23. Međunarodni festival multimedijalne umetnosti - IMAF 2021

23rd International Multimedial Art Festival - IMAF 2021

28. 08. 2021 - 05. 09. 2021. Novi Sad - Odžaci

 

 

To meet this year's 23rd International Multimedial Art Festival, at the beginning of the year, we had to take into account the current pandemic situation. Not knowing how the situation would catch us during the festival, we invited artists to send their videos of performances, realized in the first half of this year, to an open competition. From last year's experience, when we also successfully realized the online presentation of video works of authors around the world, we transferred many positive opportunities this year as well. From the video works and photos, sent for this year's online presentation, a multimedia exhibition called "The Voice of the Locked" will be set up. Participants in the online presentation and exhibition "Voice of the Locked" in the SULUV gallery in Novi Sad are 83 artists from 36 countries. The exhibition will be held from August 30th to September 4th, 2021. The presentation of video works online, on the YouTube channel of the IMAF festival, will be held from August 28th to September 5th, 2021. Following the current situation and the abolition of restrictive measures at the end of spring, in the region and beyond, we decided to invite interested artists for live performances. Believing that the artists will perform live, face to face with the audience, they do not have an adequate alternative. 14 artists from Italy, Czech Republic, USA, United Kingdom, Spain, Hungary, Ukraine, Australia/Germany and Serbia were invited for the live performance program. The live performance program will be held in the following dates: August 28th on the square in front of the Sports Center Odzaci, September 3rd and 4th in the SULUV gallery in Novi Sad and on September 5th in the abandoned Motel "Sumice" in Odzaci.

 

Idući u susret ovogodišnjem 23. Međunarodnom festivalu multimedijalne umetnosti, početkom godine, morali smo uzeti u obzir aktuelnu pandemijsku situaciju. Neznajući kako će nas stanje zateći u vreme održavanja festivala pozvali smo umetnike da, na otvoreni konkurs, šalju svoje video zapise performansa, realizovanih u prvoj polovini ove godine. Iz prošlogodišnjeg iskustva, kada smo takođe uspešno realizovali onlajn prezentaciju video radova performansa autora širom sveta, preneli smo i u ovu godinu mnoge pozitivne mogućnosti. Od video radova i fotografija, poslatih za ovogodišnju onlajn prezentaciju, biće postavljena multimedijalna izložba pod nazivom “Glas zaključanih” (The voice of the locked). Učesnici onlajn prezentacije i izložbe “Glas zaključanih” u galeriji SULUV u Novom Sadu su 83 umetnika iz 36 zemalja. Izložba će biti održana od 30. avgusta do 04. septembra 2021. godine. Prezentacija video radova onlajn, na YouTube kanalu festivala IMAF, će biti održana od 28. avgusta do 05. septembra 2021. godine. Prateći aktuelnu situaciju i ukidanjem restriktivnih mera krajem proleća, u regionu i šire, odlučili smo da pozovemo zainteresovane umetnike za nastupe uživo. Verujući da nastupi umetnika uživo, oči u oči sa publikom, nemaju adekvatnu alternativu. Za program performansa uživo pozvano je 14 umetnika iz Italije, Češke, SAD, Velike Britanije, Španije, Mađarske, Ukrajine, Australije/Nemačke i Srbije. Program performansa uživo će biti održan u sledećim terminima: 28. avgusta na trgu ispred Sportskog centra Odžaci, 03. i 04. septembra u galeriji SULUV, u Novom Sadu i 05. septembra u prostoru napuštenog Motela “Šumice” u Odžacima. 

IMAF 2021 PROGRAM:

- From August 28th to September 5th, 2021 video presentation of 67 performances online, 83 artists from 36 countries around the world. You can follow the presentations every day from 19:00 CET, on the following YouTube address: https://www.youtube.com/user/imafoffice/videos

- August 28th, 2021 at 15:00, Square in front of the Sports Center, Odzaci - THE DAY OF THE RABBIT - Spike Mclarrity from United Kingdom.

- From August 30th to September 4th, 2021 in the SULUV Gallery in Novi Sad will be held exhibition with the title "The voice of the locked". Exhibition of the photographs, digital prints and presentation of video works.

- August 31st, 2021 Online LIVE performance by art group Digital Dramaturgy Lab_squared at 4pm-5.30pm Serbian / German time (10am - 11.30am Toronto time). Those interested can use the following link: https.//www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tYsuJ6sYmA

- September 4th, 2021 Online LIVE exhibition opening by Digital Dramaturgy Lab_squared at 4pm-5pm Serbian / Germany time (10am – 11am Toronto time).

- September 3rd, 2021 at 6pm in the SULUV Gallery in Novi Sad - Opening of the festival: The festival will be opened by Svetlana Mladenov, art historian and art critic.

