Negova castle

Dialog z Melito Forstnerič Hajnšek v Večru, o Macdowell colony, onem kontinentu...

Draga Melita!

Najin zadnji pogovor v Večeru sva naslovili »Kako miriti večni boj med redom in kaosom«. Moje delo tukaj in doživljanje drugega kontinenta še vedno odzvanja to temo. Odnos med karakteristikami ZDA in Evrope se v mojih mislih in občutjih vzpostavlja kot polarno črno belo nasprotje in najbolj smiselno je stati v ravnotežnih odtenkih sivine med njima. Prvi občutek novega konteinenta pride kot širna osvobajajoča lahkost. Na poti med letališčem v Bostonu in majhnim Novoangleškim naseljem Peterborough z voznikom Joe-m plačava listek delavcu, ki noro pleše v cestniski postaji, iz katere doni Jimi Hendrix. Ta lahkost in odprtost, morda drznost in norost ostane krovni občutek, osvežilen predvsem zato, ker sem vajena težke filozofije Evrope (berem na primer Foucoult-a) in teoretsko birokratske nadgradnje zgodovinskega kolektivno nezavednega. Nebroj imigrantov je vstopilo v to deželo skozi vrata in pustilo vso preteklost zadaj. A treba je vpresti tudi staro kobilo na nasprotni strani. Evropa je v svojih mislih globoka, Amerika veliko bolj plitka. Prebiram esej z naslovom » Jihad vs. Macworld«, o dveh destinacijah, kamor pelje naš svet in nobena od njiju ni vzpodbudna. Prva je rigidno oklepanje tradicije in narodne identitete, ki preraste v nacionalizem, njen antipol pa tržna globalizacija, ki uniformira. Zdaj pa najdimo balans med njima!

Ne, vprašanje kulturnega ministrstva sploh ni odvečno! Veliko razmišljam o tem. Javna podpora umetnosti je izjemno pomembna in v svoji idealni verziji generira plodno ustvarjalno sfero , iz katere potem zrastejo osupljivi presežki, ki imajo hranilen vpliv na narod. John, ki dobro pozna oba umetniška svetova, ameriškega in evropskega, meni, da smo evropejci z javnimi podporami razvajeni in da nas vlade tako podkupujejo, da smo tiho in ne predrzni. V ameriki je situacija taka, da skoraj vsi umetniki vsaj začasno hodijo še v neko drugo službo. Kar lahko omeji perfekcijo. Nekaj se jih prebije skozi ta jarem. V ZDA je veliko več umetnosti, ki se lahko proda na trgu, kot sta slikarstvo in kiparstvo, in veliko manj novomedijske ali intermedijske umetnosti, ki jo naše ministrstvo še posebej podpira. Vendar je tukaj trg res močan in obstaja že par stoletij. Ko je Miha Mazzini bral pripombe na spletu v zvezi s protesti umetnikov ob nedavni združitvi ministrastva za kulturo z drugimi resorji, je tam našel nepregledne komentarje bralcev, da naj umetniki že končno gremo delat. In da naj živimo od trga. Kmalu zatem se je vprašal, kak umetniški trg v Sloveniji naj bi to bil. Naj morda umetnik živi od tega kar od-trga, jabolk v jeseni, koreninic pozimi in podobno.

Rezidenčni center, v katerem bivam in delam ima stoletno tradicijo in deluje na pogon privatnega kapitala. Nastal je na pobudo močne ženske, Marian MacDowell, ki je s prodornostjo in entuziazmom gradila prve ateljeje, odmaknjene od vsakodnevnih motenj, idealne za ustvarjanje. Si predstavljaš, da bi v najini domovini premožni vlagali v gradnjo in vzdrževanje tridesetih hišic sredi gozda in v produkcijo izjemnih umetniških del? Menda je bila pred mano tukaj edina naša rojakinja Metka Krašovec in njena subtilna risba enoroga in ženske me je čakala na košari s kosilom pred vrati v prvih dneh.

Sama v glavnem delam na video instalaciji, ki sledi obrednim kotom staroselcev, berem besedila Andreja Pleterskega in Nikosa Čausidisa, ki si končno drzneta rekonstruirati Slovanstvo iz borih ostankov in povezovanja raznih disciplin: arhitekture, noše, preživelih običajev in zgodb. Čutim odpor in bes do krščanstva, ki že stoletja nasilno briše staroselsko znanje in postavlja nad nas boga z nadzorom in moralno etičnimi obveznostmi. Slovanski bogovi se niso menili za človeško vsakdanjost, ukvarjali so se z lastnimi posli. Tudi umetniška kolonija tukaj sledi temu principu, pustijo nas na miru da lahko počnemo kar hočemo in to je bistveno.

Vendar pa je hočeš nočeš treba prebroditi tudi to bipolarnost, idealiziranje staroselcev, njihove povezanosti z naravo, ki odzvanja neko odmaknjeno Zlato dobo. Taka mitologizacija dela na tem kontinentu podobno škodo Indijancem, kot jo je naredilo njihovo iztrebljanje, saj nihče ne dojema teh plemen kot realnih ljudi s stvarnimi problemi, ki se spreminjajo s časom.

