27 Oct 2010

Haus der Kulturen der Welt: Meridian I Urban. Winners announced

MERIDIAN I URBAN
Curatorial Projects on Health
8th Asia-Pacific Weeks Berlin, September 6 to 17, 2011 in Berlin

Haus der Kulturen der Welt has announced the five projects that have been selected for the Meridian I Urban project in 2011. For the first time a call for entries has been organized within the framework of the Asia-Pacific Weeks, which will take place throughout Berlin in September 2011.

Haus der Kulturen der Welt invited up-and-coming curators to submit proposals for site-specific projects in Berlin's public spaces during the next Asia-Pacific Weeks. A total of 42 projects, and their curators and artists from 29 countries, mainly from European and Asian regions, submitted their applications and have been juried during the first week of October.

Members of the international jury:
Dr. Katja Blomberg, director, Haus am Waldsee, Berlin
Dr. Adele Tan, art historian and critic, Singapore
Yu Yeon Kim, independent curator (New York / Seoul)
Osvaldo Sánchez, curator, director, Museo de Arte Moderno de México, Mexico-City

The projects will be shown during the 8th Asia-Pacific Weeks 2011, from September 6 to September 17, in Berlin. A map illustrating and indicating all the projects will be published and on display in various places across the city where the projects are to be seen.

List of projects:

Meridians, as imaginary lines run from pole to pole and map the world, they are indispensable instruments that we use to orient ourselves in space. At the same time meridians define in traditional Asian medicine a system that is like an invisible network that supports the body and gives it vital energy.


Berlin Laughter Project
Curator: Orlando Britto-Jinorio (born in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, lives in Santander, Spain)
Artists: Norbert Francis Attard (Living and working in Malta and Berlin)
Simone Eisler (Living and working in Australia)

The project proposes the creation of a network of laughter-meridians dealing with the urban scheme of Berlin as if it were a human body.

The jury: 'An interesting project in terms of participation. You get meridian lines of humour, that are simultaneously communicated and communicating. Laughter by its nature is very contagious.'


An Elixir realigning
Curator: Deeksha Nath (lives in New Delhi, India)
Artists: Sharon Chin (lives in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
Varsha Nair (India / lives in Bangkok, Thailand)
Karla Sachse (lives in Berlin)

An elixir realigning – Performance – traces by 7 people in 7 locations along a „meridian' conjunction between West & East dotted by significant places – an elixir is offered and applied to touch both the human, architecture and nature bodies to challenge, rethink & activate connections among all.

The jury: 'A project that maps the city through meridians and interacts with the public, inciting them to taste the elixir and to put it onto their skin, and to talk about health. Intellectually it is one of the most interesting projects and has been densely researched.'


Invisible twinning
Curator: Francesca Mila Nemni (Born in Boston, USA, lives in Milan, Italy)
Artists: Giulia Giannola (Born in Napoli, lives in Berlin)
Gayle Chong Kwan (London)

Focusing on health in terms of balance on a societal and personal level and how people share resources within a city, the project explores the specificity of Berlin's allotments whereby immigrants would be given access to grow vegetables and fruit on a KGA, culminating in a large-scale shared meal.

The jury: 'A project that focuses on important aspects of immigration. How does the shape of a garden relate to a given cultural background? The project will include a publication that illustrates the processes of picturing gardens of different immigrants.'


Mind/Body
Curator: Danae Mossman (Born in New Zealand, lives in London and New Zealand)
Artist: Ayse Erkmen (Born in Istanbul, lives in Berlin and Istanbul)

Mind/Body is a project comprising many 'acupuncture needles' located at diverse sites across Berlin that the artist has designated as contributing to the health and well-being of Berlin residents. The project investigates notions of health and wellbeing in contemporary urban life.
A project that reminds one of André Cadere, who in the 70s created an art space wherever he placed one of his painted sticks. In this most immediate of ways the focus of display makes the social background visible.

The jury: 'A project that plays with the knowledge and memory of art history, as well as with common knowledge and collective imagery. Sticks like needles will acupuncture neuralgic places within the city, and at the same time make evident their historical, social and cultural particularity.'


Untitled
Curator: Manuela Lietti (born in Italy, lives in Beijing, China)
Artist: Marike Schuurman (born in Netherlands, lives in Berlin)

The project departs from the basic principle of Chinese culture according to which an individual's health depends on his relation to the cosmos. Cinese fitness equipments will be installed in Berlin, being used by passers-by as fitness tools and as benches, They will be centred around the artist's videos and photos portraying Chinese people practicing what is nourishment for their bodies but mostly their souls.

The jury: 'A project that is interactive but not dealing specifically with the installation of a work. It produces and wants direct experience, provokes contacts, and engages conversation in the best possible way.'


Organization and partners

Haus der Kulturen der Welt is a place of international contemporary art(s) and acts as a forum for current developments and discourse. It presents artistic productions from around the world, with a special focus on non-European cultures and societies. Visual arts, music, literature, performing arts, film, academic discussions and digital media, are all linked in an interdisciplinary program that is unique in Europe. Haus der Kulturen der Welt plans and coordinates the cultural section of the Asia-Pacific Weeks Berlin in cooperation with the Berlin Senate Chancellery and local and international partners.


Press Contact
Anne Maier

Haus der Kulturen der Welt
Berlin, Germany
meridian.urban@hkw.de
www.hkw.de/apw