarded Studio Residencies for 2013/ 2014.
Indian artists:
Anitha Balachandran (Visual Arts) Gitanjali Dang ( Visual Arts ) Pratik Sagar ( Visual Arts )
Swiss artists:
Barblina Meierhans (Performing Arts) Benjamin Valenza (Visual Arts ) Gilles Aubry (Performing Arts)
The applications received from the above artists were in concurrence with Pro Helvetia - Swiss Art Council’s current mandate. The jury made its decision depending on the application's individual merit as well as on being able to find an appropriate host in Switzerland. Besides, preference is given to artists who are able to demonstrate the possibility of generating follow-up projects.
The selection in India was made by a jury comprising Girish Shahane, an art historian, curator and columnist; Zuleikha Chaudhari, theatre director, artist and light designer; Surekha Anil Kumar, an artist from Bangalore, and Chandrika Grover Ralleigh, Head Pro Helvetia New Delhi.
The selection has been corroborated by Pro Helvetia's Specialist Departments in Zurich.
For more information on Residencies offered by Pro Helvetia click here
FICA Emerging Artist Award 2012
The Foundation for Indian Contemporary Art invites applications for the Emerging Artist Award 2012 which seeks to promote young artists who demonstrate promise in the visual arts. [dated June 2012]
The Foundation for Indian Contemporary Art invites applications for the Emerging Artist Award 2012 which seeks to promote young artists studying or practicing in India who demonstrate extraordinary skill and promise in the visual arts. Pro Helvetia New Delhi is pleased to collaborate with FICA for the third consecutive year. The Emerging Artist Award 2012 includes a twelve-week residency in Switzerland.
Selected by an independent jury of distinguished artists and professionals in the field, the recipient gets the opportunity to travel and work in an international residency and exhibit in a solo show in India.
FICA is pleased to be collaborating with Pro Helvetia-Swiss Art Council, New Delhi, and Vadehra Art Gallery, New Delhi, for the Emerging Artist Award 2012.
The award includes:
• A twelve-week residency in Switzerland, round trip air travel from Mumbai or Delhi, a per diem during the time of the residency, and access to the residency’s technical equipments.
• A solo exhibition at the Vadehra Art Gallery, New Delhi.
For further information please contact: The Foundation for Indian Contemporary Art D 53, Defence Colony, New Delhi 110024 or info(at)ficart.org
Sound scores for dance
Swiss musician Christophe Robert Polese, referred to as POL, will be in New Delhi to mentor, choreograph, conduct workshops and work with sound artists at the Gati Summer Dance Residency. [dated June 2012]
Gati Summer Dance Residency 2012 presents “ALL WARMED UP 2012”
Thursday & Friday, 21 & 22 June 2012 at 7.30pm Shri Ram Centre, 4 Safdar Hashmi Marg, Mandi House, New Delhi 110001
For passes, please call 9971406113.
The mentors for GSDR 2012 are Swiss sound artist POL , theatre director Sankar Venkateswaran and German choreographers Susanne Linke & Urs Dietrich.
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Swiss musician POL was in New Delhi to conduct workshops and work with sound artists at the Gati Summer Dance Residency 2012 in New Delhi.
Christophe Polese (popularly known as POL) from Switzerland will be part of the Gati Summer Dance Residency in New Delhi from 10 May to 2 June 2012 and will be mentoring choreographers, conducting workshops and working with sound artist to develop sound for dance.
About the workshop
The workshop will concentrated on specific pieces of every decade with a focus on works of Gilles Jobin, Franz Treichler and Cristian Vogel. POL shared his personal recipe of methods and philosophy. The workshop included exercises/games derived from the numerous methods used by famous electronic composers during the last 60 years. This workshop is especially designed for dancers, choreographers and musicians. The workshops was held on 12 & 13 May 2012.