- On September 3rd, 2021 in the SULUV Gallery in Novi Sad - live performances. Performances start in 6 pm.
Performances by next artists:
- Nenad Bogdanovic (Serbia)
- Daniela Beltrani (Italy)
- Anna Prokopová (Czech)
- Joseph Ravens (USA)
- Analía Beltrán i Janés (Spain)
- Syporca Whandal & Lázár Simon Baján (Hungary)

- On September 4th, 2021 in the SULUV Gallery in Novi Sad - live performances. Performances start in 6 pm.
Performances by next artists:
- Tetiana Kornieieva (Ukraine)& Vincenzo Fiore Marrese (Italy)
- Spike Mclarrity (United Kingdom)
- Saša Denić-Špena (Serbia)
- Gaby Bila Gunther (Australia - Germany)

- On September 5th, 2021 in the abandoned Motel "Sumice" in Odzaci - live performances. Performances start in 3:30 pm.
Performances by next artists:
- Spike Mclarrity (United Kingdom)
- Joseph Ravens (USA)
- Daniela Beltrani (Italy)
- Syporca Whandal & Lázár Simon Baján (Hungary)
- Analía Beltrán i Janés (Spain)
- Anna Prokopová (Czech)
- Tetiana Kornieieva (Ukraine)& Vincenzo Fiore Marrese (Italy)
- Gaby Bila Gunther (Australia - Germany)
- Saša Denić-Špena (Serbia)

PROGRAM IMAF 2021:

- Od 28. Avgusta do 05. Septembra, 2021. video prezentacija 67 performansa na internetu, 83 umetnika iz 36 zemalja iz celog sveta. Prezentacije možete pratiti svakim danom od 19 časova, na sledećoj YouTube adresi: https://www.youtube.com/user/imafoffice/videos

- 28. avgust 2021. u 15:00 časova, Trg ispred Sportskog centra, Odžaci - DAN ZECA - Spajk Meklariti iz Velike Britanije.

- Od 30. avgusta do 04. septembra 2021. godine u galeriji SULUV u Novom Sadu biće održana izložba pod nazivom "Glas zaključanih" Izložba fotografija, digitalnih otisaka i prezentacija video radova.

- 31. avgusta 2021. Onlajn UŽIVO performans umetničke grupe Digital Dramaturgy Lab_squared od 16:00 do 17:30 po Srpsko / Nemačkom vremenu (10:00 - 11:30 u Torontu). Zainteresovani mogu da koriste sledeći link: https.//www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tYsuJ6sYmA

- 04. septembra 2021. Otvaranje onlajn izložbe UŽIVO od strane Digital Dramaturgy Lab_squared od 16:00 do 17:00 po Srpsko / Nemačkom vremenu (10:00-11:00 u Torontu).

- 3. septembra 2021. u 18 časova u galeriji SULUV u Novom Sadu - Otvaranje festivala: Festival će otvoriti Svetlana Mladenov, istoričarka umetnosti i likovna kritičarka.

- 3. septembra 2021. u galeriji SULUV u Novom Sadu – izvođenje performansa uživo. Prezentacija performansa počinje u 18 časova.
Performansi sledećih metnika:
- Nenad Bogdanović (Srbija)
- Daniela Beltrani (Italija)
- Anna Prokopová (Češka)
- Joseph Ravens (SAD)
- Analía Beltrán i Janés (Španija)
- Syporca Whandal & Lázár Simon Baján (Mađarska)

- 4. septembra 2021. u galeriji SULUV u Novom Sadu – izvođenje performansa uživo. Prezentacija performansa počinje u 18 časova.
Performansi sledećih metnika:
- Tetiana Kornieieva (Ukrajina) & Vincenzo Fiore Marrese (Italija)
- Spike Mclarrity (Velika Britanija)
- Saša Denić-Špena (Srbija)
- Gaby Bila Gunther (Australija - Nemačka)

- 5. septembra 2021. u napuštenom Motelu "Šumice" u Odžacima - izvođenje performansa uživo. Prezentacija performansa počinje u 15:30 časova.
Performansi sledećih metnika:
- Spike Mclarrity (Velika Britanija)
- Joseph Ravens (SAD)
- Daniela Beltrani (Italija)
- Syporca Whandal & Lázár Simon Baján (Mađarska)
- Analía Beltrán i Janés (Španija)
- Anna Prokopová (Češka)
- Tetiana Kornieieva (Ukrajina)& Vincenzo Fiore Marrese (Italija)
- Gaby Bila Gunther (Australija - Nemačka)
- Saša Denić-Špena (Srbija)

IMAF 2021 festival participants, online videos and performances:
Učesnici festivala IMAF 2021, onlajn video zapisi i performansi:

