Thread... an exploration with textiles and thread.
The exhibition brings together the practice of Swiss artist Matthias Spiess with Nidhi Khurana and Priya Ravish Mehra, whose exploration of thread as a medium has brought them together.
Matthias Spiess | Nidhi Khurana | Priya Ravish Mehra
present an exhibition of their recent work, an exploration with textiles and...
Thread
Curated by Julia Libertad
On view: 5th - 13th October, 2014
Preview: 4th October - 5:30 pm onwards
Gallerie Romain Rolland Alliance Française de Delhi
72 Lodhi Estate, New Delhi - 110003
This exhibition brings together the practice of Nidhi Khurana, Matthias Spiess and Priya Ravish Mehra, three artists whose exploration of thread as a medium has brought them together. Swiss artist, Matthias Spiess came to India for a residency funded by Christoph Merian Stiftung/IAAB, and facilitated by Pro Helvetia - Swiss Arts Council in 2012/13. Matthias was able to spend six months in Lajpat Nagar, where he made the acquaintance of Nidhi Khurana and Priya Ravish Mehra, both artists working with textiles in unique ways. They discovered they shared similar artistic approaches expressed through different media and a common interest in re-interpreting traditional design and in recycling discarded materials. The thread linked their practice and helped them develop new work in conversation with each other.
According to Cas Holmes, a well known textile artist, 'reusing found materials is a form of alchemy'. The artists use this alchemy to express their artistic research and to connect with one another, finding a line that unites them to their practices and learning from backgrounds, geographies, mediums and preoccupations, each of them bring forth in their formal dialogue with one another. Despite this not being a 'hands-on' co-production, this exhibition can be considered a collaborative project due to their sharing of ideas and experiences during the time they spent together in Delhi. Spiess, Mehra and Khurana expose a genuine creation: the materialization of space for intellectual connection.
During his residency, Matthias was influenced by the role of textiles in Indian culture and decided to incorporate it into his, until then purely geometrical representations, reimaging patterns in combination with traditional Indian techniques.. Nidhi Khurana uses the insignificant katran thrown away by most tailors and designers to create maps of real and imagined spaces, mapping her experiences and those of others she encounters, while Priya's work revolves around the use of distressed textile pieces and the idea of repair through the ancestral practice of darning (rafoogari). Linking together these three artists is the thread; embroidered, darned, stitched in grids, piecing together what is left behind by others, and making new with old.
About Matthias Spiess
Matthias Spiess grew up in Basel, Switzerland. He studied at the École Supérieure d'art visuel in Geneva. He now lives and works in London and Basel and has exhibited in Switzerland, Sri Lanka, France and the UK among other countries.
Many of Spiess's paintings loosely refer to architecture. He creates and develops illusionistic spaces which are reminiscent of stage designs. He studies urban surfaces, collects architectural fragments and combinations of colours from which he extracts and abstracts geometrical forms. His complex structures grow additively, layer after layer. For many years, he has used colour in a very restrained manner to create his labyrinths and explosions of space.
During his six-month residency in Delhi in 2012/13, Spiess radically transformed his approach. He cut up his paintings and recomposed the pieces confronting his stern compositions with new experimentations. He also put together his fragmented paintings with works of art found at markets in Lajpat Nagar, the Delhi neighbourhood where he stayed. The rich art history and the contemporary art scene in India had a profound influence on his work during this residency. Taking inspiration from artists he met and starting to combine his art with traditional Indian techniques such as textile art, blockprints and embroidery, Spiess also filled his, until then, empty spaces with life. True to Indian form, he considerably enlarged his colour palette, radically redeveloping his work.
Swiss author and poet, Heike Fiedler to visit India
Heike Fiedler who works in the fields of text, sound, visuals and performance will read from her book in Goa, Delhi and Jaipur.
Pro Helvetia - Swiss Arts Council invites you to a poetry performance by
Swiss author and poet
Heike Fiedler
Schedule
Goa / Friday 19 September 2014 at 6:45 pm at the
Sunaparanta Goa Centre For The Arts
63/C-8, Near Lar de Estudantes, Altinho, Panaji, Goa - 403 001
The evening will be in English, German and French.
Entry open to all.
Delhi / Wednesday 24 September 2014 at 7:45 pm at the
Social, 9A & 12 Hauz Khas Village, New Delhi - 110016
as part of the September Night of Literature 2014
The evening will be in English and German.
Entry open to all.
Jaipur / Friday 26 September 2014 at 8:00 at the
Bar Palladio JaipurNarain Niwas Palace Hotel, Kanota Bagh, Narain Singh Road, Jaipur - 302004
The evening will be in English, German and French.
Entry open to all.
About Heike Fiedler
Swiss author and poet, Heike Fiedler works in the fields of text, sound, visuals, performance, installation and intervention in public space. Between improvisation and composition, Heike Fiedler has participated in festivals and exhibitions in many countries in collaboration with musicians, artists and writers. Heike will read from her book << langues de meehr edition spoken script>> DER GESUNDE MENSCHENVERSAND.
For more information on Heike Fiedler visit www.realtimepoem.com
Photo credit: Mathilde Missioneiro
The event is presented by Pro Helvetia - Swiss Arts Council in partnership with Goethe Institut/ Max Mueller Bhavan, Sunaparanta Goa Centre For The Arts, Social New Delhi and Bar Palladio Jaipur.