About POL
Electronic music producer since the dawn of the nineties, nested between the persistant hammering of an electro dancefloor and the dark backstages of the post-industrial civilisation, POL infiltrates his music into the world by every mean. On screens, his productions have insinuated themselves in the arty zombies movie of cult director Bruce LaBruce and also in the very French Quand j’étais chanteur, with Cécile de France and Gérard Depardieu. He has co-written Water Lilly’s music, electro-techno with a touch of pop glamour and cosmic atmospheres. Today, he pursues his conquest of space as a solo pilot.
For more information contact: The Gati Dance Forum at gatidance@gmail.com or visit www.gatidance.com
Swiss List – new titles now on the shelf
With the latest addition to the Swiss List published by Seagull Books, the number of books in English by Swiss writers now on the stands is seven. Pro Helvetia - Swiss Arts Council supports translation.
With the latest addition to the Swiss List published by Seagull Books, the number of books in English by Swiss writers now on the stands is seven. Hugo Loetscher’s, Noah translated by Samuel P. Willcocks has just been published. Others in the list include Urs Widmer’s My Mother's Lover and My Father's Book translated by Donal Mc Laughlin, Frisch/Dürrenmatt’s, Correspondence translated by Birgit Schreyer Duarte, Dorothee Elmiger’s Invitation to the Bold of Heart translated by Cathy Derbyshire and Annemarie Schwarzenbach’s, Lyric Novella and All the Roads are Open translated by Lucy Renner Jones and Isabel Fargo Cole respectively.
Pro Helvetia - Swiss Arts Council supports translation. The publication of the Swiss List in partnership with Seagull Books is an effort to bring Swiss literature to readers around the world. An extension of the initiative «Moving Words», the Swiss List has had demonstrable impact. Audiences across the globe now have access to Swiss Literature and literary translators from varying nationalities have had the opportunity to network and engage with Swiss writers.
The number of translations of Swiss literature will continue to increase, with Seagull Books looking at publishing another few titles by year end.
Noah by Hugo Loetscher Translated by Samuel P. Willcocks.
My Mother's Lover by Urs Widmer Translated by Donal Mc Laughlin
My Father's Book by Urs Widmer Translated by Donal Mc Laughlin
Correspondence by Frisch/Dürrenmatt’s Translated by Birgit Schreyer Duarte
Invitation to the Bold of Heart by Dorothee Elmiger Translated by Cathy Derbyshire
Lyric Novella by Annemarie Schwarzenbach Translated by Lucy Renner Jones
All the Roads are Open by Annemarie Schwarzenbach Translated by Isabel Fargo Cole
Links www: http://www.seagullindia.com/books/defaultnew.asp?cbosearch=category&txtkeyword=swiss%20list
Play Gravity Lander, a game from «GameCulture»
«Gravity Lander», a game for the «GameCulture» programme of Pro Helvetia was developed by Büro Destruct, Bern. «Gravity Lander» can be enjoyed online on GameCulture.ch [dated 2012]
«Gravity Lander», a game for the «GameCulture» programme of Pro Helvetia was developed by Büro Destruct, Bern. «Gravity Lander» can be enjoyed online on GameCulture.ch and on iPhone and Android (v2.2 or better) mobile phones. The Game: Gravity Lander – 3 Cosmonauts bite the dust of MarsWhat goes up must come down. One way or another.Help 3 Cosmonauts on a not so stellar mission to cleanup debris cluttering the Mars base.Be challenged to land the rocket safely on the M...ars base. Vaporize or explode debris out of your way down. Use boosts and tilt gravity to escape a bad course. Acrobatic steering skills and a healthy portion of luck will help you to succeed the 40 missions. To play «Gravity Lander – 3 Cosmonauts bite the dust of Mars» online click here
About Game Cluture: GameCulture – a programme of the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia Computers have become our most important tool – and also our favourite toy. Games are now part of everyday culture. The market is booming and the games sector has turned into the segment of the culture industry with the highest turnover. It employs an increasing number of people producing ever more complex digital worlds. Games manufacturers commission artists of all kinds, ranging from designers to scriptwriters and composers. So it’s high time for organizations that promote the arts to tackle this new medium.
