REMIX COMIX IN LJUBLJANA: ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE
International residency programme
20. 9.–8. 10. 2023, AKC Metelkova City, Ljubljana
Remix Comix is a two-year international project, created as an initiative of six non-governmental cultural organizations from four European countries. It focuses on contemporary comics, the potential of comics and art in community building or the empowerment of various marginalized groups. The project connects artists, theorists and social activists from various backgrounds and tries to give voice to the members of subcultural and marginal identities. The project questions the potential of comics and art as an emancipatory tool, which can contribute to fairer and more inclusive society.
The project, which has so far undergone several stages under the direction of partner organizations abroad, is stopping in Ljubljana during the Tinta Comics Festival in the beginning of October, where, in addition to a three-day conference Comics and Community, it will hold also several exhibitions and a performance, which will be created at AKC Metelkova City by artists that are guests of the residential program.
The project is centered around AKC Metelkova City, which, as one of the rare remaining autonomous spaces, offers refuge to various artists, members of vulnerable groups and diverse subcultures – and was also a source of inspiration for artists in residency. The newly created works will try to thematize heritage and importance of autonomous cultural spaces, as well as other forms of sociality and community that are forming and inhabiting these spaces. Members of these group will also be actively involved in working with artists at workshops, meetings and discussions.
Remix Comix project’s artistic residency will last from 20th September to 8th October 2023.
On Friday, 6th October, at 20.30 the final event of the residency will happen at AKC Metelkova.
On Sunday, 8th October, at 11.00 there will be a public guided tour of AKC Metelkova City, where you will get to know the history of visual scene and contemporary production at the autonomous cultural zone.
ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE AT THE REMIX COMIX IN LJUBLJANA:
The Remix Comix residency programme in Ljubljana brings together selected artists from the partner countries: Terezie Unzeitigová (CZ), Boris Stanić (RS), Konstantinos Petrović (RS), Vladimir Ilić (RS), Jos Daamen (NL) and Nivin Baranbo (NL), joined by Lebanese artist Mazen Kerbaj (LB), current KUD Mreža artist-in-residence, and local video artist Kristina Kokalj (SI).
BORIS STANIĆ (RS) / Comics
Boris Stanić (1984) graduated in painting at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Belgrade. He is the author of numerous graphic novels and comic albums, distinguished by a strong graphism and unique poetics of the plains. His most important literary works include the biographical works Radosav: Morning Mist and Radosav: Oak Leaves, as well as a comic novel Assassination and a comic book entitled Blatište. Besides making comics, he also paints and illustrates. He received several prestigious awards for his work.
TEREZIE UNZEITIGOVÁ (CZ) / Illustration, comics
Terezie Unzeitigová (1992) is an illustrator, author of animations and film artist. As a freelance artist she collaborates with various non-governmental organizations, focusing on such issues as human rights, environment and feminism. She is a co-author of the illustrated project Prague 2050, and, among others, an author of the project entitled Prague East End, which thematizes areas of urban wilderness. She is currently working on an animated project titled Machine Mountain. She lives and works in Prague.
VVLADIMIR ILIĆ (RS) / Sculpting
Vladimir Ilić (1981) graduated under the supervision of professor Ljubomir Denković at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Novi Sad, majoring in sculpture. He completed his postgraduate studies in painting in 2011, under the supervision of professor Gordana Kaljalović-Odanović. Since 2004, he has been collaborating with Shock Cooperative, which operates under the auspices of the multimedia centre Led art. Since 2021, when he became a member of the Union of Associations of Visual Artists of Vojvodina (SULUV), he also has the status of an independent visual artist. Lately, he has been intensely devoting himself to drawing, and he also works as a stage designer. He lives and works in Novi Sad.
KONSTANTINOS PETROVIĆ (RS) / New media
Konstantinos Petrović (1995) is a postgraduate student of painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Novi Sad. He completed his academic studies at the Philological Art Faculty in Kragujevac, majoring in mural painting. So far, he has presented himself with eleven solo exhibitions, and he also participated in numerous group projects. Meanwhile, he participated in several other art projects and workshops. Since 2020, he has been a member of Shock Cooperative, and since 2021, a member of the Union of Associations of Visual Artists of Vojvodina (SULUV). He is also one of the co-founders of the association Graphic Network. He lives and works in Novi Sad.