September Night of Literature 2014
A literary evening of contemporary writing in German, this event of prose and poetry includes conversations and readings by Heike Fiedler from Switzerland and Katharina Hagena from Germany.
A literary evening of contemporary writing in German, September Night of Literature is jointly hosted by the Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan and Pro Helvetia - Swiss Arts Council. Moderated by the author Christopher Kloeble, this event of prose and poetry includes conversations and readings from books by German and Swiss authors.
Wednesday 24 September 2014 at 6:30 pm at
the Social 9A & 12 Hauz Khas Village, New Delhi - 110016
Entry open to all.
Programme:
8 pm Welcome note by Christopher Kloeble
8:10 - 8:55 pm Katharina Hagena in conversation with Manu Joseph
8:55 - 9:05 pm Tribute to Hugo Lötscher by Professor Rajendra Dengle
9:05 - 9:20 pm Break
9:20 - 9:30 pm Tribute to Urs Widmer by Professor Rekha Rajan
9:30 - 10:15 pm Heike Fiedler in conversation with Meena Kandasamy
10:15 - 10:30 pm Herta Müller readings in Hindi, German and English by Namita Khare, Ute Reimer and Chandrika Grover Ralleigh
Heike Fiedler / Switzerland
Heike Fiedler, born in West-Germany (1963) is a Swiss author, multilingual poet, sound and visual artist living in Geneva. She performs her poetry with laptop, paper, modul8, realtime-electroncis, pencil. Since 2000, she is extensively performing in poetry festivals, music festivals, events for literature readings. (Schamrock - Festival der Dichterinnen, Munich; Notopos - Festival de poésies européennes, Val-de-Marne; @ptt, Geneva krikri - festival international de polypoetry, Gent; Internationales Lyrikfestival, Basel; Poésie en arrosoir, ; La Bâtie - Festival, Geneva etc). Heike collaborated in a research about performing authors (HKB, Bern, 2010). She gives workshops in field of creative and performance writing. She has collaborated with musicians of electro acoustic and improvisation, participated at the first edition of Festival Cotonou Jazz, member of IMO, shared stage with world's most important, international performing poets. Gender and condition of women's creation is an important topic in her work. She has been the recipient of the Fonds municipal d'art contemporain (Fmac) scholarship in Geneva and has received several awards from Geneva town and canton for her solo work, as well for the collaborative projects she realized. She has many publications in poetry magazines, anthologies, CD's. Her two last books are langues de meehr and sie will mehr (edition spoken skript, Luzern). Heike Fiedler has been awarded the Pro Helvetia artist in residency for three months from January till March 2015. Her homepage: www.realtimepoem.com
Heike Fiedler will be in conversation with Meena Kandasamy
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Katharina Hagena / Germany Katharina Hagena was born in Karlsruhe in 1967. From 1986 until 1992 she studied English and German Literature in Marburg, London and Freiburg. 1994 she spent a research period at the James-Joyce-Foundation in Zurich and earned her doctorate on James Joyce's "Ulysses" in 1995. Until 1997 she lectured for the German Academic Exchange Service at Trinity College in Dublin and from 1998 until 2002 at the universities in Hamburg and Lüneburg also working as a translator. Since 2002 Katharina Hagena and her family live in Hamburg. Her first book Was die wilden Wellen sagen was published in 2006, followed in 2008 by Der Geschmack von Apfelkernen (The Taste of Apple Seeds). She has written two children's books Grausi schaut unter den Stein (2008) and Albert Albatros albert (2010). In 2012 Vom Schlafen und Verschwinden came out.
Katharina Hagena will be in conversation with Manu Joseph
Sound artist POL returns to collaborate with Mehneer Sudan
'Of Women' is a presentation by Indian choreographer and performer Mehneer Sudan in collaboration with Swiss sound artist POL.
Swiss musician and sound artist POL was on a residency awarded by Pro Helvetia - Swiss Arts Council in 2014. The opportunity gave him the chance to engage with Indian artists, one of them Indian choreographer, performer and teacher Mehneer Sudan who was working on her dance theatre piece, 'Of Women' for which POL has designed the sound.
'Of women' is a dance theatre piece that attempts to question the tension between expected gender roles and personal perceptions of feminine identity. The work has been created through an exploratory process that takes the form of an exhibition in the performance space.
Choreographed by Mehneer Sudan.
Sound design by POL
Performance
Friday 26 September & Saturday 27 September 2014 at 7:00 pm
Venue: Goethe Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan
Children below 16 years not allowed.
About the presentation
What does it mean to be female? What does one do that makes her 'female'? How does one sit, stand, lie, kneel, walk, jump or represent the body in stillness or in action to be categorised as a 'woman'? How far is one's identity shaped by these expectations? 'Of women' is a dance theatre piece that attempts to question the tension between expected gender roles and personal perceptions of feminine identity. The work has been created through an exploratory process that takes the form of an exhibition in the performance space.
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.
Rewired Thinking, a presentation by Christian Etter
Swiss game designer and founder Etter Studio, Christian Etter visits India to introduce his award-winning computer game Drei to Indian audiences in Goa and Bangalore.