With its GameCulture programme, the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia is drawing attention to the social, economic and aesthetic aspects of computer games and exploring the characteristics of the genre as a new art form. Pro Helvetia will be exploring the medium of computer games from autumn 2010 to 2012, staging three different exhibitions, a call for projects and a number of panel discussions and conferences.
As part of this programme, Pro Helvetia is launching the online platform www.gameculture.ch in cooperation with its partners. The content is being prepared jointly with Zurich University of the Arts (ZHDK), Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), the International Game Developers Association, Swiss Chapter (IGDA) and the Swiss Gamers Network (SGN).
Contact: gameculture(at)prohelvetia.ch
Come back to earth
An artist-in-residence, Ruth Buck’s current body of work is an expedition and aims to experience India through an uninhibited look. The focus is on the ground, on which we stand with our own two feet. [dated 2012]
Pro Helvetia – Swiss Arts Council presents Swiss artist Ruth Buck who is currently on a residency in India. Project: come back to earth Foto installation, foto prints on barite paper, size each: 2.75 feet x 2feet (a body of 300 images)
Ruth Buck’s current body of work <<come back="" to="" earth=""></come>> is an expedition and aims to experience India through an uninhibited look. The focus is on the ground, on which we stand with our own two feet. The ground that we step on daily and unconsciously speaks volumes about the society and its conditions and its relation to public spaces. Conspicuous in each photograph is the inclusion of Ruth’s own foot, bringing to each visual, a feeling of a personal experience, a close encounter and an experience of an intimate nature. What does the ground tell us about itself and abut society at large? It talks about... people, habits, culture, believes, needs, pleasure, beauty, fears, ideals, hopes....difficulties......
The effect and impact of these images totally changes when they are up on the wall right in front of our faces. A hard hitting reality that one more than often misses because it’s usually not in our field of vision. Ruth will be at her studio at Sanskriti Foundation, New Delhi until 31 March 2012.
An iaab exchange artist, Ruth Buck will be working on an audio-visual art project. She will be recording sounds in public spaces and then creating an audio data in the studio. In her works, Ruth goes beyond the margins of art genres and operates in different art media. She produces tactile works, conceptual works with words, photo light boxes that are objects in the space and sounds that create soundscapes.
Artist's statement:
My residency in India has been an important phase in my journey as an artist. The experience has been enriching and immensely inspiring. It has given me a totally different view to my own culture. Through cultural differences and difficulties I learnt a lot and feel that I have grown, not just as an individual but as an artist. The outcome is that I now have a different perspective to my own culture. My work happens in the arena where my personal concern and society meet. Questions about of human existence in general and its orientation make me and my work move.
Lucerne University showcasing '50 years of National Institute of Design'
The Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts introduces its collaboration with the National Institute of Design, India’s most prestigious design institute with an exhibition of “50 years of NID”. [dated 2012]
The Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts introduces its collaboration with the National Institute of Design, India’s most prestigious design institute with an exhibition of “50 years of NID” on the occasion of their annual Bachelor and Master graduation show in Lucerne.
Note from Prof M.A. Ursula Bachman Associate Dean Head of Interdisciplinary and International Programmes, The Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts:
"The collaboration between the NID and the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts dates ten years back. Various and repeated contacts between faculty showed the way and led to mutual regard and esteem. In February 2011 a Memorandum of Understanding was signed by both institutions with the aim to expand their partnership and grant continuous student and staff exchange and implement a close collaboration on various fields of research. With the aim to close the bonds of this partnership, both parties agreed to evaluate the progress of the collaboration and take a regular look at past achievements and projects.