Adelaide Maresca (Španija / Spain)
Alexander Chaves Villalobos (Kostarika / Costa Rica)
Alexander Escalona (Venecuela / Venezuela)
Alexandra Holownia (Nemačka / Germany)
Alkistis Voulgari (Grčka / Greece)
Amy Klement (SAD/Nemačka / USA/Germany) & Michael Steger (Nemačka / Germany)
Ana Montenegro (Brazil / Argentina)
Andrez Olmoz (Bolivija / Bolivia)
Angel Alado (Meksiko / Mexico)
Anita Cheng (Hong Kong)
Armando Navarro (SAD/Francuska / USA/France)
Arnaud Laffond (Francuska / France)
Artur Tajber (Poljska / Poland)
BBB Johannes Deimling (Nemačka / Germany)
Benjamin Stumpf & Antje Feger (Nemačka / Germany)
Calum Eccleston (Vel. Britanija / United Kingdom)
Caspar de Gelmini (Nemačka / Germany)
Cecilia Suhr (SAD / USA)
Chihiro Ito (Japan/SAD / Japan/USA)
Craphone Liu (Tajvan / Taiwan)
(DDL)2 - Antje Budde(Kanada / Canada), Martin Kulinna (Nemačka / Germany), Don Sinclair (Kanada / Canada), Heike Sommer (Nemačka / Germany)
Dimple B Shah (Indija / India)
Dimuthu Kawinthaka Jayaweera (Šri Lanka / Sri Lanka)
Edwin Jimeno (Kolumbija / Colombia)
Eva Dabara (Izrael / Israel)
Fausto Grossi (Italija/Španija / Italy/Spain)
Guilherme Bergamini (Brazil)
Ileana Gherghina (Rumunija/Vel. Britanija / Romania/United Kingdom)
J.A.P. Jayasingha (Šri Lanka / Sri Lanka)
Janusz Plota (Poljska / Poland)
Jayani Nimanthika Wickramasinghe (Šri Lanka / Sri Lanka)
Johanna Householder & Judith Price (Kanada / Canada)
John G. Boehme (Kanada / Canada)
Kailas Sreekumar (Indija / India)
Kareen Labbé Weber (Čile / Chile)
Kende Szabo Zabar, Kristóf Szabó, Emese Kovács, Lenke Kovács (Mađarska / Hungary)
Khaing Su (Mjanmar / Myanmar)
Kithsiri Sampath Bandara (Šri Lanka / Sri Lanka)
Kodac Ko (Južna Koreja/Nemačka / South Korea/Germany)
Lim Jang Guin (Južna Koreja / South Korea)
Makoto Maruyama (Japan)
Maura Prosperous (Italija / Italy)
Mboko Lopiki David (Kongo / Congo)
Mina Büker (Turska/Nemačka / Turkey/Germany)
Monique Yim (Hong Kong)
Natia Chikvaidze & Anushka Chkheidze (Gruzija / Georgia)
Natthaphon Chaiworawat (Tajland / Thailand)
Nenad Bogdanović (Srbija / Serbia)
Noel Molloy & Aodha Molloy (Irska / Ireland)
Open Space Performunion (Nemačka / Germany) - Lars Crosby, Philip Kevin Brehse, Alfredo Sciuto
Paco Justicia Cazorla (Španija / Spain)
Pilar Talavera (Peru/Španija / Peru/Spain)
PLASTIC. AFFECTIVE MEMORY AND WASTE (Rumunija / Romania) - Alina Tofan, Georgiana Vlahbei, Teo Radulescu, Alekandru Claudiu Makim
Premika Bulakul (Tajland / Thailand)
Quyen D. Pham (Vijetnam / Vietnam)
R.M.A.I. Siriwardhana (Šri Lanka / Sri Lanka)
Raphael Couto (Brazil)
Ravishka Dilshan Bandara (Šri Lanka / Sri Lanka)
Rolls Rolf Langhans (Nemačka / Germany)
Satadru Sovan (Indija / India)
Silvio De Gracia (Argentina)
Simla Civelek (Turska/Kanada / Turkey/Canada)
Spike Mclarrity (Vel. Britanija / United Kingdom)
Sylvain Souklaye (Francuska / France)
Syporca Whandal (Mađarska / Hungary)
Wayner Tristao (Brazil)
Yasiru Helaruwan Widumina (Šri Lanka / Sri Lanka)

IMAF 2021 review:

Svetlana Mladenov

IMAF – International Festival of Multimedia Art

Back in 1998, the Studio for Multimedia Art was founded in the small Vojvodina town of Odžaci at a time unfavourable to art. The context in which its first programs took place and projects were conceived was very complicated, existentially challenged and value-disrupted.

The ignorant and hostile attitude of the state apparatus towards contemporary art in Serbia strengthened during the 1990s. The apparatus became convinced that the contemporary art was hostile and treacherous, a product of Western propaganda, etc. The stronger the critical edge of current art towards society was, that stronger was the state's resistance, manifesting itself through its institutional decision-making instruments and its media.

