10 februarie 2009

Deschiderea oficiala a PAVILION UNICREDIT, centrul pentru arta si cultura contemporana, cu expozitia "STATEMENT" curatoriata de Lia Perjovschi

Stimate colege,
Stimati colegi,

O.A.R. National anunta inaugurarea PAVILIONULUI UNICREDIT - primul centru pentru arta si cultura contemporana din Romania - Adresa: Sos. Nicolae Titulescu nr. 1 (Piata Victoriei) Bucuresti
Email: pavilion@pavilionmagazine.org
T: 031 103 4131

Sunteti invitati sa participati joi 19 februarie 2009 incepand cu ora 11:00 la deschiderea oficiala a pavilionului si la vernisajul expozitiei "STATEMENT" (ora 19:00).
Pentru detalii va invitam sa consultati materialul alaturat.

Cu stima,

10 februarie 2009

Secretar Executiv
arh. Cornelia Burcus

DESCHIDEREA OFICIALA PAVILION UNICREDIT
CU "STATEMENT", CURATOR: LIA PERJOVSCHI

BUCURESTI - Joi, 19 februarie 2009, va avea loc deschiderea oficiala a PAVILION UNICREDIT, centrul pentru arta si cultura contemporana, cu expozitia "STATEMENT" curatoriata de Lia Perjovschi.

Programul zilei:

11.00 - 12.00 -- Conferinta de presa, urmata de un tur explicativ al centrului si al expozitiei.

12.00 - 13.00 -- Sesiune de Q&A (intrebari si raspunsuri). Participanti: Lia Perjovschi, Eugen Radescu, Razvan Ion, Andrei Craciun.

19.00 -- Deschiderea oficiala a expozitiei "STATEMENT", curator: Lia Perjovschi.

21.00 -- Punch Glam Party with kitschy pop music video projection.

"STATEMENT", curator: Lia Perjovschi
19 februarie - 19 aprilie 2009

Pentru prima data in ultimii 20 de ani o banca devine centru de arta. Un centru in centrul orasului si nu in periferie asa cum logica tranzitiei ne-a obisnuit pana acum. Spatiile artei contemporane care nu au fost dislocate, inchise sau aruncate la margine, devin tot mai mici sau tot mai comerciale. Istoria artei contemporane romanesti este istoria pierderilor. un loc, o bursa, un om, niste idei. Si ca intodeauna o exagerare e acoperita de alta, lipsa unitatilor diverse este politic acoperita cu Unitatea Centrala, prea mare si prea dependenta: muzeul.

O revista de arta care a creat o BIenala si acum deschide UN centru permanent pentru arta contemporana.
In mijlocul PAVILION UNICREDIT nu sta cum am putea crede "spectacolul", ci "arhiva/informatia". Fundamentala este "cunoasterea", resursa.

Orice loc nou si orice proiect nou incepe cu un "statement". In limba romana: "declaratie de credinta". Ce se vrea si ce ar putea fi acel loc.

STATEMENT este un plan de expozitie. Un traseu. Un proces. Story board-ul unui centru de arta contemporana astazi. O demonstratie conceptuala a liniilor de forta care ordoneaza viata intelectuala si viata pur si simplu. Un program multidisciplinar alcatuit cu modestie (carti, ziare, citate). O banca de date si de posibilitati. Arta nu-i de una singura. Arta este asezata in context cultural, politic si stiintific. Lucrari care daca sunt vazute trebuie date cadou, replici mai interesante decat originalul, sute de artisti in text, imagini, cartoline. Istoria institutionala in pungi. O harta de idei care o poate lua razna sau se poate structura linistit. Un laborator in care publicul devine cercetator.

STATEMENT rupe cercul vicios alcatuit din umilinta financiara, imbecilitate birocratica, neintelegere si nestiinta culturala, autism institutional, reducerea la starea de a cere si de a fi mereu respins fara explicatii, starea lui "totul impotriva ta" si foloseste resursele "Do It Yourself" pe care curatorul cercetator le-a coagulat 20 de ani.

Ce definim ca obiect artistic? De unde pana unde se poate intinde cercetarea artistica?
Cat de liberi suntem in gandire?
Fara sa stim am devenit conservatori. Am vrea sa fim avangardisti sa rasturnam lucrurile dar le facem in aceeasi logica. Ne plangem de aceleasi lucruri. Repetam acelesi greseli. Suntem cultural in efectul tunel.