Today, our department is proud to introduce this collaboration with India’s most prestigious Design Institute to a broader Swiss audience with an exhibition of “50 years of NID” on the occasion of our annual Bachelor and Master graduation show in Lucerne. Two of our professors, Mr Rolf Bächler and Mr Pierre Thomé, who were invited by Pro Helvetia, visited the NID during this academic year and undertook first preparations for this show. The following departments of the NID will be included: - Animation/Film/GD - Illustration - Textile Design/Object Design Furthermore projects involving Indian crafts, including craft documentation and research as well as the NIDs legacy in changing the very living conditions of craft people all over India. On display will be materials, objects, textiles, business ideas and the presentations of mutual research achievements The further goals of our partnership focus on the development of common research projects in the fields of object and textile design and illustration and will hopefully lead to new business ideas and opportunities."
Prof M.A. Ursula Bachman
Associate Dean Head of Interdisciplinary and International Programmes
February 13, 2012
Babur in London to premiere in Zurich
Babur in London, a new contemporary chamber opera presented by The Opera Group in collaboration with Pro Helvetia and British Council will premiere in Zurich on 28 March 2012, and tour Switzerland in March/April. [dated March 2012]
Babur in London, a new contemporary chamber opera presented by The Opera Group in collaboration with Pro Helvetia and British Council will premiere in Zurich on 28 March 2012, and tour Switzerland in March/April. Featuring opera singers from the UK and India, and six musicians from the ensemble fuer neue musik Zurich in Switzerland, Babur in London is an exciting international collaboration. The Opera Group in collaboration with Pro Helvetia and the British Council present Babur in London The ghost of Babur, here, lost in the UK? He’s a long way from home.
Music: Edward Rushton
Words: Jeet Thayil
Director: John Fulljames
In a London suburb, four young men and women are preparing an act of violence. They are disturbed by a visit from the ghost of Babur, first Emperor of the Mughal Dynasty: a sophisticated artist and ruthless warrior, who praises God in poetry as he recounts his glorious deeds. As their mission draws closer, Babur urges his companions to escape the violent cycle of history and look to a more hopeful future. Babur in London is a brand new contemporary chamber opera exploring the complexities of faith and multiculturalism, through a haunting story of lives and love cut short by anger, persecution, and revenge. Startling, resonant and at times wickedly funny, Babur in London explores a dialogue of religion, politics and cultural identity in modern day society. Featuring five opera singers from the UK and India, and six musicians from the Ensemble fur Neue Musik Zurich in Switzerland, Babur in London is a genuine international collaboration, the talents of three countries working together to achieve one coherent vision.
Touring in 2012 Babur in London will premiere in Zurich on 28 March 2012, and tour Switzerland in March/April. It will then tour to seven cities in the UK, including the prestigious Cheltenham Music Festival, in June/July 2012.
Babur in London is set to tour India on the following dates:
16/17 November - Chennai (as part of The Hindu Music Festival)
20/21 November - Kolkata
23/24 November - Bangalore (part of The Hindu Music Festival)
27/28 November - Delhi
30 November / 1 December - Mumbai
About the creative team
Edward Rushton is a British composer now living in Zurich, and is one of the leading operatic composers of his generation. His acclaimed contemporary operas include Birds. Barks. Bones, The Shops and The Young Man with the Carnation.
Jeet Thayil is one of India’s most widely acclaimed contemporary poets writing in English, having published four collections of poetry. In 2011 he published Narcopolis, his first novel. Jeet lives in Delhi.
John Fulljames co-founded The Opera Group and was its Artistic Director from 1997 to 2011: he is now Associate Director of Opera at The Royal Opera House. He is widely known for bringing together emerging and established talents to develop new work which pushes boundaries in content and artistic form.
For Edith Piaf
Organised by the Embassy of Switzerland, on occasion of the week of the Francophonie, <<For Edith Piaf>> is a musical journey in the France of the Thirties and Fifties through Edith Piaf’s songs. [date 2012]
On occasion of the week of the Francophonie, the Embassy of Switzerland presents For Edith Piaf, a musical journey in the France of the Thirties and Fifties through Edith Piaf’s songs.