The end of the twentieth century is a very complex and complicated time for art. A look at the artistic practice of this time shows a picture of an endless, eclectic situation in which there is no great, significant, common project, no defined style or direction, no strict concept, nor leading personality ... Art at the end of the millennium, inventorying the past and its own being, questions some already deeply rooted facts and accepts truths, critically treating tradition and many seductive illusions. There are no more great truths or ideals, neither work of art itself,nor the work on it, nor the end result itself are very important any longer. More important and more interesting are the relations between artistic disciplines, the possibility of new relations, as well as their existence in a certain space and time. Free movement through a wide field of art with constant experimentation and research discourse have become very inspiring for artists. In Serbia, the conquest of new media and the introduction of new technologies have expanded the expressive field of art and provided more space for experimentation with inconceivable boundaries. Curiosity, research spirit and courage of art itself to embark on something new and unexplored, contributed to the appearance of many different discourses that opened up inconceivable possibilities for new artistic practice in Serbia at the turn of the century. The artist moves freely through completely different media spaces, overcoming their boundaries and classical divisions. The possibilities of combining are numerous: image, light, sound, movement, and scent ... Any provocation to our senses is allowed. Often, ready-made or found discarded objects are combined with light, sound, screen image. Also photos, posters and anything that can be reproduced (multiplied countless times) can be related to video art or computer image. The result is spatial and performative installations, video installations, ambiences, performances, artistic actions, happenings, spectacles ... Art is less and less striving for a concrete and lasting product. Often, its actions are aimed in the direction of responding to the challenges of a certain space or architectural whole, and these interventions are performed on the spot or interactively via a computer image. They can express a desire for provocation, shock ... Sometimes the only documents about an art action, happening or exhibition are: photographs, video and printed material.

In such an atmosphere, away from the centre of art happenings, the new International Festival of Multimedia Art-IMAF emerges from the margins as the main project of the newly established Studio in Odžaci, primarily dedicated to performative art forms. The initiator and main promoter of these events is Nenad Bogdanović, a performer-artist himself. Personal initiative, out-of-institutional activity, and low-budget form once again confirmed the value of such a cultural model, perhaps the most creative in this period.

This year, the 23rd IMAF has been held, which speaks of its perseverance, dedication and determination. In spite of the various threats present over the years in the form of a small budget, modest space conditions, and, during the previous 2 years in the form of the global pandemic of the COVID 19 virus, IMAF has managed to resist all and continue its tradition of yearly gatherings of artists from around the world. Their vision is focused on the medium of performance and its various forms and ways of presentation.

Today, almost twenty years after the gloomy period of our national history, political isolation and slow process of social recovery, artists and curators establish cooperation and communication with the art scene of Europe and the world, while expanding their field of research, methods and language of artistic activity through mutual relations. Artists are not connected by a common style, theme or iconography, they share something much more important: a common theoretical and practical field of view in which they operate which is the sphere of the interpersonal relations. That is why communication, dialogue and cooperation of the domestic art scene with the international one are key not only for the affirmation of contemporary art practice, but also for the manifestation of those elements of artistic work that would otherwise remain invisible due to  their life in the  closed, local environment.

IMAF is one such place of gathering, meeting, exchange, cooperation, direct and indirect communication between artists and experts, and a place that has made the small local community of Vojvodina internationally visible and recognized in the global cultural space. Support, understanding and recognition come more from the international art scene, while in its own society the research and results are marginalized.

Two decades of the twenty-first century have passed, and in Serbia, the relationship between art and society, comparing it to the war and destruction times of the 1990s, has not changed significantly. The ignorant and belittling attitude of the state elite towards contemporary art has continued, it seems, as time goes on, more and more strongly, with the application of more subtle and sophisticated methods, sometimes invisible at first glance, but with disastrous and devastating end results and long-term consequences.

That is why this year's opening and realization of the 23rd International Festival of Multimedia Art-IMAF has even greater significance as a resistance to the general social climate and as a bright optimistic vision aimed at encouraging creativity, research spirit and the need for experimentation.

The period at the turn of the century was also marked by the phenomenon of artistic conquering of the forgotten and abandoned urban spaces. By moving into them with the artistic interventions, actions, performances, installations, objects, in situ work and attracting the audience, art enabled the most direct communication of context, work and audience. The spirit of contextual art has also conquered this European region.

IMAF shows its tendency towards mobility by operating in different locations in Odžaci and Novi Sad, using different open and closed spaces for its presentation. In Odžaci, these are most often alternative spaces and open public spaces (this year, the old abandoned motel Šumice). In Novi Sad, it is the gallery space of SULUV and free city space. The place where the performance takes place greatly influences its flow, content, design and interactivity. The architecture of space, its memory and meaning are just some of the elements that the artist faces, establishing an active dialogue with them. Acting with his/her own body and action, the artist establishes parallel relations with space, time and with the audience. Performances performed in an alternative space carry a specific atmosphere that is different from one caused by performances performed in the gallery space. On the one hand, patina, decay, poverty, destruction, carelessness, and on the other hand, orderliness, airiness, care and progress. All these connotations affected positively some of the performances, but for some they were not quite adequate, so they had to be adapted on the spot, by which they showed their flexibility and experimental spirit.

The audience is an important factor and an integral part of the performance. It is no longer a passive observer but becomes a participant with whom the artist establishes a direct dialogue. Performance is the medium in which the artist is closest to the audience and has an active relationship with it. Performance is also one of the most intimate and sincere media in which the artist completely reveals him/herself and his/her ideas and without hesitation surrenders to the audience, establishing with it an equal relationship, full of respect and understanding. And like conspirators in a joint collaborative game, they keep the secret revealed only to themselves.