Rewired Thinking a presentation by
Christian Etter Swiss designer and founder Etter Studio, Zurich
Schedule
GOA
at the Kyoorius Design Yatra 2014
on 11 September 2014 at the Grand Hyatt, Goa
Entry: by registration only
BANGALORE
at the National Institute of Design R&D Campus
#12, Pipe Line Road, HMT, Bengaluru
on 15 September 2014 at 4:00 pm
Entry: limited seats open to public / kindly RSVP at info@swissnexindia.org to register your name
BANGALORE
at the Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology
C.A. Site No.16,Yelahanka New Town,Doddaballapur Road, Bengaluru
on 16 September 2014 at 3:30 pm
Entry: Please contact info@swissnexindia.org to enquire
Christian Etter dissects the creative process that led to the creation of the award-winning computer game Drei. He further explains the concept behind Drei and why it should matter to today's society.
Image: DREI
Etter studio's first big independent game release, Drei is a social experiment. An award-winning iPad game, DREI is about skill, logic and collaboration. It connects players across the world, to help each other in the battle against gravity. Drei features a universal communication tool which allows to speak to other players, from wherever they are in 18 languages.
For more information on Etter Studio visit www.etterstudio.com/en/ For more information on DREI visit etter.co/drei/
The event is presented by Pro Helvetia - Swiss Arts Council in collaboration with swissnex India, Kyoorius Design Yatra 2014, the National Institute of Design R&D Campus, Bangalore and the Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology, Bangalore.
Photo credit: Etter Studio
Christian Etter invited for Kyoorius Design Yatra 2014
Swiss designer Christian Etter, founder Etter Studio, Zurich invited to speak at Kyoorius Design Yatra 2014
Swiss designer Christian Etter will be visiting India to participate as one of the speakers at the Kyoorius Design Yatra 2014 that is held annualy in Goa.
Christian Etter, founder Etter Studio
Born in the mountaintops of Switzerland, growing up in Zurich where he studied Swiss Typography. Christian founded his first multimedia design company, in 2000 worked for various Swiss advertising agencies, and taught classes in Interactive Design and Film Editing.
Later, he worked as a counsellor for children at the skateboard recreation centre in Lausanne. He then continued counselling in Bogota, working with sexually exploited children. After returning from Colombia he worked as a multimedia producer in Bern before settling in Milan as Art Director for Saatchi & Saatchi. Christian then joined the Visual Communication Department of Fabrica, United Colors of Benetton's Communication Research Centre located near Venice.
His next move was to London as an Interactive Director for unit9. And in 2007 he was invited to join the advisory board of Design21, a social design network by Felissimo and UNESCO, based in New York City. Nowadays, aside from running his own design studio, Etter Studio, in Switzerland, Christian is working as Interactive Director for unit9, London.
To learm more about Christian Etter visit:
http://www.unit9.com/director/christian-etter
http://www.etterstudio.com/en/
To learn more about the Kyoorius Design Yatra visit:
http://designyatra.kyoorius.com/speaker/christian-etter/
All Warmed Up - Gati Summer Dance Residency
Swiss musician Ghostape has worked with participants of the residency to give music to their performances.
Swiss musician Gabriel Ghebrezghi (Ghostape) is in India to mentor the participants of the Gati Summer Dance Residency 2014. The Residency culminates in performances called All Warmed Up.
All Warmed Up: Gati Summer Dance Residency 2014
Showcase 1 - Thurs, 31 July, 7 pm
Showcase 2 - Fri, 1 Aug, 7 pm
Showcase 3 - Sat, 2 Aug, 5 pm
Venue: Siddhartha Hall, Goethe-Institut/ Max Mueller Bhavan, 3 Kasturba Gandhi Marg, New Delhi.
Free entry by passes only. (First-come first-served)
For information call 011-64625766 / 9971406113.
Six emerging choreographers develop their own choreographic works over a period of nine weeks. The six residents for this year are Rajan Rathore (Delhi), Venuri Perera (Sri Lanka), Avantika Bahl (Mumbai), Mirra Arun (Bangalore), Riya Mandal (Delhi) and Rachnika Goyal (Delhi).
Ghostape (CH) is joined by other mentors who include Padmini Chettur (IND), Sankar Venkateswaran (IND), Kirsty Alexander (UK), Zuleikha Allana (IND) and Annie Lok (UK).
As a mentor, Ghostape has worked with participants of the residency to give music to their performances.
Photo credit: Soumita Bhattacharya
Invitation to an Indian curator for a residency at Basel
iaab Basel and Pro Helvetia have set up a new exchange program for curators in collaboration with Ausstellungsraum Klingental.
Artist exchange program iaab, located at Christoph Merian Stiftung in Basel, and Pro Helvetia - Swiss Arts Council have set up a new exchange program for curators in the year 2015 in collaboration with "Ausstellungsraum Klingental", an independent art space in Basel.
Call for application
The call for application is open to (free lance) curators, art educators and art critics from India who are interested in diving into the Swiss art scene, doing some deeper research about art in the heart of Europe and establishing a show with local artists in collaboration with the team of "Ausstellungsraum Klingental".
Deadline for application: 5 August 2014* (*now extended to 5 August 2014)
How to apply: Send your application to phnd.applications(at)gmail.com
Residency in Switzerland: May 1 to Sept. 30, 2015 (5 months)
Grant: What we expect
For art space "Ausstellungsraum Klingental" the main goal of the curator's exchange program is to know more about the philosophy and practice of curating in other countries and contexts. We would like to receive a critical view from outside on our local art scene; to show his / her perception of our way of "doing art" "Ausstellungsraum Klingental" offers the Indian curator the opportunity of a five-weeks-exhibition in September 2015 (season opening of local galleries).