Direction: Pino Di Buduo
With: Nathalie Mentha
Duration: 60 minutes
Programme:
Pudducherry
Date: Sunday, 11th March 2012
Venue: Tantidhara International Theatre Festival, Pudducherry
Ahmedabad
Date: Saturday, 17th March 2012, 8.00 pm
Venue: Gujarati Sahitya Kala Parishad auditorium, Ahmedabad; Entry free
Date: Sunday, 18th March 2012
Ahmedabad Theatre Workshop: Voice and Movement with Fanatika Theatre Club
Kolkota
Date: Tuesday, 20th March 2012, 6.30 pm
Venue: Rabindranath Tagore Centre, ICCR Ho Chi Minh Sarani, Kolkata
New Delhi
Date: Saturday, 22nd March 2012, 7.00 pm
Venue: M.L. Bhartia Auditorium Alliance Française de Delhi, 72, Lodhi Estate, New Delhi, Entry Free
Brief
The performance is a musical journey in the France of the Thirties and Fifties through Edith Piaf‟s songs. Stories of lives in the environment of the French gangsters, stories of women in love, stories of passions, of dreams, of memories. It is the tale of a period, 1939, a historical moment highly alive through all Europe. It is the period of Jacques Prévert‟s poetry, of Cartier-Bresson‟s photography, of Jean Cocteau‟s theatre tales, of the coming of the Second World War which destroys so many families, of the songs for Charlie Chaplin‟s films, of the images of the characters of De Sica‟s film “Roma Città Aperta”, of the Frech Resistance, of the struggle for life, for love. The performance theme, the soul which ties the stories, and maybe more Edith Piaf‟s soul seems to be: “don‟t ever stop believing in love, whatever happens”. Performances: Salvador de Bahia; Rieti; Fara Sabina (RI); Abbiategrasso (MI); Bari; Bergamo; Roma; Caserta.
Nathalie Mentha
Nathalie Mentha was born in Geneva. After completing school, she joined the Theatre School of the Swiss Clown Dimitri. From 1979 Nathalie Mentha lives in Italy and works with the Potlach Theatre. She has worked in the productions like “The Dry Tree‟s Dances”, “Pearls Fishermen”, “Before the Fest is over” , “Sailors‟ Dreams” , “Joan of the Spirits”, “Opera Tango‟s Emigrants”, “The Conductors”, “Images Page 3 of 6 Parade”, “Turandot”, “Shakespeare Project”, “Mediterranean Myths”, “Imaginary Ambassadors”, “Felliniana”, “Viva la Vita”, “To Edith Piaf”, “Hotel Europa”, “20.000 Leagues under the seas”. With the Potlach Theater Nathalie Mentha also works as a pedagogue in schools and universities and has synthesised her experience in two work demonstrations: Memories, Sand Tales. She conducts workshops on Voice and Space, Fights of Clowns, Street Theater, Marco Polo project. Since 1991 she has been participating in the conception and organisation of INVISIBLE CITIES (Intercultural and interdisciplinary project with local associations and professional artists from every part of the world) directed by Pino Di Buduo .
Organised by the Embassy of Switzerland in partnership with Tantidhara International Theatre Festival, Pudducherry Alliances Françaises in Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Delhi Fanatika Theatre Club, Ahmedabad Titagarh Wagons Pvt. Ltd., Kolkata
Swiss film ‘Familientreffen’ at the Fanatika Theatre Film Festival
Pro Helvetia New Delhi in collaboration with Alliance Française d’Ahmedabad present the Swiss documentary Familientreffen (Family Reunion) at the 1st Fanatika Theatre Documentary Film Festival. [dated February 2012]
Pro Helvetia New Delhi in collaboration with Alliance Française d’Ahmedabad present the Swiss documentary film Familientreffen (Family Reunion) at the 1st Fanatika Theatre Documentary Film Festival. The festival has been organised by the Fanatika Theatre Club which is the confluence of Alliance Francaise and Gujarati Sahitya Parishad.
