24/08/2024 - 02/09/2024
The Arts of Resistance (TAoR) project, initiated by Ruth Anderwald and Leonhard Grond from the art organization HASENHERZ, aims to reveal the links between historical, cultural, social, political and physical ecologies of resistance to fascism through a co-creative approach. Such an approach includes historical research, art workshops and talks with experts, and an international youth exchange at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna, an exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Zagreb, art in public space presented in collaboration with schools and the University of Arts in Braunschweig, and a publication.
After the summer, the Exchange Week began in Vienna, bringing together artists, researchers and activists from different parts of the world.
The first workshop was led by artist-researcher Jo O'Brien, on the subject of the concept of sustainable resistance as a basis for long-term action.
The Documentation Center of the Austrian Resistance (DÖW) was visited and held under the leadership of its permanent staff. The exhibition provided a deep insight into Austrian history, displaying artifacts of the resistance against fascism.
On the third evening, Martin Krenn presented his film "Aufzeichnungen zum Widerstand" (Notes on Resistance), which explores the courageous acts of resistance against fascism in Austria, Spain and France during the 1930s and 1940s. After the screening, the participants took part in a detailed discussion about the film's themes and messages.
The exhibition "The Last Days of Democracy" was led by the artist Deborah Sengl and Barbara Staudinger, director of the Jewish Museum. There was also a meeting with Preeti Kathurij, a writer, curator and researcher from India. Preeti presented the project "Seeding Change: India Contemporary Art Practices and the Agrarian Crisis", which sheds light on the agricultural land crisis, often neglected amid the romanticized perception of rural life. Through contemporary art, Preeti emphasized the importance of critical reflection on the complexities of the agricultural industry and farmers' protests.
The second workshop was led by Gelavizh Abolhassani, an Iranian artist and researcher, who shared her work and research against oppression in Iran. Through comparisons of artistic freedoms in Austria and Iran, participants had the opportunity to think more deeply about the role of art in sociopolitical contexts.
Guests from outside Europe, including Liat Brix-Etgar, Barak Pelman and Adi Stern from the Bezalel Academy of Fine Arts in Jerusalem, presented their provocative project "Guidelines for Free Speech and Creative Freedom in War", aimed at encouraging mutual respect and learning from each other, especially in the most challenging situations.
At the end of Exchange Week, artist Jo Schmeiser presented her award-winning film "Widerstandsmomente" (Moments of Resistance). This film was an emotional reflection of the topics we explored during the week and helped prepare us for the coming months, when the works for the exhibition at MSU will be created. The exhibition will be held from 8 May until 22 June 2025.
More information available on the project web site: https://culture-of-resistance.eu/
A Creative Europe Project (CREA 2027) | Co-funded by the European Union.
The project is supported by the City of Zagreb and the Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia.