We expect from the applicant:
• open mind; willingness to network and cooperate with different people from the regional art scene
• interest in the work and working conditions of the artists working in the region of Basel and in Swiss/European art in general
• commitment to set up a show at "Ausstellungsraum Klingental" in September 2015
• willingness to re-invest the Basel network into a project in India after coming back
• very important: to be fluent in English (written and spoken)!
To apply please submit:
• CV
• letter of motivation
• sketch/abstract of research/project/exhibition at "Ausstellungsraum Klingental"
• rough budget
What we provide to the incoming curator:
• accommodation in one of the iaab-studios
• Living and travelling (5 months)
• networking-dinner with curators from Basel in May 2015
• The opportunity to set up an exhibition at art space "Ausstellungsraum Klingental" in September 2014 (season opening of local galleries) with the support of local volunteers
• Contribution to exhibition costs plus provision of technical equipment, invitation cards and other promotion of the event
• a motivated, active and curious host team with a lot of connections and experience in non-institutional artistic initiatives
About independent art space "Ausstellungsraum Klingental"
For generations Ausstellunsgsraum Klingental has served as a platform to discuss and present visual artprojects developped in the region of Basel. It presents four to five exhibitions every year, left aside themany more spontaneous events, concerts and performances. The program is run by artists and arthistorians and feeds on the ideas and initiative of its many volunteer contributors who like to move withambition, diligence and limited budgets.Ausstellungsraum Klingental is focused more on experiment and artistic research than on presentingestablished positions. It is a rather unique model of how to renew and sustain a city gallery on a highlevel. Guest curators can benefit from its wide-spread and hospitable networks. They will be invited toparticipate in Ausstellungsraum Klingental's creative machinery /environment - which could be inspiringto all involved and inform the curators about the field where they will present their project towards the end of their residency. www.ausstellungsraum.ch
About iaab
iaab is an international exchange and studio program which offers visual artists from the region ofBasel, Southern Germany and Alsace (France) the opportunity to spend a number of months workingabroad. iaab has seven studios in the trinational region of Basel and currently arranges exchanges with ten partner organizations abroad. www.iaab.ch
Public lecture by Adam Szymczyk, Artistic Director of documenta 14
Adam Szymczyk will be in in Delhi on the invitation of Pro Helvetia New Delhi and Foundation for Indian Contemporary Art.
Strange Comfort (Afforded by the Profession)
a public lecture by Adam Szymczyk
on Monday, 28 July 2014 at 6:30 pm
at India International Centre, New Delhi (Multipurpose Hall, Kamaladevi Complex)
The public lecture will be moderated by Geeta Kapur, Indian critic and curator.
Adam Szymczyk has been the recipient of the Walter Hopps Award for Curatorial Achievement at the Menil Foundation in Houston.
To learn more about Adam Szymczyk & Geeta Kapur click here.
To learn more about the event click here.
The event is being presented by Pro Helvetia - Swiss Arts Council in collaboration with FICA / Foundation for Indian Contemporary Art and India International Centre.
Image
Adam Szymczyk, Artistic Director of documenta 14 at ECH2014
Adam Szymczyk will be in in Kolkata to participate in the Experimenter Curator's Hub and in Delhi to present a public lecture.
Adam Szymczyk will be participating at the Experimenter Curators Hub 2014 in Kolkata.
For more information on the Experimenter Curator's Hub click here.
Kolkata
Experimenter Curators Hub / 25 & 26 July 2014
Entry by registration only
Delhi
Strange Comfort (Afforded by the Profession) // a public lecture by Adam Szymczyk
on Monday, 28 July 2014 at 6:30 pm
at India International Centre, New Delhi (Multipurpose Hall, Kamaladevi Complex)
Entry open to all.
The public lecture will be moderated by Geeta Kapur, Indian critic and curator.
Adam Szymczyk has been the recipient of the Walter Hopps Award for Curatorial Achievement at the Menil Foundation in Houston.
To learn more about the event click here.
To learn more about Adam Szymczyk & Geeta Kapur click here.
The event is being presented by Pro Helvetia - Swiss Arts Council in collaboration with FICA / Foundation for Indian Contemporary Art and India International Centre.
(Photo credit - Tadeusz Rolke)
A collaborative puppet performance by Margrit Gysin
Margrit Gysin, the grande dame of Swiss puppeteers, to present Squirrel's Birthday with Arundhati Nag and Andrea Gronemeyer.
Swiss puppeteer Margrit Gysin returns to India once again to collaborate with theatre personalities Arundhati Nag from India and Andrea Gronemeyer from Germany.
Date/ venue:
Bangalore:19 & 20 July 2014 at Ranga Shankara
Entry as per festival rules
Delhi: 24 & 25 July 2014 at Akshara Theatre
24 & 25th July: 7:00 pm
School shows-10:30 am
Entry as per festival rules
The performance will be part of AHA!, Ranga Shankara's programme to bring theatre in all its aspects to younger people.
About Squirrel’s Birthday
Ranga Shankara, Bangalore, Figurentheatre, Switzerland and Schnawwl Theatre, Manheim
English/45 minutes
For Children between 4yrs and 6yrs
Directed by Andrea Gronemeyer
The ‘Squirrel’s Birthday’ is about the squirrel deciding to celebrate his birthday with his friends. The squirrel writes letters in his own handwriting on pieces of bark to all his friends right from the whale in the ocean to the firefly, inviting everyone for his birthday. The performance is an ensemble of puppetry, object and miniature theatre.
