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20/9/2012

October Salon

Geodetic Institute, Belgrade

curated by Branislav Dimitrijević & Mika Hannula

Participants: Vladimir Arsenijević, Mladen Bizumić, Biljana Đurđević, Mirjana Đurđević, Expodium – Bart Witte & Nikos Doulos, Annika von Hausswolff, Vlatka Horvat, Ana Hušman, Villu Jaanisoo, Aleksandar Jestrović Jamesdin, Anssi Kasitonni, Karsten Konrad, Jukka Korkeila, Wolfgang Krause & Silvia Lorenz, Ana Krstić, Svebor Midžić, China Mieville, Vladimir Miladinović, Nebojša Milikić, Ahmet Ogut, Slobodan D. Pešić and Vladan Caričić, Saša Rakezić – Zograf, Dubravka Sekulić, Branislava Stefanović, Mladen Stilinović, Dubravka Stojanović, Samuil Stoyanov, Annika Strom, Pilvi Takala, Berit Talpsepp, Raša Todosijević, Miloš Tomić, Sreten Ugričić, XYZ – Matei Gavula & Milan Tittel, Marko Živković

This year’s October Salon will be located at the building of the former Geodetic Institute, built in 1905–1907 as the Belgrade Shareholders’ Association, one of the most beautiful but also one of the most neglected monumental edifices in Belgrade. This inspirational location will be used as a space of ad hoc transformation, where the works will be “implanted” in its present condition and in its existing historical narrative and architectural design.

The exhibition GOOD LIFE / ГУД ЛАЈФ – Physical narratives and spatial imaginations confronts the changes and challenges of the past 20 years, and running, of course. It is a collection of site-specific works that faces the dilemmas of our contemporary lives, the mess we are in, and the hopes we try to hold on to or to re-generate.

And yes, Belgrade is where it is at. This is where it begins, and this is where it returns—while using this particular building, the city, as a trampoline, as a catapult. It is localized and particular, but not empty or closed up, actively connecting the dots between here and there, then and now.

The artworks provide a situated and motivated visual and conceptual commentary on its physical, perceptual and narrative properties vis-à-vis the context of the current social, political and economic crisis. It is a crisis that we are confronted with in all parts of the world, and through all areas of our everyday experiences. It is not only a crisis in the political, economic and social spheres, but also a crisis of social imagination. It is a crisis of confidence, of where and how to address the issues of social hope and a good, good life. Not as a cynical enterprise, but as a way of feeling for the other, in the sense of both laughing at and with someone.

The intention of this exhibition is to seek modes of translation and transformation of space (both physical and social), as pre-given and static, into place as provisional and transitional. The openness of this exchange allows circumventing a mere spectacularization, instrumentalization or commodification of the artworks, but also the one-dimensionality of a social (or political) objective, consensus, or destination of an artistic act defined and decided on in advance.

This year’s October Salon is the result of the collaboration between two curators known for their previous joint projects (such as the exhibition Situated Self – Confused, Compassionate, Conflictual, in Belgrade and Helsinki in 2005). Joining them for the production of a book on the exhibition are Svebor Midžić, editor, and Andrej Dolinka, visuals.

Branislav Dimitrijević is a curator, writer and lecturer in art history and visual culture based in Belgrade.
Mika Hannula is a professor, writer, curator and critic, born in Finland, based in Berlin.

Organizer: The Cultural Centre of Belgrade

The founder and patron of the October Salon is the City of Belgrade.
Supported by the Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Serbia.
Municipality Old Town Belgrade, FRAME Foundation, Mondrian Foundation, SAHA Association, Swedish Embassy in Belgrade, Embassy of Finland, Heartefact Fund.

For more information, please contact Ana Đokić, PR & Marketing Manager: ana.djokic@kcb.org.rs

Press preview: Friday, September 21, noon

Opening: Saturday, September 22, 1pm

The former building of the Geodetic Institute
Karađorđeva 48, Belgrade

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