Regardless of whether the performances deal with political and social issues or psychological, manipulative or issues of the position of art and artists in the modern world, it is about, in and on the body and through the communication with the audience that everything happens. It is the audience that gives meaning to every artistic action and completes it, and it is no longer a passive audience, but the audience as a participant and accomplice of the event. Performances are often considered to be a provocation, but they are, in fact, very delicate artistic experiments, especially in the dialogue with the audience. The reaction of the audience cannot be predicted, and the moment of unpredictability, unexpectedness and uncertainty contributes to the exciting performance atmosphere, full of anticipation, anxiety, fear, consternation, disgust, anger, love and cathartic ecstasy...

Any performance of an artistic action or performative form in a free public space makes this artistic procedure law-violating because it disturbs the established order of things and socio-spatial divisions. Random passers-by and their reactions are a new and unforeseen part of the process in the realization of an artistic act, and they make the end result unstable and risky.

This year's IMAF, adapting to the new pandemic situation, invited artists, through an open call, to participate in the online competition with their performances in the video form (83 artists from 36 countries), but still did not give up performing on the spot, so artists from Serbia and the world (12) were guests of the festival. The festival was announced by the exhibition Voice of the Locked, composed of photographs from the videos submitted to the competition, as well as by a selection of video works.

The most impressive part of the festival took place in the form of public performances in Novi Sad and Odžaci.

The topics covered by the artists at this year's festival were numerous, but they can be summed up as considering the relationship of intimate-public, society-ecology, ethno-urban, problems of alienation, communicativeness, identity, manipulative society and power over the individual, re-examination of interpersonal relations, position of women within modern society, etc.

Some of the performances dealt with the current pandemic situation, the consequences it causes and the issues it raises (Nenad Bogdanović-Serbia, Tetiana Kornieieva-Ukraine and Vincenzo Fiore Marrese-Italy, Saša Denić Špena-Serbia).

Nenad Bogdanović emphasized people’s attitude towards the new pandemic situation and their need to overcome and destroy it. Saša Denić Špena emphasizes the manipulative power of the mighty and the capital over human health and life, wondering how much life itself is worth in today's society and whether it has the price. In his performance performed in Odžaci, he re-examines the relationship between society and ecology.The artistic couple Tetiana and Vincenzo, in a limited, geometric, sophisticated space, re-examine human relationships in which alienation and misunderstanding are increasingly prevalent, yet the need for love and tenderness is growing which leads a person into a conflict situation.

Spike Mclarrity-Britain presented himself with two different performances, in one considering the environmental problems of modern society in which concrete and synthetic materials win over the organic and natural ones, and in the other dealing with identity issues.

In her performances, Daniela Beltrani-Italy dealt with family and interpersonal relations. In the one performed in Odžaci, she established a dialogue between reality and illusion, while in the one performed on Svetozara Miletić Square in Novi Sad, a nostalgic and emotional atmosphere prevailed.

The most adequate and strongest interactivity with the audience was achieved by Analia Beltran and Janes-Spain through involving the audience directly in the performance. In a very balanced way, without excessive pathos, with sophisticated elements, she, even a little wittily, questioned values (money, life, love, intimacy, friendship) and their mutual relations.

At the coreof Anna Prokopova’s-Czech Republic performance is the movement itself, not the one conducted and rehearsed, but spontaneous, liberating, more as an expression of the current mood and emotionality.

The performance of naturalistic overtones was performed by Joseph Ravens-USA, playing with ethno and rural elements. Examining certain values of the rural and urban environment and their significance for human existence, he tried to point out the importance of returning to the roots, i.e. the essence and naturalness.

Hungarian artistic couple Syporca Whandal and Lazar Simon Bajan performed two performances, one in Novi Sad and the other in Odžaci. As the spaces in which they performed were very different, one orderly arranged, in the gallery, and the other rustic, alternative, they adapted the performance to the offered conditions, which they managed to subordinate to their idea and use to emphasize the desired atmosphere. Performing their performances on the edge, they bravely entered a risky area where slips and injuries are possible. They achieved the necessary dynamics and tension, bringing the audience into a state of alacrity, anticipation and uncertainty.

In her eclectic, narrative, baroque performances, Gaby Bila Gunther-Australia / Germany deals with issues of identity, sin, love, punishment and forgiveness. In an expressive performance full of nostalgic and emotional parts and interactivity, the artist wants to emphasize the importance of love and friendship, understanding and connection in a modern society in which alienation, separation and distance prevail.

IMAF 2021 recenzija:

Svetlana Mladenov

IMAF- Internacionalni festival multimedijalne umetnosti

Davne 1998. godine osnovan  je Studio za multimedijalnu umetnost u malom vojvođanskom mestu Odžaci u vreme ne naklonjeno umetnosti. Kontekst u kome su se odvijali prvi njegovi programi i koncipirali projekti bio je vrlo komplikovan, egzistencijalno ugrožen i vrednosno poremećen.