The Film : FAMILY REUNION
Swiss documentary ‘Familientreffen’
at the Fanatika Theatre Documentary Film Festival, Ahmedabad
Language: German with English subtitles
Festival dates: 3-5 February 2012
Venue: Gujarati Sahitya Parishad, Ahmedabad
Date: Saturday 4 February at 7:00 pm
Entry: Open to public
Documentary, Switzerland 2009 / 60 minutes / 52 minutes, digital video, colour.
As carpets are rolled and furniture covered, a grand hotel in the Swiss alps ushers in the off season. Melancholy song floods the empty halls as director Christoph Marthaler and his theatrical family rob the hotel of its sleep with endless choir practices – for six long weeks, right up until opening night. But one person is missing from the rehearsals: Jürg Kienberger, scion of the hotel family and veteran musician-member of Marthaler’s ensemble, is recovering from an operation on his knees, killing time with a one-man show at the rehab clinic. Aloof from the goings-on, Kienberger reflects with subtle irony on the evolution of a Marthaler production, airing the secret of the cult phenomenon without giving it away. Meanwhile, the troupe are raising ghosts from 100 years of the hotel’s history. Both jovial and saturnine, the quirky loners are united when they sing. The film escorts its viewers to a feast of music and poetry, and invites them to join a theatrical family.
Credits
Writer and director: Sarah Derendinger
Cinematography: Matthias Kälin, Sarah Derendinger
Producers Stella Händler, Claudia Frei
Director: Christoph Marthaler
Narrator: Jürg Kienberger
Actors and Musicians: Claudia Carigiet, Raphael Clamer, Jan Czajkowski, Bendix Dethleffsen, Olivia Grigolli, Rosemary Hardy, Christoph Homberger, Ueli Jäggi, Josef Ostendorf, Sasha Rau, Nic Rosat, Bettina Stucky, Graham Valentine.
Director’s statement
In Family Reunion I go in search of Marthaler’s secret. At the same time, however, I am careful not to explain that secret, but simply to display it, and to let the viewers get as close as possible to his process - to let them become members of the «Marthaler family». When I heard that Christoph Marthaler and his theatre troupe were working on a performance at the Hotel Waldhaus in Sils Maria during the off season, I was seized by the urge to capture their rehearsals on film. I also learned that Jürg Kienberger, a key member of the Marthaler family as well as a scion of the hotel dynasty, was unable to take part in the preparations, which allowed me to use him, from his position at a remove from events, as a narrator in my film. The biggest hurdle, I believed, would be getting Christoph Marthaler on board, because he had famously never before permitted an outsider to attend his rehearsals. So I was amazed when the celebrated director immediately and enthusiastic agreed to my request! His sole condition was that I film the rehearsals as camerawoman myself; and since I actually do have the requisite experience, I was able to agree to this stipulation, not with reluctance, but in anticipation of a welcome challenge.
In Family Reunion, spectators sense the spirit of complete openness in which the Marthaler family enters the blank space of the creative process. It’s wonderfully exciting to observe the evolution of a new Marthaler theatrical production – despite the glacial pace at which it proceeds – and to notice the way the many songs they use help the members to bear the emptiness out of which a finished work is born. I am delighted to be able to take all those who watch my film on a timeless musical journey into the splendid isolation of Sils Maria.
Organiser and Partner: Alliance Française d’Ahmedabad
SIGMASIX to participate at UNBOX and Baajaa Gaajaa 2012
Geneva based SIGMASIX to conduct a workshop at the UNBOX Festival in New Delhi and will collaborate with Dhamaal, featuring Indian percussionists, at the Baajaa Gaajaa. [dated 2012]
Geneva based SIGMASIX, a company that experiments in the fields of visual creation, will conduct a workshop at the UNBOX Festival in New Delhi and will collaborate with Dhamaal, featuring Indian percussionists, at the Baajaa Gaajaa 2012 Festival in Pune.
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UnBox Festival: workshop by Swiss company SIGMASIX Pro Helvetia New Delhi in collaboration with Unbox Festival has invited Eric Morzier and Florian Pittet from the Swiss company SIGMASIX to conduct workshops and perform at the festival. SIGMASIX is a Geneva based company whose aim is to experiment in the fields of visual creation. They make music videos and custom experimental installations for customers large and small.