Ce este de facut?
Daca schimbam unghiul de vedere? Daca ne uitam pe ambele parti ale lunetei? Aici in univers. Aici pe pamant. Aici in Romania. Aici in PAVILION.
In STATEMENT resursa nu este numai teoreticianul de arta sau filosoful culturii ci si artistul, cosmonautul, specialistul in string theory, astrologul si inventatorul.
Sunt artistii inventatori? Cum arata lumea vazuta dinafara lumii?
Este un tricou arta? Este o cartolina o lucrare de arta? Ce ne spun imaginile downloadate de pe internet si pe urma trase la aparatul de copiat? Ce inseamna acces democratic la informatie? Pentru cat timp ne putem baza pe antologia populara? De ce Second Life imita viata?

Stim din ce suntem facuti (genomul), stim unde ne aflam (universul), stim insa de ce?
(Lia Perjovschi tradusa pentru presa de Dan Perjovschi)

Ce este PAVILION UNICREDIT

Majoritatea celor 140 de milioane de locuitori ai Rusiei traiesc in blocuri comuniste, in apartamente pe care le numesc "Hrusciovchi", dupa numele fostului lider comunist in vremea caruia au fost construite, in anii '60. Totul a pornit insa de la Stalin. El le-a gandit si le-a pus in practica. tara dominata timp de 45 de ani de catre Rusia, Romania se poate mindri cu acelasi tip de habitat. "Hrusciovchi" au niste bucatarii minuscule, ceea ce reprezinta un mare pas inainte fata de asa-numitele "kommunalki" (acestea aveau bucatariile, baile si uneori chiar si dormitoarele la comun). Ideea omului nou, care nu are nimic de ascuns, a trecut in plan secund. Astazi, confortul devine arma principala a propagandei.
Asezat in Piata Victoriei, PAVILION UNICREDIT, se afla la parterul unui astfel de bloc, spatiu devenit sediu de banca in 1993, si ramas la fel timp de 15 ani. Constructia blocului a inceput in timpul regimului comunist si a fost finalizata la 5 ani dupa caderea acestuia. "Hrusciovchi" din centrul Bucurestilor este martorul transformarilor unei societati staliniste catre o societate capitalista puternic marcata politic si social. PAVILION UNICREDIT foloseste acest spatiu pentru mesajele sale, pentru pozitionare (vizavi de cladirea puterii executive - Guvernul Romaniei) cit si pentru istoria sa, brusc uitata. Un spatiu fara o istorie speciala, al istoriei intrerupte, al intirzierilor revolutionare. Un spatiu al cunoasterii si al interesului in societate, oras si comunitate.
PAVILION UNICREDIT este un spatiu independent work-in-progress, un spatiu de productie si cercetare al vizualului, al discursivului si al performativului. Este un loc al gindirii critice si care promoveaza o intelegere implicata socio-politic a artei si a institutiilor culturale. Functia vitala a spatiului va ramine, insa, concretizarea.

PAVILION UNICREDIT va organiza 3-4 expozitii anual, evenimente discursive, un program de proiectii de filme si un program educational informal numit Free Academy.

In spatiul centrului va functiona una dintre cele mai importante zone de informare din tara compusa din CONTEMPORARY ART ARCHIVE (o arhiva creata de Lia si Dan Perjovschi) si PAVILION RESOURCE ROOM (o non-arhiva creata de Razvan Ion si Eugen Radescu).

Designul spatiului, architectura sa, a fost realizata de un arhitect roman vizionar, Adriana Mereuta, care a incercat relaxarea unei structuri comuniste. Spatiul este neobisnuit pentru un centru de arta contemporana si a fost realizat astfel incit sa pastreze elementele spatiului original, al constructiei de tip comunist, in acelasi timp adaugind functionalitate si concept utilitatii acestuia, pastrind in centrul sau ca punct de greutate arhivele/informatia.

Despre UniCredit Tiriac Bank

UniCredit Tiriac Bank este o institutie financiara ale carei activitati de sustinere cultural artistica pun un accent deosebit pe zona artelor vizuale, acoperind totodata domeniul muzical si al literaturii. Banca sustine financiar primul centru independent de arta si cultura deschis sub numele Pavilion UniCredit, fiind, totodata, partener strategic al Bienalei Internationale de Arta Contemporana Bucuresti. Componenta cultural artistica a strategiei de etica si responsabilitate a bancii se concretizeaza in implicarea sa in proiecte pe termen lung, pe care le finanteaza in calitate de partener principal - Festivalul International de Film Anonimul, Festivalul International George Enescu sau proiectul de arta comunitara metroArt -, deruland totodata initiative proprii precum este concursul de debut literar UniCredit.

(informatii si fisier PDF: http://center.pavilionmagazine.org/comunicat_19ian09.pdf)

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Echipa

Director: Razvan Ion
Research Curator: Lia Perjovschi
Coordinator: Andrei Craciun
Project manager: Raluca Pop
Assistant Director: Ioana Nitu
Website/Software design: Alexandru Enachioaie
Space Design/Architecture: Adriana Mereuta
Intern: Silvia Vasilescu

Board

Dan Perjovschi
Eugen Radescu (presedinte)
Ioana Paun
Felix Vogel

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PAVILION UNICREDIT este primul centru pentru arta si cultura contemporana din Romania si este rezultatul unei colaborari indelungate intre revista PAVILION, BUCHAREST BIENNALE si UNICREDIT TIRIAC BANK.

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PAVILION, BUCHAREST BIENNALE, PAVILION UNICREDIT sint proiecte concepute si fondate de Razvan Ion & Eugen Radescu.

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Adresa: Sos. Nicolae Titulescu nr. 1 (Piata Victoriei) Bucuresti
Email: pavilion@pavilionmagazine.org
T: 031 103 4131

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Program de vizitare:
Marti-Vineri 12.00 - 19.00, Simbata-Duminica 14.00 - 21.00, Luni - inchis

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Sustinut de: Pilsner Urquell
Parteneri media: Hotnews, 24Fun, Feeder.ro, Alternativ.ro, revista 22.

www.pavilionunicredit.ro

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PAVILION UNICREDIT OFFICIAL OPENING
WITH "STATEMENT" CURATED BY LIA PERJOVSCHI

BUCHAREST, February 19th, 2009: PAVILION UNICREDIT, the centre for contemporary art and culture, announces its official opening with the exhibition "STATEMENT", curated by Lia Perjovschi.

The Day's Agenda:

11.00 - 12.00: Press conference, followed by a presentation tour of the centre and the exhibition.

12.00 - 13.00: Q&A Session (Questions & Answers - open discussion). Participants: Lia Perjovschi, Eugen Radescu, Razvan Ion, Andrei Craciun.

19.00: Official opening of the exhibition "STATEMENT". Curator: Lia Perjovschi.

21.00: Punch Glam Party with kitschy pop music video projection.

"STATEMENT" exhibition, curated by Lia Perjovschi
February 19th - April 19th 2009

For the first time in the last twenty years, a bank becomes an art centre. A centre in the centre of the city, not at its outskirts, as we were used so far by the logic of transition. The spaces for contemporary art, had they not been already displaced, closed or thrown at the periphery, are becoming smaller and smaller or more business-related. The history of the Romanian contemporary art is the history of the losses - a place, a market, a man, a few ideas. And, as always, an exaggeration is surpassed by an other, and the lack of the assorted art units is politically concealed by the ever too big and too dependent Central Unit: the museum.

An art magazine created a BIennale and now opens ONE permanent centre for the contemporary art.

The midpoint of PAVILION UNICREDIT is not "the show", as some may think, but "the archive/ information". The main focus here is the "the knowledge", the resource.

Any new place and any new project starts with a STATEMENT. In Romanian: declararatie de credinta. What the place want to be, and what it might be.

STATEMENT is an expositional plan. A route. A process. The storyboard of a contemporary art centre nowadays. A conceptual expression for the lines of force structuring the intellectual life and the life in general. A multidisciplinary programme created with modesty (books, newspapers, quotations). A data bank and a possibilities bank. Art is not alone. Art is positioned in a cultural, political and scientific framework. Works of art admired and then given away as gifts, replicas more interesting than the original, hundreds of artists in texts, images, postcards. Institutional history in bags. A map of ideas that may go wild or may structure itself peacefully. A laboratory where the spectators become researchers.

STATEMENT breaks the vicious circle built up out of financial humiliation, bureaucratic imbecility, cultural ignorance and lack of understanding, institutional autism, the reduction to the state of always asking and always being rejected without any explanations, and the state of "everything against you". STATEMENT uses the "Do-It-Yourself" resources that the curator-researcher has coalesced for the last twenty years.

What do we define as an artistic object? Where should the artistic research start and how far can it go? How free is our thinking?
We have become conservative without even knowing it. We wish to be avant-gardists, to overthrow things, but we do everything within the same logic frame. We complain about the same things. We reiterate the same mistakes. Culturally, we are in the tunnel effect.

What can be done?
What if we change the perspective? What if we watch through the both ends of the telescope? Here in Universe. Here on Earth. Here in Romania. Here in Pavilion.
The resource in STATEMENT is not only the art theorist or the cultural philosopher, but also the artist, the astronaut, the string theory specialist, the astronomer and the inventor.
Are the artists also inventors? How does the world look when seen from outside the world?
Is a T-shirt art? Is a postcard a work of art? What do some images tell us when they are downloaded from the Internet and then xerocopied? What does the democratic access to information imply? For how long can we count on the popular anthology? Why does Second Life imitate life?

We know what we are made from (our genome), we know where we are (in the Universe), but do we know why? (Lia Perjovschi translated for media by Dan Perjovschi).

What is PAVILION UNICREDIT

Most of the 140 million inhabitants from Russia are living in Communist block of flats, in apartments they call hruschiovi ("khrushchevs"), after the name of the former Communist leader of the '60s, the period when they were built. But the initiator of the project was actually Stalin. He imagined them and he also turned the project into reality. As a country dominated by Russia for 45 years, Romania may pride itself on the same type of habitat. Hruschiovi have some small kitchenettes, and this was a big step forward, as compared to the so-called kommunalki (they had common kitchens, common bathrooms and, sometimes, even common bedrooms. The idea of the New Man, who has nothing to hide, went into the background. Today the comfort becomes the main propagandistic tool.

PAVILION UNICREDIT is located in Victoria Square, at the ground floor of such an apartment building. The aforementioned space became a banking center in 1993 and it has stayed like this for the last 15 years. The actual building of the edifice started in the years of the communist regime and it was concluded five years after the fall of the communism. The hruschiovi from the center of Bucharest have witnessed the changes of a Stalinist society into a capitalist society, with strong social and political marks. PAVILION UNICREDIT uses this space for its messages, for its location (right across the center of the executive power - the Romanian Government building) and, moreover, for its hastily forgotten history. It is a space without an extraordinary history, a space of the broken up history, of the revolutionary delays. A space for the knowledge and interest in society, city and community.

PAVILION UNICREDIT is a work-in-progress independent space, a space for the production and research in the fields of visual, discursive and performative. It is a space of the critical thinking, and it promotes a certain artistic perspective on art and cultural institutions, one that implies a socio-political involvement. Still, the basic function of the space will remain the concretisation.

PAVILION UNICREDIT will set up every year three-four exhibitions, discursive events, a film projection schedule and an informal educational program entitled The Free Academy.

The centre will shelter one of the most important areas of information in the entire country, which is constituted of the CONTEMPORARY ART ARCHIVE (archive created by Lia and Dan Perjovschi) and the PAVILION RESOURCE ROOM (a non-archive created by Razvan Ion and Eugen Radescu).

The structural design, the architecture of the space was created by Adriana Mereuta, one of the most remarkable Romanian architects. The space is an unusual one for a centre of contemporary art and it was designed in such a way so as to preserve the elements of the original space, of the Communist building. Simultaneously, the architectural project added functionality and conception to is utility, while maintaining as centre of gravity, in its core, the archives/informations.

About UniCredit Tiriac Bank

UniCredit Tiriac Bank is a financial institution whose activities of cultural support place a significant emphasis on visual arts, also covering the areas of music and literature. The bank financially supports the first independent contemporary art and culture centre opened under the name of Pavilion UniCredit, being at the same time a strategic partener of the Bucharest Biennale of Contemporary Art. The cultural component of its sustainability strategy is visible in the bank's involvement in long-term projects which it supports as a main partner - Anonimul International Film Festival, George Enescu International Festival or the metroArt Community Art Project - also developing own initiatives as the UniCredit Literary Debut competition and the grant program offered to prominent post-graduate students of the National Art University in Bucharest.

(for PDF file and more info: http://center.pavilionmagazine.org/en/pressrelease_19jan09.pdf)

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Team

Director: Razvan Ion
Research Curator: Lia Perjovschi
Coordinator: Andrei Craciun
Project manager: Raluca Pop
Assistant Director: Ioana Nitu
Website/ Software design: Alexandru Enachioaie
Space Design/ Architecture: Adriana Mereuta
Intern: Silvia Vasilescu

Board

Dan Perjovschi
Eugen Radescu (chairman)
Ioana Paun
Felix Vogel

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PAVILION UNICREDIT is the first centre for contemporary art and culture from Romania and it is the result of an extended cooperation between PAVILION magazine, BUCHAREST BIENNALE and UNICREDIT TIRIAC BANK.

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The projects PAVILION, BUCHAREST BIENNALE, PAVILION UNICREDIT are devised and founded by Razvan Ion and Eugen Radescu.

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Visiting address: Sos. Nicolae Titulescu, 1 (Victoria Square), Bucharest
E-mail: pavilion@pavilionmagazine.org
Telephone: 031-103-4131

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Opening hours:
Tuesday-Friday: 12.00 - 19.00 p.m.
Saturday-Sunday: 14.00 - 21.00 p.m.
Closed on Mondays

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Supported by: Pilsner Urquell
Media partners: Hotnews, 24Fun, Feeder.ro, Alternativ.ro, 22 magazine.