Ignorantski i neprijateljski stav državnog aparata prema savremenoj umetnosti u Srbiji,  jačao je tokom devedesetih godina. Učvrstio se u uverenju da je ona neprijateljska i izdajnička, produkt zapadne propagande i sl. Što je kritička oštrica aktuelne umetnosti prema društvu bila snažnija, otpor države je jačao, ispoljavajući se kroz njene institucionalne instrumente odlučivanja i njene medije.

Kraj dvadesetog veka za umetnost je vrlo kompleksno i složeno vreme. Pogled na umetničku praksu ovog vremena daje sliku nepregledne, eklektičke situacije u kojoj nema velikog značajnog zajedničkog projekta, nema određenog definisanog stila ni pravca, stroge koncepcije, vodeće ličnosti... Umetnost na kraju milenijuma, inventarišući po prošlosti i sopstvenom biću stavila je pod sumnju neke već ukorenjene činjenice i prihvaćene istine, kritički se odnoseći prema tradiciji i mnogim zavodljivim iluzijama. Nema više velikih istina niti ideala, nije više toliko bitno ni samo umetničko delo, rad na njemu kao i sam krajnji rezultat. Važniji su i zanimljiviji odnosi među umetničkim disciplinama, mogućnost novih relacija, kao i njihova egzistencija u određenom prostoru i vremenu. Slobodno kretanje kroz široko polje umetnosti uz stalno eksperimentisanje i istraživački diskurs postali su vrlo inspirativni za umetnike. U Srbiji, osvajanje novih medija i uvođenje novih tehnologija proširilo je izražajno polje umetnosti i omogućilo više prostora za eksperiment čije su granice nesagledive. Radoznalost, istraživački duh i hrabrost same umetnosti da se upusti u novo i neistraženo, doprinelo je mnoštvu različitih diskursa koji su otvorili neslućene mogućnosti novoj umetničkoj praksi u Srbiji na prelazu vekova. Umetnik se slobodno kreće kroz sasvim različite medijske prostore prevazilazeći njihove granice i klasične podele. Mogućnosti kombinovanja su brojne: slika, svetlo, zvuk, pokret, miris... Svaka provokacija na naša čula je dozvoljena. Često se gotovi ili nađeni odbačeni predmeti kombinuju sa svetlom, zvukom, ekranskom slikom. Takođe fotografije, plakati i sve što može biti reprodukcija (umnoženo nebrojeno puta) može biti u relaciji sa video-artom ili komjuterskom slikom. Rezultat su prostorne i performativne instalacije, video instalacije, ambijenti, performansi, umetničke akcije, hepeninzi, spektakli... Umetnost sve manje teži za konkretnim i trajnim proizvodom. Često su njene akcije usmerene u pravcu odgovora na izazove određenog prostora ili arhitektonske celine, te se intervencije izvode na licu mesta ili interaktivno preko kompjuterske slike. One mogu ispoljiti želju za provokacijom, šokantnošću... Ponekad su jedini dokumenti o nekoj umetničkoj akciji, hepeningu ili izložbi: fotografije, video-zapis i štampani materijal.

U takvoj atmosferi, udaljen od centra umetničkih dešavanja, sa margine izranja novi Internacionalni festival multimedijalne umetnosti-IMAF kao glavni projekat novoosnovanog Studija u Odžacima, pre svega posvećen performativnim umetničkim formama. Inicijator i glavni promotor ovih događaja je  Nenad Bogdanović i sam umetnik-performer. Lična inicijativa, vaninstitucionalna aktivnost niskobudžetna forma još jedanput su potvrdili vrednost ovakvog kulturnog modela, možda i najkreativnijeg u ovom periodu.

Ove godine je održan 23. IMAF što govori o njegovoj istrajnosti, posvećenosti i borbenosti. Bez obzira na razne pretnje koje su stizale tokom godina u vidu malog budžeta, skromnih prostornih uslova, a poslednje 2 godine i globalne pandemije virusa Covid 19, on je uspeo da im se odupre i nastavi svoju tradiciju jednogodišnjeg okupljanja umetnika iz raznih krajeva sveta. Njihova vizura usmerena je na medij performansa i njegove različite forme i načine prezentacije.

Danas, skoro dvadeset godina nakon sumornog perioda nacionalne istorije, političke izolovanosti i tokom sporog procesa društvenog oporavka, umetnici i kustosi samoinicijativno uspostavljaju saradnju i komunikaciju sa umetničkom scenom Evrope i sveta, istovremeno proširujući svoje polje istraživanja, metode i jezik umetničkog delovanja kroz međusobne relacije. Umetnike ne povezuje neki zajednički stil, tematika ili ikonografija, oni dele nešto mnogo značajnije: zajednički teorijski i praktični vidokrug u kome deluju, a to je sfera međuljudskih odnosa. Zato su komunikacija, dijalog i saradnja domaće likovne scene sa internacionalnom ključni ne samo za afirmaciju savremene umetničke prakse, već i za ispoljavanje onih elemenata umetničkog rada koji bi svojim životom u zatvorenoj, lokalnoj sredini ostao nevidljiv.