Potem pade na eno stran tehtnice New York s težkimi nebotičniki, ki preraščajo v stekleno krajino, na drugi strani pa so vonj po borovcih, žabe, srne in kojoti ter pogled na vzhajajoče sonce, ki se je v teh dveh mesecih premaknilo za fascinantno razdaljo proti severu.

Tako rada bi ti povedala vsaj kaj malega o izjemnih umetnikih, ki so tukaj. Oni so morda najpomembnejši dejavniki, v družabnem in ustvarjalnem smislu. Vsakega med njimi je smiselno raziskati na spletu, saj je vsaj zame njihov opus čista svežina.

Jamalaadeena Takumo poznate. Najprej je omenil našo priljubljeno lokalno destinacijo Hudo kavo, potem je prikazoval svoje posnetke Maribora, pisane vesele jeseni, pogleda čez stari most… Aaron Johnson slika v akrilnih plasteh barvite podobe Jezusa, ki natepava damo upodobljeno v kipu svobode. Eno njegovih risb smo šli pogledat v Momo, visela je zraven Picassove. Sergio Lopez-Piñeiro je prevelik svobodnjak, da bi odobraval klasične razporeditve pravokotnih bivališč, ki narekujejo družbene odnose in funkcijo prostorov. Gradi krajine snežnih kupov sredi urbanih središč ter lahke zgradbe brez osrednjih težišč. Jerome Kitzke kmalu pade v zamaknjeno norost, ko recitira intiligentna besedila, porogljiva do karakterne arogance. Ob tem divja po klavirju, žvižga, hrska in rezgeta. Jean Rohe, o Jean, z elegantno samozavestjo vzame v roke katerikoli instrument in te vrže vznak s preprosto povedanimi zgodbami iz podstrešja intime. John Jesurun, genij z izrazitim smislom za humor, (samo) ironijo. .. Poslušaj to: sam piše drame, jih potem režira, sam skonstruira inventivne prostore, jih napolni z najboljšimi igralci na svetu, nekateri so prezentni, nekateri zgolj v videu, včasih pa je cel orkester z montažerji vred v povsem drugem prostoru kot publika in jih sploh ni mogoče videti na predstavi, le slišati je tu in tam njihovo hojo po labirintnih hodnikih. Sarah Hardesty dela delikatne prostorske skulpture iz napetih odnosov med kosi lesa. In to je res samo moja najtesnejša ekipa, koliko umetnikov tu še manjka. In koliko se mi jih je na začetku zdelo čudnih in sem se potem srečala z lastnimi kompleksi, ko me je osupnilo njihovo ustvarjalno delo.

Predvsem zaradi skupnih produkcij imam stike s Kiblo, ter z izjemno aktivno skupino dvanajstih ustvarjalcev iz Slovenije in Hrvaške, ki dela pod marelo evropskega projekta. Sicer imam to dobro navado, da kjerkoli sem, sem tam vsa prisotna. Rojakov tu ni, bila je srbska violinistka. Nisva veliko govorili v srbohrvaščini, ker se to vpričo drugih ne spodobi. Sva pa za moj rojstni dan iniciirali divjo Balkan party.

Koliko ti imam še povedati. Komaj čakam, da greva na čaj in da delim spet čas z najinimi bralci. O Mariboru v Mariboru. Otom potom.

Polsončni in polčloveški simbol, ravnovesna os, ki miri obe divji živali na vsaki strani in ju obvlada (Povzeto po N. Čausidis: Mythical pictures of the south Slaves, Studia mythologica Slavica II, 1999)

John, Ana, Jean in Aaron, New York high line (foto: Giuliano Montanari)

Dialog with Melita Forstnerič Hajnšek about MacDowell, the other continent...

Dear Melita!

Our last conversation in Večer we’ve entitled "How to assuage the eternal struggle between order and chaos". My work here and experience of another continent still echoes this theme. The relationship between the characteristics of the U.S. and Europe creates a polar opposite of black and white in my thoughts and feelings and it seems most reasonable to stand in the balancing shades of gray, the equilibrium between the two. The first sense of a new continent comes as a vast liberating lightness. On the road between the airport in Boston and a small New England town of Peterborough with driver Joe, we pay a slip to the employee who dances madly in the toll station from which Jimi Hendrix peals. This lightness and openness, perhaps boldness and madness may remain an overarching sense, refreshing mainly because I am used to heavy philosophy of Europe (for example, I read Foucoult) and theoretical bureaucratic superstructure of historical collective unconscious. Uncounted immigrants entered this country through the door and left all the past behind. But the old mare on the opposite side needs to be harnessed as well. Europe is deep in its mind, America much more shallow. I read an essay entitled "Jihad Vs. Macworld ", about the two destinations, which our world leads to, and none of them is encouraging. The first is the rigid clinging to the tradition and national identity, which turns into nationalism, its anti pole market globalization that unifies. Now, let's find the balance between them!

