5. – 17. November 2012
Exhibition opening at the Ex-Chinese restaurant at
Budapest 1114, Bartók Béla út 29.
Opening: 5th November, 6pm
Opening times: 5th – 17th November, 4-7pm
Participating artist:
Mike Ainsworth, Sós József, Zékány Dia, Aubrey Ramage Lay, Davor Paponja, Laura Arena, Levko Esztella, Erlich Gábor, Kis Judit, Pálinkás Bence György, Bogyó Virág (PR Csoport), Hódi Csilla (PR Csoport)
A workshop led by:
Thomas Kilpper
Organised by IGOR METROPOL, “Social Responsibility in Art Today” (SRIAT) is a two-week initiative comprised of an artists’ workshop, an exhbition At Wang’s and a public discussion at Ludwig Museum.
The project aims at inquiring into the possibilities of art as a factor of social change through different means. SRIAT’s goal is to give a time frame and space for experimental approaches towards relevant issues like freedom of speech, domestic violence, nationalism/ internationalism, identity, capitalism, democracy…, introducing a collective artistic work field.
The workshop is led by Berlin based artist Thomas Kilpper. Following an open call, 12 participants from Hungary and abroad were selected to collaborate with Kilpper in a think-tank format.
The participants are working at Wang’s, a former Chinese restaurant. The restaurant’s walls have been turned into an “open diary” constantly updated by the participants. The inner part of the space has been transformed into a shelter, using the interior design of the formal restaurant. The shelter is also a site for personal statements from the participants.
In addition, there are sound- and video installations, intervention documentations and a live-performance. The place has been continuously transformed during the workshop, during the two-week long process.
The participants explore various politically or culturally charged sites of Budapest. The demonstrations of the National Holiday on October 23 served as a field study for investigating the Hungarian political situation. They targeted a number of public statues, for example Ronald Reagan, a bronse policeman, among others. These ‘guerilla sculptures’ address social and political issues like the banning of dumpster-diving or censorship. The documentation is displayed on found video tapes refering to DIY-tactics of political activism.
The project SRIAT: Social Responsibility in Art Today was organized by Igor Metropol Association in collaboration with the Intermedia, the Art Theory and Curatorial Studies Departments of the Hungarian University of Fine Arts in Budapest. Supported by: ifa and NKA.