IMAF je jedno takvo mesto okupljanja, susreta, razmene, saradnje, direktne i indirektne komunikacije među umetnicima i stručnjacima, mesto koje je malu lokalnu vojvođansku sredinu učinilo internacionalno dostupnom i prepoznatom u globalnom kulturnom prostoru. Podrška, razumevanje i priznanja stižu više sa međunarodne umetničke scene, dok su u sopstvenom društvu njegova istraživanja i rezultati marginalizovani.

Proteklo su dve decenije dvadeset prvog veka, a u Srbiji se odnos umetnosti i društva, poredeći ga sa ratnim i razarajućim vremenom u devedesetim godinama 20. veka, nije bitnije promenio. Ignorantski i omalovažavajući stav državne elite prema savremenoj umetnosti se nastavio, čini se, što vreme odmiče, sve snažnije, uz primenu suptilnijih i soficistiranijih metoda, ponekad nevidljivih na prvi pogled ali sa pogubnim i poražavajućim krajnjim rezultatima i dugoročnijim posledicama.

Te baš zbog toga ovogodišnje otvaranje i realizacija 23. Internacionalnog festivala multimedijalne umetnosti-IMAF ima još veće značenje kao otpor opštoj društvenoj klimi i kao svetla optimistička vizija usmerena ka podsticanju kreativnosti, istraživačkog duha i potrebe za eksperimentisanjem.

Period na prelazu vekova obeležen je i pojavom sve intenzivnijeg, od strane umetnosti, osvajanja zaboravljenih i napuštenih gradskih prostora. Useljavajući se u njih svojim intervencijama, akcijama, performansima, instalacijama, objektima, radom in situ i privlačeći publiku, omogućila je najdirektniju  komunikaciju konteksta, dela i publike. Duh kontekstualne umetnosti osvojio je i ovaj evropski region.

Svoju tendenciju ka mobilnosti IMAF pokazuje delujući na različitim lokacijama u  Odžacima i Novom Sadu, koristeći za svoju prezentaciju različite otvorene i zatvorene prostore. U Odžacima to su najčešće alternativni prostori i otvoreni javni prostori (ove godine stari napušteni motel Šumice). U Novom Sadu to je galerijski prostor SULUV-a i slobodni gradski prostor. Mesto u kome se odvija izvođenje performansa u mnogome utiče na njegov tok, sadržaj, dizajn i interaktivnost. Arhitektura prostora, njegova memorija i značenje su samo neki od elemenata sa kojima se umetnik suočava, uspostavljajući sa njima aktivni dijalog. Delujući sopstvenim telom i svojom akcijom umetnik uspostavlja paralelne relacije, sa prostorom, vremenom i sa publikom. Performansi izvedeni u alternativnom prostoru nose u sebi specifičnu atmosferu koja se razlikuje od one koju izazivaju  performansi izvedeni u galerijskom prostoru. Sa jedne strane patina, oronulost, siromaštvo, destrukcija, nebriga, a sa duge strane, uređenost, prozračnost, briga i napredak. Sve ove konotacije nekim performansima su pogodovale, a za neke nisu bile najadekvatnije, te su morali da se na licu mesta prilagode u čemu su pokazali svoju fleksibilnost i eksperimentalni duh.

Publika je važan činilac i sastavni deo performansa. Ona više nije pasivni posmatrač već postaje učesnik sa kojim umetnik uspostavlja direktni dijalog . Performans i jeste onaj medij u kome je umetnik najbliži publici i sa njom ostvaruje aktivni odnos. Performans je i jedan od najintimnijih i najiskrenijih medija u kome umetnik do kraja otkriva sebe i svoje ideje i bez zadrške se prepušta publici uspostavljajući sa njom ravnopravni odnos, pun poštovanja i razumevanja. I kao zaverenici u zajedničkoj kolaborativnoj igri čuvaju otkrivenu tajnu samo njima namenjenu.

Bez obzira da li se u svojim performansima bavi političkim i društvenim pitanjima ili pak psihološkim, manipulativnim, pitanjima pozicije umetnosti i umetnika u savremenom svetu, telo je ono oko koga, u kome i nad kim se sve odvija i to kroz komunikaciju sa publikom. Publika je ta koja svakoj umetničkoj akciji daje smisao i finišira je i to ne više pasivna publika već publika kao učesnik i saučesnik događaja. Često su performansi smatrani provokacijom, a oni su ustvari veoma delikatni umetnički eksperimenti, posebno u dijalogu sa publikom. Reakcija publike se ne može predvideti, te momenat nepredviđenosti, neočekivanosti i neizvesnosti doprinose uzbuđujućoj atmosferi performansa, punoj iščekivanja, strepnje, straha, zgroženosti, gađenja, besa, ljubavi i katarzičnog zanosa...

Svako izvođenje umetničke akcije ili performativne forme u slobodnom javnom prostoru čini ovaj umetnički postupak prestupničkim jer se njim remeti ustaljeni poredak stvari i društveno-prostornih podela. Slučajni prolaznici i njihova reakcija novi su i nepredviđeni deo procesa u realizaciji umetničkog čina, te sam krajnji rezultat čine nestabilnim i rizičnim.