No, the question about the cultural ministry issue is not superfluous at all. I do think about it a lot. Public support of the arts is extremely important and its ideal version generates fruitful creative realm, from which astonishing surpluses grow and have a nourishing effect on the nation. John, who knows both art worlds, American and European, feels that public support of the arts spoils us Europeans, and that our governments bribe us so as to keep us quiet and not daring. In America the situation is such that almost all artists have daily jobs, at least temporarily. Which may limit the perfection. Some of them break through this yoke. In U.S. there is much more art that can be sold in the market, such as painting and sculpture, and much less new media or media art, which our Ministry supports in particular. However, the market is really strong here and has been around for centuries. When Miha Mazzini read the comments on the Internet relating to the protests at the recent merging of Ministry of culture with other sectors, he found there muddled comments from readers that artists should finally start working. And that we should live from the market. Shortly thereafter, he asked himself, what kind of art market in Slovenia would that be. Perhaps the artist may live from what he wrenches, apples in autumn, roots in winter and the like. [word game: od trga meaning from the market and odtrga meaning to wrench – from the tree for example]

Residential center where I live and work has a century long tradition and operates on private capital drive. It was formed by the initiative of a strong woman, Marian MacDowell, who built the first studio buildings, away from everyday disturbances, ideal for creating, with penetration and enthusiasm. Can you imagine that in our country wealthy would invest in construction and maintenance of thirty houses in the woods and in the production of exceptional works of art? Supposedly, our only compatriot here before me was Metka Krašovec and her subtle drawing of the unicorn and the woman was waiting for me on the lunch basket at the door in the early days.

I myself mainly work on video installation, which follows the ceremonial angles of the indigenous. I read the texts of Andrej Pleterski and Nikos Čausidis, who finally dare to reconstruct the Slavism from a mere scrap and the integration of various disciplines: architecture, costumes, surviving traditions and stories. I feel rage and aversion to Christianity, which is violently sweeping indigenous knowledge for centuries and places a god with the control and moral /ethical obligations above us. Slavic gods were not occupied with human commonness, they minded their own business. The art colony here follows this principle as well, they leave us alone to do what we want and this is essential.

However, willy-nilly it is needed to wade yet through this bipolarity, the idealization of indigenous people, their connectedness with nature, which echoes a remote Golden Age. Such mythologisation makes a similar injury to the Indians on this continent, as their extermination had made, because no one sees these tribes as real people with factual problems, which change over time.

Then New York with its heavy skyscrapers that grow in the glass landscape falls to the one side of the scales, on the other side there is the smell of pine trees, frogs, deer and coyotes, and the view of the rising sun, which has shifted north by a fascinating distance in these two months.

I would like so much to tell you at least a little about the exceptional artists who are here. They are perhaps the most important factors in the social and creative sense. Each of them is worth exploring on the internet, since their work came as a pure freshness, at least for me.

You know Jamalaadeen Takuma. First, he mentioned our favorite local destination Evil coffee, than he showed his clips of Maribor, colorful Merry autumn [circus], the view across the old bridge ... Aaron Johnson paints colorful images of acrylic layers with Jesus who takes the lady depicted in the statue of liberty from behind. We went to see one of his drawings at Moma. It hung next to Picasso’s. Sergio Lopez-Piñeiro is too big a freethinker, to approve the deployment of classical rectangular housing that dictate social relations and room function. He builds landscapes of snow piles in the middle of urban centers and light buildings without central gravities. Jerome Kitzke soon falls into an ecstatic madness, when reciting the intelligent texts, mocking the character’s arrogance. By this, he is raging on the piano, whistling, and neighing. Jean Rohe, oh Jean, with elegant confidence takes any instrument in her hands and throws us down with simply told stories from the attic of intimacy. John Jesurun, a genius with a distinct sense of humor and (self-) irony. .. Listen to this: he writes scripts himself, then directs them, he constructs an inventive spaces himself and fills them with best actors of the world, some present, some only on video, sometimes a whole orchestra with the editors are in a completely different room as the audience and they can not even be seen during the performance, only their footsteps can be heard every now and than as they walk through the labyrinth corridors. Sarah Hardesty makes delicate spatial sculptures of strained relations between the pieces of wood. And it is just my closest crew, how many artists there are missing. And how many seemed strange in the beginning and then I’ve met my own complexes, after being astonished with their creative work.

Mainly due to joint productions I have contacts with Kibla, and very active group of twelve artists from Slovenia and Croatia, which works under the umbrella of the European project. Otherwise, I have this good habit, that wherever I am I am there all present. There are no countrymen around, it was a Serbian violinist. We did not talk a lot in Serbo-Croatian, because this is not a proper way in front of others. But we had initiated a wild Balkan party for my birthday.

How much more I have to tell you. I can not wait to go for a tea with you and to share time with our readers again. About Maribor in Maribor. Otom potom [a common expression meanning: About that on the road].

Jamaal, Ana and Sergio jamming