PROGRAMME
Presentation at Conference: Friday 3 February 2012 at 12 noon
Venue: British Council, 17 Kasturba Gandhi Marg, New Delhi Entry: By registration / please contact register@unboxfestival.com
Workshop: Friday 3 February 2012 from 4:00 – 6:00pm
Venue: British Council, 17 Kasturba Gandhi Marg, New Delhi
Entry: By registration / please contact register@unboxfestival.com
Performance: Sunday 5 February 2012
Venue: Shroom, The Crescent Mall, Lado Sarai, Mehrauli, New Delhi
Entry: Festival rules apply
The UnBox Festival celebrates interdisciplinary processes and experiences that shape contemporary thought and action. It is a response to the emergence of a new subculture: one that straddles the spirit of innovation and invites the engagement of all senses. UnBox manifests itself as a blend of different events - including a conference, workshops, exhibitions and performances - designed in sync with one another, to stimulate thought, debate and action.
Organiser and Partner: Unbox Festival unboxfestival.com
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SIGMASIX to collaborate with Dhamaal at Baajaa Gaajaa Festival, Pune
Pro Helvetia New Delhi in collaboration with Baajaa Gaajaa Music Festival has invited Eric Morzier from the Swiss company SIGMASIX to collaborate with Dhamaal during the festival. SIGMASIX is a Geneva based company whose aim is to experiment in the fields of visual creation. They make music videos and custom experimental installations for customers large and small.
Date: 10 – 12 February 2012
The Baajaa Gaajaa Music Festival at Ishanya, Pune The Baajaa Gaajaa Music Conclave at Vivanta by Taj – Blue Diamond, Pune. Entry: Open to Public
Baajaa Gaajaa is an annual music festival curated by Indian musicians Shubha Mudgal and Aneesh Pradhan. During the festival Eric Morzier of SIGMA6 will collaborate and rehearse with Indian percussionists from all parts of India from 6-10 February. The final piece will be presented at Baaja Gaaja on 12 February 2012. DHAMAAL is a celebration of drumming traditions from India and other musical cultures. Folk drummers from various parts of the country collaborate with other percussionists, vocalists and guitarists, to weave a tapestry of rhythm. Organiser and Partner: Baajaa Gaajaa Festival - baajaagaajaa.com
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SIGMASIX
SIGMASIX is a Geneva based company whose aim is to experiment in the fields of visual creation. They make music videos and custom experimental installations for customers large and small. They see the future like a playground, trying new technologies and new ways of mixing different kind of media. SIGMASIX is Eric Morzier and Florian Pittet.
For more information visit: http://www.sigma6.ch/
LAYOUT - A location based collaborative construction
LAYOUT - A location based collaborative construction [dated February 2012]
Pro Helvetia New Delhi is delighted to be associated with the project L A Y O U T, a location based collaborative construction and to present Swiss artist Navid Tschopp, who is currently on a residency in India. The project is being presented in collaboration with W+K Exp.
Artists involved in this collaborative project are: Navid Tschopp, M Pravat, Sayantan Maitra Boka and Susanta Mandal
Venue : C - 198, Neb Sarai, Next to IGNOU, New Delhi - 68.
Opening on Sunday, January the 22nd, 2012, 4 pm onward
On view until 10 February 2012.
The construction will be accessible 24 hours a day.
Artist: Navid Tschopp
Art Form: Visual Arts Residency date: 1 January- 10 March 2012
Navid’s field of work lies between the orient and the occident and contains the many layers between image and action. His research is about identity in the field of transcultural images and in context art. He is interested in the Indian pictorial world, on which the Persian art history is based. The aim of his work is to create a ‘third space’ between orient and occident / European and eastern culture where a new concept of identity based on learning from each other can grow. Navid wants to focus his study on the Parsi community that resides in India.