The Cast:
Margrit Gysin
Graduate of the Theatre School J. Lecoq Paris, puppetry therapist Margrit Gysin has been a freelance puppet theatre player since 1976 and has conducted theatre education classes and seminars across the world. As someone who loves telling stories to children, she is a veteran at many Children and Puppet Theatre Festivals across the world. She is the founder and artistic Director of Figurentheatre, Switzerland.
In 2011 Margrit Gysin was invited by Ranga Shankara, Bangalore, ICCR, Kolkata, and Old World Culture, New Delhi to present Mimmi and Brumm are having a party.Small puppets are Margrit Gysin's speciality and she uniquely creates maximum impact with minimal props. A small pebble turns into a mountain and the trials and tribulations of little characters become uncomfortably familiar and human.
Arundhati Nag
One of India’s most talented contemporary actors, Arundhati Nag has over a thousand performances to her credit. She is one of the few multilingual actors in the country who has acted in Hindi, English, Marathi, Gujarati and Kannada. Ms Nag, who began her tryst with theatre more than three decades ago with the Indian People’s Theatre Association (IPTA) Mumbai, also has a number of films to her credit.
Andrea Gronemeyer
Andrea Gronemeyer has worked in and for children’s and youth theatre for more than 20 years, first as an author, then as a stage and theatre director. During this time, she has staged some 40 plays for a young audience. For more than fifteen years, she worked as a director and dramaturg at the Comedia Colonia, an independent theatre in Cologne. She is currently the Director at the Schnawwl Theatre & Young Opera, Mannheim, Germany.
For more information click here.
http://www.figurentheater-margrit-gysin.ch
Ghostape to mentor at Gati Summer Dance Residency 2014
Swiss musician Gabriel Ghebrezghi, better known as Ghostape, to mentor the participants of Gati Summer Dance Residency 2014.
Swiss musician Gabriel Ghebrezghi, better known as Ghostape, will be in India on the invitation of Pro Helvetia - Swiss Arts Council and GATI Dance Forum to mentor participants of Gati Summer Dance Residency 2014.
Residency dates: 14 July till 3 August 2014
Performance dates: 1 & 2 August 2014
Entry: as per GSDR rules
Ghostape is an engimatic and inspiring experimental electronic artist from Switzerland, who uses recorded sounds to create vivid soundscapes merging into abstract pop artefacts. As a mentor, Ghostape will work with participants of the residency to compose music for their final performances. The Gati Summer Dance Residency supports emerging artists to engage with choreography.
To know more about Ghostape click here.
Partner: GATI Dance Forum
DER LÄNGSTE TAG - THE LONGEST DAY
Indian performance artists Smitha Cariappa, Suresh Kumar and Sujit Mallik to participate in DER LÄNGSTE TAG - THE LONGEST DAY, a 16-hours nonstop performance by various artists on 21st June 2014.
THE LONGEST DAY
16 hours nonstop performances under the open sky in the center of Zürich
on 21st June 2014 from 05.29 (sunrise) until 21.26 (dawn)
at Zeughaushof, Kanonengasse 20, 8004 Zürich, in cooperation with Kunstraum (artspace) Walcheturm Zürich
Curated by Dorothea Rust and Irene Müller in collaboration with Kunstraum Walcheturm.
Performing artists
Ian Anüll, Zürich___Smitha Cariappa, Bangalore (India)___Mio Chareteau, Genève___Eduardo Cruces, Lota (Chile)___RJS art kollektiv (Mo Diener, Eva Merckling-Mihok, Milena Petrovic, RR Marki) , Zürich___Ma Ei (Latt Win Ei Ei), Yangon (Myanmar)___Arianne Foks, Paris / Brussels___Julia Geröcs, Budapest / Zürich___Yvonne Good, Zürich___Flo Kaufmann, Solothurn___Verica Kovacevska, Skopje / Zürich___Suresh Kumar, Bangalore (India)___Sujit Mallik, Odisha (India)___Suzana Richle / Sara Lüscher, Zürich___Colin Raynal, Neuchâtel___Charlie Jeffery, ParisImage: Suresh Kumar // Bangalore.
For more information click here.
Darlingtonia, a participatory-performance by Sujit Mallik
A presentation by Indian artist Sujit Mallik who is currently on a studio residency at iaab Basel.
Darlingtonia, a participatory-performance by Sujit Mallik who is currently on a studio residency at iaab Basel.
When: 25 June 2014 at 6pm to 27 June 2014.
Where: At-vegetables garden, Merian Gardens
Vorder Brüglingen 5 Front Brüglingen 5 CH-4052 Basel CH-4052 Basel
Artist's statement
Darlingtonea sounds like an infection or a disease. An infection acquired from a dear one. (I can't live without you. If you won't come before me I'd probably die.) Darlingtonea is a genus of many ground beetles. Most of the time, they become the food of carnivorous plants.
This work is dedicated to that genus of darlingtonea beetles that are unaware that plants can trap them and kill them. The interaction between the darlingtonia and the plant becomes dreadful as they get trapped in a provocative tube like structure formed by the plant and are unable to escape because of the fake windows, which keep their attention diverted from the open door. At last they die.
This type of behaviour of a plant aroused my curiosity and resulted in my building this structure with edible things. The work is an attempt towards self-realisation.
Can "I" come out of this mindset that I represent the whole mankind?
To know more about Merian gardens click here. www.meriangaerten.ch
http://www.meriangaerten.ch
TAKE THAT! Performance highlights from Switzerland
Three eminent personalities from the field of theatre in India have been invited to Zurich to attend Take That! a performance festival.