Ovogodišnji IMAF, prilagođavajući se novonastaloj pandemijskoj situaciji pozvao je umetnike preko otvorenog konkursa da učestvuju on line sa svojim performansima kroz video formu (83 umetnika iz 36 zemalja) ali ipak nije odustao i od izvođenja prformansa na licu mesta, te su umetnici iz Srbije i sveta (12) bili gosti festivala.

Festival je najavljen izložbom Glas zaključanih sastavljenom od fotografija iz na konkurs pristiglih video zapisa kao i izborom video radova,

Najimpresivniji deo festivala odvijao se kroz javno izvođenje performansa u Novom Sadu i Odžacima.

Teme kojima su se bavili umetnici na ovogodišnjem festivalu su bile brojne ali se mogu podvesti pod razmatranje odnosa intimno-javno, društvo-ekologija, etno-urbano, problema otuđenosti, komunikativnosti, identiteta, manipulativnosti društva i moćnika nad pojedincem, preispitivanja međuljudskih odnosa, položaja žene unutar savremenog društva i sl.

Neki od performansa bavili su se aktuelnom pandemijskom situacijom, posledicama koje ona izaziva i pitanjima koja otvara (Nenad Bogdanović-Srbija, Tetiana Kornieieva-Ukrajina i Vincenzo Fiore Marrese-Italija, Saša Denić Špena-Srbija)

Nenad Bogdanović je akcenat stavio na odnos čoveka prema novonastaloj pandemijskoj situaciji i njegovoj potrebi da je savlada i uništi, Saša Denić Špena daje naglasak na manipulativnosti moćnika i kapitala nad ljudskim zdravljem i životom pitajući se koliko vredi sam život u današnjem društvu i da li on ima cenu.

U svom performasu izvedenom u Odžacima preispituje odnos društva i ekologije.

Umetnički par Tetiana i Vincenzo u omeđenom, geometrijskom, sofisticiranom prostoru preispitiju ljudske odnose u kojima sve više preovladava otuđenost i nerazumevanje, a raste potreba za ljubavlju i nežnošću što čoveka uvodi u konfliktnu situaciju.

Spike Mclarrity-Britanija se predstavio sa dva različita performansa, u jednom više razmatrajući ekološke probleme savremenog društva u kome beton i sintetički materijali pobeđuju organsko i prirodno, a u drugom više baveći se pitanjima identiteta.

Porodičnim i međuljudskim odnosima, bavila se u svojim performansima Daniela Beltrani-Italija. U onom izvedenom u Odžacima uspostavila je dijalog između realnosti i iluzije, dok u onom izvedenom na trgu Svetozara Miletića u Novom Sadu preovladava nostalgična i emotivna atmosfera.

Najadekvatniju i najsnažniju interaktivnost sa publikom ostvarila je Analia Beltran i Janes-Španija uključujući direktno publiku u izvođenje performansa. Na vrlo odmeren način, bez preterane patetike, sofisticiranim elementima, čak pomalo duhovito preispitivala je vrednosti (novac, život, ljubav, intimnost, prijateljstvo) i njihove međusobne odnose.

U osnovi performansa Anne Prokopove-Češka je sam pokret i to ne onaj dirigovani i uvežbani, već spontani, oslobađajući, više kao izraz trenutnog raspoloženja i emotivnosti.

Performans naturalističkog prizvuka izveo je Joseph Ravens-SAD, poigravajući se etno i ruralnim elementima. Preispitujući određene vrednosti seoske i urbane sredine i njihov značaj za čovekovu egzistenciju pokušao je da ukaže na važnost vraćanja korenima, tj. suštini i prirodnosti.

Umetnički par iz Mađarske Syporca Whandal i Lazar Simon Bajan izveli su dva performansa, jedan u Novom Sadu, a drugi u Odžacima. Kako su prostori u kojima su izvodili performanse veoma različiti, jedan sređeni galerijski, a drugi rustičan, alternativni, oni su samo izvođenje performansa prilagodili  ponuđenim uslovima koje su uspeli da podrede svojoj ideji i iskoriste kako bi naglasili željenu atmosferu. Izvodeći svoje performance na ivici, hrabro su ušli u rizično područje u kome su moguća iskliznuća i povrede. Ostvarili su potrebnu dinamiku i napetost dovodeći publiku u stanje pripravnosti, isčekivanja i neizvesnosti.

U svojim eklektičkim, narativnim, baroknim performansima Gaby Bila Gunther-Australija/Nemačka bavi se pitanjima identiteta, greha, ljubavi, kažnjavanja i opraštanja. U ekspresivnom izvođenju punom nostalgičnih i emotivnih partija i interaktivnosti umetnica želi da naglasi važnost ljubavi i prijateljstva, razumevanja i povezivanja u savremenom društvu u kome preovlađuje otuđenost, razdvajanje i distanca.

IMAF 2021 sponsor:

                                                         

                                                                                

IMAF 2021 partners and support:

IMAF 2021 media support: