REAL PRESENCE

• REAL PRESENCE was 10 years, 13 cities, 68 exhibitions in institutions and public locations, 1564 young artists and students from, 105 academies and universities from 37 countries, 150 statements of artists who took part and who are today active and established“Real Presence” was huge international event dedicated toyoung artists, organised for the first time in Belgrade in 2001, with intent to symbolically mark thebeginning of new century and new democratic shift in Serbia, after 10 years of war, culturalembargo and deep political, economical and social crisis. More than just an artistic event, “RealPresence” represented a unique form of cultural activism. It stood for openness andinclusiveness, since it started as an ‘open call’ to young artists and art-students from variousEuropean countries to come to Belgrade, just ‘be present’, and through their presence createconcrete and symbolic space of artistic expression, exchange, solidarity and mutual learning.First edition of “Real Presence” was inaugurated with Harald Szeemann, one of the most groundbreakingcurators of our times, who commented his encounter with this event in following words:“What Biljana and Dobrila wanted and achieved wasn’t an addition to the already overloaded artagenda, it was a piece of given life to the capital of an impoverished nation.”For us as initiators, and for young generations of Belgrade artists, “Real Presence” becameannual appointment, expected and organised with great enthusiasm, even if always withrestrictions of low-budgets. Seemed vital to maintain and preserve this “free space” in which artistcould just be. They could be together, learn from each other, collaborate and build networks fortheir future. In ten years of its existence, “Real Presence” became a unique cultural phenomena.There is nothing similar in scale, range, duration and spirit of openness. It is so because it wasgrounded in Biljana Tomic’s curatorial work which embodied the spirit of the 60s and the 70s, andit’s huge international manifestations which gathered in Belgrade some of most important artisticfigures of Neo-Avantguardes. Starting with Joseph Beuys and other important protagonists ofFluxus, land and conceptual art, performance & body art, new media and video art, Biljana Tomicestablished contacts with art academies and art centres, laying grounds for upfront, experimental,and, most of all, open and international artistic environment in which were formed dozens ofgenerations. With the cultural embargo of the 90s this cultural climate chased to exist. “RealPresence” was an attempt to re-establish artistic dialogue between Serbia and the world, and toprovide an opportunity for generations raised during the war to overcome devastating effects ofviolent, nationalistic and xenophobic 90s. Out of this dynamic, pluralistic, inclusive artmanifestationemerged generations of artists which are now building (or trying to build) the mostprogressive artistic scene in Serbia, continuing to keep open all possible channels of culturalcollaboration and exchange.

Subject headings

HUMANIORA  -- Konst (hsv//swe)

HUMANITIES  -- Arts (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Fine Arts

activism

political

manifestation

war

public places

Museum of Yugoslavia

Visual Arts

Konst- och bildvetenskap

Publication and Content Type

pop (subject category)

kap (subject category)

kfu (subject category)