Three eminent personalities from the field of theatre in India have been invited to attend Take That! a performance festival in Zurich from 5-8 June 2014.
Sankar Venkateswaran, theatre director and Director, International Theatre Festival of Kerala 2015, Arundhati Nag, prominent film and theatre personality and Director, Ranga Shankara, Bangalore and S. Surendranath, Artistic Director, Ranga Shankara, Bangalore have been invited to Switzerland in June 2014 to attend Take That! a performance festival in Zurich.
Fabriktheater Rote Fabrik, Tanzhaus and Gessnerallee Zürich will be presenting ten stellar positions from all over the country at their festival TAKE THAT! from 5 - 8 June 2014. The platform shows a subjective selection of strong artistic individuals and collectives featuring a distinct and original thumbprint.
The invitees will experience the performing arts scene in Switzerland, as well as have the chance to meet theatre and dance practitioners and build relevant networks for their institutions.
Through invitations such as these Pro Helvetia New Delhi hopes to create conditions that allow arts professionals and cultural practitioners to explore and address each other's cultures.
For more information on TAKE THAT! click here.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Frequently asked questions about the artist-in-residence programme, the application process, eligibility and more.
Questions related to myprohelvetia:
Q1) What browsers does myprohelvetia.ch run on?
The application runs on all commonly used browsers (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Opera and Safari).
Q2) What platforms does myprohelvetia.ch run on?
myprohelvetia.ch runs on Windows and on Mac operating systems.
Q3) What data formats can I upload?
There is no restriction as to data formats.
Q4) Is there any restriction with regard to the size of a file I want to upload?
Yes, there is. A single file may not exceed 10 megabytes. Depending on the speed of your internet connection, the upload of your documents may take a certain time.
Questions related to eligibility:
Q1) I am a Sri Lankan visual artist. Can I apply for the residency programme in Switzerland through the Pro Helvetia New Delhi office?
Pro Helvetia New Delhi is the liaison office of the Swiss Arts Council in South Asia. Artists holding nationalities of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are eligible to apply. Please note that it is essential that the artist be residing in his/ her home country at the time of application.
Q2) I am a creative writer with considerable number of years of experience behind me. Is this Residency open to creative writers as well?
Yes, the Residency is open to artists from visual arts, performing arts and applied arts as well as to writers, curators, musicians, organisers and art mediators. However, please note that your proposal should exhibit an intent to collaborate with a Swiss partner.
Q3) Is it essential to know either German, French or Italian to be eligible to apply for the Residency programme?
No. It is not essential to know German, French or Italian. However, a good working knowledge of English is essential.
Q4) I am a Design student. Do I need to have some work experience in my field, before I can apply for the Residency programme?
Students are not eligible to apply. You are advised to build on your portfolio and have a substantial body of work before you consider applying. You need to be a full fledged practising art practitioner for the Residency.
Q5) What is the difference between a Studio Residency and a Research Residency?
A studio residency (max. 3 months) gives artists the chance to gain a broad insight into a different cultural environment. The aim of the residency is to find inspiration, establish networks and contemplate new projects and cooperations. While a research residency is shorter (max. 4 weeks) and enables artists and cultural practitioners to carry out research. The aim of the research residency is to prepare an exchange project.
Q6) Is there an age limit after which artists are not eligible to apply?
No, there is no age limit. The Residency programme is meant to support art practitioners who are willing to engage with new cultures.
Q7) Whom does one select, as a referee, for the application?
An ideal referee would be someone from your area of speciality and/ or a prominent figure who knows your work well and has engaged with it.
Q8) What is the profile of the artists who have already been on the Residency programme?
To view a list of both South Asian and Swiss artists who have been on the Residency programme click here.
Q9) Is the Residency programme open to physically challenged artists?
The Residency programme is open to all. The jury selects the candidate for the Residency depending on merit and on being able to find an appropriate partner in the host country.
Q10) My spouse and I want to apply for the Residency together and are keen to be selected together. Is that a possibility?
Each artist is assessed individually by the jury.
Q11) I am a Swiss artist currently residing in India. Do I still need to apply through Pro Helvetia Zurich for a Residency in India?
All applications have to be submitted via myprohelvetia, Pro Helvetia's online portal. Visit www.myprohelvetia.ch for details.
Q12) Will Pro Helvetia New Delhi facilitate with visa processing?
Yes. Pro Helvetia New Delhi will assist in processing of the visa. However, it is the artist’s responsibility to submit the required documents well in time.
Q13) Can my spouse and child join me during the Residency?
Pro Helvetia covers costs for the selected artists only. Spouses and children are allowed to join the artists only if the host institutions are agreeable and additional costs and arrangements are met by the artists.
Q14) Does the Residency cover medical insurance for the duration of the time spent in Switzerland?
Pro Helvetia covers medical insurance for the artist for the duration of the time spent in the host country. However terms and conditions apply. It is important that the artist share any long-term medical condition prior to their departure.
Q15) Can I apply again incase my application of the previous year was unsuccessful?
Yes, you can apply again and submit your application form for the next application process. However, your application should include new aspects.
Q16) I am organising a residency programme for international artists in India and would like to invite a Swiss artist. Whom should I contact for assistance?
Please contact Pro Helvetia New Delhi. Contact details are available on www.prohelvetia.in
Guidelines for Funding Recipients
Workshop by lighting designer Jonathan O’Hear at Attakkalari, Bangalore
Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts has invited Swiss lighting designer Jonathan O'Hear to conduct diploma, repertory and community workshops.
Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts has invited Swiss lighting designer Jonathan O'Hear to conduct diploma, repertory and community workshops.
Date: 26 May - 6 June 2014
Venue: Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts
24-04, BTS Bus Depot Road, Wilson Garden, Behind Mandovi Motors, Bengaluru-560027
Entry: Contact Vijay Saravanan C R, Production Executive / Light Designer, TransMedia Technologies, Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts, 24-04, 1st Cross, Wilson Garden, Bangalore 560 027 / +91 9840222315
Synopsis: TransMedia Technologies, a division of Attakkalari, will be hosting Jonathan O'Hear, an internationally renowned lighting designer who is especially known for his work with light as an object of art and with unconventional ways of controlling light. Jonathan will be in Bangalore for two weeks, during which time he will be working closely with TransMedia's in-house Lighting Designers and Technicians to share his expertise and experience in the field of lighting design.
Over the weekend, Jonathan will also be conducting an Advanced workshop in lighting design which will be open to the public. The workshop is meant for lighting designers, choreographers, dancers, and anyone interested in studying light.This will be a workshop that deals with technology in lighting - both the technologies used in the past and developing and future technologies. In concordance with the multifaceted nature of light, the workshop will be a mix of theory, observation and sensing.
About the workshop:
For the workshop for the Diploma students of Attakkalari, Jonathan will address the foundations for understanding the impact of light on humans as well as the technicalities of applying the theory in a real artistic project (not necessarily a performance).
As for the workshop for general public to be held on 31 May & 1 June 2014, Jonathan will talk about lighting technology and human interference. (Introduction, discussion about using technology in lighting: Past technology/future technology, some limits of technology, why use new technologies? etc.) He will also present case studies to showcase use of video as light, use of humans instead of robots and the use of other types of interfaces than a lighting desk. In concordance with the multifaceted nature of light, the workshop will be a mix of theory, observation and sensing.
About Jonathan O'Hear Jonathan O'Hear trained as a filmmaker in Vancouver in the late 80's where he acquired a taste for manipulating light, sound and video in various contexts. Born in the UK, he grew up in Switzerland and elsewhere leading a rather nomadic lifestyle until around 2007. Today he lives in Switzerland and works primarily as a lighting designer for performing arts. 2013 marked his first exhibition as a contemporary artist and his commitment to the Neopost Foofwa dance company as joint artistic and operations director with Foofwa d'Imobilité. His interests in light revolve around three main themes, light as an artistic medium, the use of new technologies submitted to human interference, and light emitting objects. His work is often tainted by the idea that human imperfection transcends technological limitations. His recent collaborations include choreographers Foofwa d'Imobilité, Marie-Caroline Hominal, Prisca Harsch and sculptor Martin Rautenstrauch.
Jonathan has conducted workshops on the use of light as an artistic medium, in the Netherlands, India, South Africa and Mozambique, with the support of Pro Helvetia - Swiss Arts Council. He was invited to show his work by the Villa Bernasconi and the festival Antigel in Geneva.
Partner: Attakkalari Centre of Movements Arts, Bangalore www.attakkalari.org/
http://www.attakkalari.org/
Announcing recipients of Studio Residencies 2015 / 2016
Pro Helvetia New Delhi announces the names of the artists who have been awarded Studio Residencies for 2015 / 2016.
Pro Helvetia New Delhi announces the names of Indian and Swiss artists who have been selected by the jury to avail the Studio Residency it offers.
South Asian artists:
Diya Naidu (dance) / India
Hetal Chudasama (visual arts) / India
Megha Katyal (visual arts) / India
Swiss artists:
Corinne Maier (performing arts)
Heike Fiedler (literature)
Pascal Schwaighofer (visual 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; Mandeep Raikhy, choreographer and dancer; Surekha Anil Kumar, curator and artist; 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
Mirjam Fischer to collaborate with Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2014
Mirjam Fischer, a freelance Swiss book publisher and writer was in India to research collaboration with Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2014.
Mirjam Fischer was in India in May 2014 to meet Jitish Kallat, the curator of Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2014 to research potential collaboration with Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2014
Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2014 dates: 12 December 2014 to 29 March 2015
About Mirjam Fischer
A graduate from the University of Berne with a Master Degree in art history, Mirjam Fischer is a freelance book publisher. She has initiated, produced and realised among others a complex exhibition catalogue for the Kunstmuseum Bern, "The Weak Sex. Thematic Group Show of Contemporary Art," a monograph of Jean Tinguely's late work "Torpedo Institut" as well as the catalogue raisonné of Susi and Ueli Berger furniture design that will be published by Scheidegger & Spiess.
Furthermore, Mirjam extensively researched for graphic material for the artist book by Haris Epaminonda "Chapters I-XXX" that was published in conjunction with her exhibition at Kunsthaus Zürich in 2013. Simultaneously, she was in charge of the one day symposium "Rules & Schools" in Leipzig, Germany, that took place on the occasion of The Leipzig Book Fair, where Switzerland was the guest of honour in 2014. Lectures and talks illuminated questions about the historical relevance and timeliness of rules in Swiss book design. As a producer of books she had to accommodate the specific requirements of a particular book genre. In her role as a publisher, Mirjam had to address many questions such as - Can the artist's book be used as a platform of art and promote an artistic practice, must an exhibition catalogue or a short guide to the exhibition meet mainly service-oriented requirements?
