December 23, 2009
Falls Ihr diesen Brief mitunterzeichnen möchtet, genügt es folgende Angaben zu machen: «Name, Vorname, Funktion, Wohnort» und das Einverständnis an folgende Mailadresse zu schicken:
samia.guemei@air-mail.cc
********************
Sehr geehrter Herr Bundesrat Burkhalter
Wir, die Unterzeichnenden, weisen in aller Form die Aufforderung an Prof. Dr. Georg Kreis, Präsident der Eidgenössischen Rassismuskommission, sein Amt abzugeben, zurück. Wir unterstützen den angesehenen Historiker und Menschenfreund in seiner Entscheidung, dieses wichtige Amt weiterhin auszuüben.
Mit grosser Besorgnis beobachten wir, wie die politische Diskussion in der Schweiz seit der Annahme der Initiative zum Minarettverbot zunehmend von national-konservativen und diskriminierenden Kräften beherrscht wird. Erschreckend ist es da, wenn nicht nur die SVP, sondern gar einzelne Exponenten von Georg Kreis’ Partei, der FDP, sein Präsidium der Eidgenössischen Rassismuskommission in Frage stellen. Die geschichtlich staatstragende Partei par excellence gibt damit dem propagandistisch-populistischen Druck nach, der seit der Annahme der Initiative zum Minarettverbot besteht. Diese reflexartige Rechtfertigung des Plebiszits, in der sich teilweise auch Regierung, Parteien und Medien üben, untergräbt zunehmend Kritik an Volksentscheiden und an deren demokratischen Voraussetzungen und Folgen.
In seinem Votum im Zischtigsclub vom 8. Dezember hat Georg Kreis eine richtige Situationsanalyse gezeichnet: Es ist gefährlich, Vorlagen zur Abstimmung zu bringen, die eine Diskriminierung einer Bevölkerungsgruppe zur Folge haben. Auch in den 30-er Jahren des vergangenen Jahrhunderts hätte der Antisemitismus eine noch grössere Akzeptanz gefunden, wenn er durch eine grosse Partei bewirtschaftet worden wäre – wie heute, da die islamische Religion in den Fokus der Diskriminierung geraten ist. Es ist nachgerade die Aufgabe von Professor Georg Kreis als Historiker und Präsident der Eidgenössischen Rassismuskommission diese historische Parallele in Erinnerung zu rufen.
Gewiss gehört es auch zur duckmäuserischen Geisteshaltung der Schweiz nach dem Minarett-Plebiszit, dass SVP-Präsident Toni Brunner ungestraft die totale Aushebelung der Menschenrechte via Volksrecht» ankündigen kann, währenddem Georg Kreis aus seiner historischen Warnung ein Fallstrick gedreht wird.
Erstunterzeichner: Geri Müller, Nationalrat, Baden; Klaus Merz, Schriftsteller, Unterkulm
Initianten: Samia Guemei, Journalistin, Baden; David Zehnder, Künstler, Beinwil a.S.
Leave a Comment » | 
artikel | Tagged: basel, eidgenössische rassismuskommission, georg kreis, rassismus | 
Permalink
Posted by istwasesist
December 10, 2009
The Saatchi gallery provides a fantastic opportunity for artists of all kinds to compete online. Admission is free, but you need an account on the website. You can register within minutes and you won’t receive any hassling newsletters.
Every two weeks, a new competition starts. All visitors on the website can vote for your artwork. The winner after two weeks receives £1000, the runner-up £750. And the winning artwork will go on display in the new Saatchi gallery. Sounds good? Go ahead!
>> Click here to go to Saatchi Online Showdown
Leave a Comment » | 
artikel | Tagged: art, artwork, call for artists, kunst, online showdown, saatchi, wettbewerb | 
Permalink
Posted by istwasesist
November 30, 2009
On Friday, 4th December from 6pm, the International Exchange and Studio Program in Basel opens the doors of the participating artists for an open studio event.
Painter Stéphane Belzère-Kreienbühl’s work revolves around contexts and the different ways of treating them. By concentrating on the detail of a whole and framing it anew, he disposes of its original context and allows for the spectator to create it for himself. The original motives are mostly taken from a scientific anatomic background. Thus he takes the picture of a shelf with glasses containing human or animal preparations from which he unhinges the glasses’ bottoms which he then scales to enormous sizes. The new image is then projected and painted on glass. The result, to some spectators, may look like a landscape in green and blue colour tones. Or he may paint a crosssection of a human head, filling it with different colour combinations. The paintings remind of mandalas. Here, the scientific background of neurologic research mapping the brain sets the stage for “the artist’s imagination”.
