In the Gorges of the Balkans: 88 Artists at Kunsthalle Fridericianum
From August 30 to November 23, 2003, René Block, the director of Kunsthalle Fridericianum in Kassel, Germany, unveils "In the Gorges of the Balkans, A Report." This exhibition highlights the works of 88 artists from the Balkan region, challenging Western misconceptions about the area. Focusing on art from the 1960s and 1970s, it features both local talents and expatriates, including Marina Abramovic, whose piece Balkan Baroque earned the Golden Lion at the 1997 Venice Biennale. The exhibition explores issues such as migration, racism, and nationalism. This event marks the first part of a trilogy, with the second segment taking place in Balkan capitals until May 2004, and the final part returning to Fridericianum in summer 2004, funded by the German Federal Cultural Foundation.
Key facts
- Exhibition 'In the Gorges of the Balkans, A Report' at Kunsthalle Fridericianum, Kassel, Germany, from August 30 to November 23, 2003.
- Curated by René Block, featuring 88 artists from all Balkan states and regions.
- Title borrowed from Karl May's novel, critiquing Western stereotypes of the Balkans as dangerous and exotic.
- Highlights art from the 1960s and 1970s, including works by Marina Abramovic, Jannis Kounellis, and others.
- Two main artistic trends: examination of social role and focus on local Balkan issues like transition, nationalism, and migration.
- Part one of a trilogy; part two in Balkan capitals until May 2004, part three at Fridericianum in summer 2004.
- Sponsored by the German Federal Cultural Foundation.
- Critic Bojana Pejic contextualizes the exhibition within the Stability Pact for the Balkans and EU enlargement.
Entities
Artists
- René Block
- Cengiz Çekil
- Tomislav Gotovac
- Ian Grigeroscu
- Rasa Todosijevic
- Jannis Kounellis
- Andre Cadere
- Serge Spitzer
- Sarkis
- Marina Abramovic
- Dan Perjovschi
- Tanja Dabo
- Adrian Paci
- Memed Erdner
- Maria Papadimtriov
- Cosmin Gradinaru
- Gülsün Karamustafa
- Veronika Tzekova
- Milica Tomic
- Dragana
- Esra Ersen
- Lina Theodorova
- Hale Tanger
- Gertian Shkurti
- Selja Kameric
- Sokol Beqiri
- Sener Öymen
- Erkan Öygen
- Eda Cufer
- Roger Conover
- Peter Weibel
- Harald Szeemann
- Dimitrije Basicevic-Mangelos
- Marjetica Potrc
- Bojana Pejic
- Marianne Groves
- Karl May
- Maria Todorova
Institutions
- Kunsthalle Fridericianum
- Neue Galerie Graz
- Collection Essl – Contemporary Art
- Tate Modern
- Biennale di Venezia
- German Federal Cultural Foundation
- United Nations
Locations
- Kassel
- Germany
- Albania
- Bosnia-Herzegovina
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Greece
- Kosovo
- Macedonia
- Montenegro
- Romania
- Serbia
- Slovenia
- Turkey
- Belgrade
- Rome
- Paris
- New York
- Milan
- Vienna
- Graz
- Diyarbakir
- Istanbul
- Srebrenica
Sources
- artpress —