(Photo credit: Veronique Hoegger)
Partner: Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2014 - kochimuzirisbiennale.org
Mandeep Raikhy presents Inhabited Geometry at STEPS in Switzerland
INHABITED GEOMETRY at Dance Festival STEPS scheduled to take place from 24 April to 17 May 2014.
Indian Choreographer Mandeep Raikhy of GATI Dance Forum India, has been invited to Switzerland along with his group of dancers to present INHABITED GEOMETRY at the DANCE FESTIVAL STEPS scheduled to take place from 24 April to 17 May 2014.
The multimedia work Inhabited Geometry uses transient imagery to present space as an unattainable dream, and seduces audiences with its rapid fusion of Indian Bharata Natyam and contemporary dance.
In a black and white space, the delicate and clearly defined contours of six dancers engender rapidly flowing movements to create a highly elaborate universe. In Inhabited Geometry, choreographer Mandeep Raikhy generates spaces that evoke both home and homeland, but which also make room for individuality, friction and conflict. German media artist Chris Ziegler compresses and layers the choreography using cinematic spaces, allowing the dancers to merge with the transient imagery and make one thing very clear: on the overpopulated Indian subcontinent, sufficient living space is a rare commodity.
While at home with the traditional Indian dance Bharata Natyam and the martial art Kalaripayattu, Mandeep Raikhy and his dancers are also very much in tune with contemporary European dance.
"Many dancers in India are trying to achieve this organic combination of Bharatanatyam and western forms of contemporary dance, but not every one of them is able to achieve the 'organic-ness' of it the way Mandeep and his dancers have." DANCECRITIQUE ANON
choreography Mandeep Raikhy |
music Ish Shehrawat + diFfuSed beats (Sound Reasons) |
multimedia design Chris Ziegler |
dancers 6 |
length 60 min. without an interval
MANDEEP RAIKHY
Mandeep Raikhy was a dancer at the Shabana Jeyasign Dance Company in London between 2005 and 2009. He has been managing director of the Gati Dance Forums in Delhi since 2009. As a choreographer, he's interested in fusing India's traditional dance styles with contemporary dance. His first full-length work,Inhabited Geometry, was a success in India in 2010/11. Raikhy holds a BA from the Laban Dance Centre in London.
CHRIS ZIEGLER
After studying architecture and media art, Chris Ziegler focused his efforts on the interaction between video, dance and performance. As a freelance media artist, he designed multimedia and interactive dance workshops for the Goethe Institute in the Ukraine, Singapore and Japan and worked for William Forsythe's ballet company in Frankfurt (1999-2004). He was made an associate artist in 1993 and has worked as an assistant lecturer at the Center for Art and Media in Karlsruhe since 2001.
TOUR
25.04. ZürichTheaterhaus Gessnerallee, 20:00 discussion
27.04. MoutierSalle de Chantemerle, 19:00 discussion, 20:15
30.04. Le Lignon - VernierSalle des Fêtes de Lignon, 20:00 introduction
03.05. BernDampfzentrale Bern, 20:00 introduction, 19:00
04.05. OltenKulturzentrum Schützi Olten, 20:30 introduction, 20:15
06.05. SteckbornPhoenix Theater 81, 20:15 discussion
For more information visit http://www.steps.ch/Programme/Agenda-Detail?uniqueId=161156_161158_2014042520140425
Architecture Biennale in Venice
Under the title of «A stroll through a fun palace», Hans Ulrich Obrist will present a multi-faceted project at the Architecture Biennale in Venice.
Pavilion of Switzerland at the 14th International Architecture Exhibition -la Biennale di Venezia
Lucius Burckhardt and Cedric Price - A stroll through a fun palace
Curated by Hans Ulrich Obrist
In collaboration with Herzog & de Meuron, Atelier Bow-Wow, Lorenza Baroncelli, StefanoBoeri, Eleanor Bron, Liam Gillick, Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster, Dan Graham, Dorothea vonHantelmann, Samantha Hardingham, Koo Jeong-a, Philippe Parreno, Asad Raza, Tino Sehgal,Mirko Zardini, and others
Opening: Friday 6 June 2014, 5.30 pm
Exhibition: 7 June to 23 November 2014
Lucius Burckhardt and Cedric Price - A stroll through a fun palace is a multi-facetedproject by Hans Ulrich Obrist to be presented by the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia at theSwiss Pavilion in the Giardini from 7 June to 23 November 2014.
In a digital time of unlimited access to information, where everyone can be an architect, acurator, an intellectual thinker, Hans Ulrich Obrist's Lucius Burckhardt and Cedric Price - Astroll through a fun palace revisits the recent past of architecture through retrospectivesof Lucius Burckhardt (1925-2003) and Cedric Price (1934-2003), reflecting on its future inthe 21st century.'We often invent the future with elements from the past. Lucius Burckhardt (1925-2003)and Cedric Price (1934-2003) were two great visionaries whose work resonates andinspires new generations in the 21st century.
At the core of both their work is a practice of drawing. At the centre of the project will be the archives of drawings of Cedric andLucius, of which different aspects will be revealed throughout the Biennale. 'A strollthrough a fun palace' in collaboration with architects and artists will present a laboratorywhere the ideas of Cedric and Lucius can be toolboxes to invent the future.'(Hans Ulrich Obrist, February 2014)
For more information click here.