JOS DAAMEN & NIVIN BARANBO (NL) / Storytelling, performative art
Jos Daamen (1988) graduated in dance pedagogy at the Amsterdam School of the Arts in 2010, and later studied dance in New York. Since her return from the USA, she has been focused on teaching and performative arts, meanwhile participating in other projects too. She teaches in both primary and secondary schools and colleges, whereas her teaching project combines elements of yoga, improvisation and social dance, meanwhile cooperating also with several artists at home and abroad. Among other things, she is currently collaborating with a dance cast De Dansers, theatre ZID and arts universities in Amsterdam and Utrecht.
Nivin Baranbo (1985) comes from Syria, but has been living in the Netherlands for six years. She is an actress, journalist and dancer. Until 2016, she worked as a reporter and journalist with the radio station Arabesque from Damask. At the same time, she was studying oriental dance and participating at various television stations as an actress or model. After arriving in the Netherlands, she began to participate in the two-year project FATE under the auspices of the theatre house ZID. Among other things, she recently finished the filming of an international production entitled Smile Mr. General, which will soon be available on Netflix
KRISTINA KOKALJ (SI) / Video, new media
Kristina Kokalj (1993) graduated in video and new media at the Department for Painting, the Faculty of Fine Arts and Design in 2017, and continued her studies at the Department of Design and Visual Communications, finishing her master’s studies in photography. She works in the fields of film, visual projection, light design, photography and sound. She is predominantly interested in exploring the possibilities of the analogue film. In her works, she strives towards integrated immersive experience, which creates situational potential in space, establishes a dialogue between sound and light, draws attention to technological imperfection and introduces repetition and dissonance in the works. In addition to study projects, since 2014, she works as a VJ (she collaborates with the group Haiku Garden on a regular basis) and since 2018, as a lighting designer in Gala Hala club in Metelkova.
Special guest: MAZEN KERBAJ (LB) / Comics
Mazen Kerbaj (1975, Beirut, Lebanon) is an author of comics, painter and musician, he also illustrates and designs. He has written 15 books, which have been translated in over ten languages, and his work was exhibited in several galleries, museums, festivals and fairs all over the world. He previously taught at the American University in Beirut. Kerbaj is considered one of the key names of Lebanese impro and experimental musical scene; as an excellent trumpeter, he constantly tests the limits of this instrument.
Artists in residence will be assisted by local artists whose creative domicile is Metelkova or are closely related to it: Danilo Milovanović, Marko A. Kovačič and Andrej Štular.
video: Kristina Kokalj, photos: DK
Curators of Remix Comix project in Ljubljana:
KATERINA MIROVIĆ is a managing and art director of Strip Core, visual arts-music-publishing section of Forum Ljubljana, being also its co-founder in 1989. She also co-founded the Stripburger comics magazine in 1992, and has been its editor in chief and also editor in charge of the magazine’s special book editions. With Aleksandra Stratimirović she co-founded international Lighting Guerrilla festival in Ljubljana, being its curator and producer ever since 2007. Since 1989 she has organized and/or curated several hundred visual art, media and music events in Slovenia and abroad. In 2018, she received a prize Priznanje Ivane Kobilice for her contribution in development of visual arts.
TANJA SKALE is a freelance editor and producer working in the field of comics, visual art and culture. Since 2013, she has been collaborating with the international comics magazine Stripburger as an editor and producer of various comics projects, exhibitions, workshops, discussions and other events in Slovenia and abroad. She regularly presents Stripburger at international comics festivals and book fairs as well. She is also a co-founder and artistic director of the Tinta International Comics Festival Ljubljana.
Residential artists who participated in the project Remix Comix: Dora Benčevič in Novi Sad (org. MMC LED ART – Šok Zadruga, EPK Novi Sad), Danilo Milovanović in Amsterdam (org. Zid Theater) and Neža Jurman in Prague (org. LUSTR festival). The participation of Slovene artists at the Remix Comix will be rounded off by Andrej Štular in October, in Pančevo, Serbia (org. Komunikart).
Partners of the Remix Comix project: MMC LED ART – Šok Zadruga, EPK Novi Sad, Komunikart (RS), LUSTR festival (CZ), ZID Theater (NL). Remix Comix project is co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Commission.
Producer: Stripburger/ Forum Ljubljana
Co-producers: KUD Mreža, Azil bookshop / ZRC SAZU, Kino Šiška
Media sponsors: Mladina d. d., Radio Student, DPG
Co-financiers: European Union, Creative Europe programme, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Public Administration, City of Ljubljana, Slovenian Book Agency