Stéphane Belzère-Kreienbühl has worked at IAAB for five months now. He exhibits the results of his work from that time. In total, six artists participating in the program will open their studios: Jun Azumatei (Tokyo), Jennifer Caubet (Marseille), Hidde van Schie (Rotterdam), Tom Muller (Fremantle) and Martin Bureau (Montréal).
So Open Studios at IAAB promises to be a truly artistic cultural exchange, with artists from all around the world. It will definitely be worth the visit. Be there!
>> Visit IAAB website here
Leave a Comment » | 
artikel | Tagged: art, basel, Hidde van Schie, IAAB, International Exchange and Studio Program, Jennifer Caubet, Jun Azumatei, kultur, kunst, Martin Bureau, Stéphane Belzère-Kreienbühl, Tom Muller, upcoming, Vernissage | 
Permalink
Posted by istwasesist
October 28, 2009
On Tuesday, 27th October, Adam Szymczyk, director of Kunsthalle Basel invited to see Videogramme einer Revolution by Harun Farocki and Andrei Ujica. The film documents the Romanian revolution in 1989. And it leaves the audience with a lot to talk about.
Videogramme einer Revolution is the compilation of video camera movies and television broadcasts during the five days of revolution in Romania from 21st to 25th December 1989. The clips are compiled in chronological order. You see shots of the masses, the takeover of the national television center, discussions as to what to communicate to the people, how to name the new party, how the new flag should look like. You have probably never been more close to a revolution. The film transports a very complete and deep-inside image of the happenings.
Like Bogdan Ghiu, writer, essayist and critic, put it in his introductory speech to the film in Stadtkino, the revolution in Romania was televised. The takeover of television was one of the main acts during these days. What a camera transports is never the truth. It is always a digestion, steered by the one who holds the camera. Art, like a camera, cannot transport reality. It can try to repeat it, to reproduce and reinterpret it, and the more it does so, it can actually change it. Repetition is the basis of change. And there is no real repetition. There is only reinterpretation.
The incentive for the choice of this film was Daniel Knorr’s Led R. Nanirok, the current exhibition in Kunsthalle. It’s not only that Knorr is a Romanian which provides the link. Knorr, in his work, deals with cultural learned assumptions and thus with the images we have of our environment, of history, of everything that is. And Videogramme einer Revolution documents a historical event in a way we have not had the chance to remember it until now. And it really does take you in.
>> See event site on kunsthallebasel.ch
1 Comment | artikel | Tagged: adam szymczyk, andrei ujica, art, basel, bogdan ghiu, ceausescu, harun farocki, kultur, kunst, kunsthalle basel, romania, videogramme einer revolution | Permalink
Posted by istwasesist
October 23, 2009
Yesterday, 22nd October, the third edition of the annual SHIFT – Electronic Arts Festival took place in Dreispitzhalle, Münchenstein. After a series of opening speeches by the sponsors’ representatives, the exhibition was opened to the public. At 9pm, US musician Dorit Chrysler performed the first of a long list of musical acts of the festival.
Dominik Spirgi, spokesman of the festival, held his opening speech, followed by several officials and representatives of the sponsors. During the speeches, people poured into Dreispitzhalle in quite great numbers. When the apero was declared open, the event hall was packed expectedly.
At 8pm, the exhibition opened. You can say, it’s definitely worth the visit. Although the topic of this years’ SHIFT seems a bit passé, its interpretations vary from clever to amusing, and from dazzling to a bit blunt.
Interaction is written in capitals. Accordingly, lots of the works include the beholder. And interaction is realized in very different ways. From screens with mouses inviting you to click to motion sensors transforming movements onto screens, every variation can be seen.
Today, the official program of SHIFT has started, sporting an extensive number of performances and concerts, partly taking place in the partnering Schaulager. A visit of SHIFT’s website is recommended to see what’s going on and where.
>> Visit SHIFT09 website
>> Visit Schaulager website
Leave a Comment » | artikel | Tagged: art, basel, Christoph Merian Stiftung, Dorit Chrysler, Electronic Arts Festival, Festival der elektronischen Künste, Schaulager, SHIFT, SHIFT09 | Permalink
Posted by istwasesist
October 23, 2009
Four Norwegian artists travel to San Francisco to make art. They take two weeks’ time to absorb the Bay Area and transform it instantly into artworks. And at the end of the stay, the artworks will be exhibited. The project draws on identity and difference: how does a stranger perceive a town?
EXPLORE, TRANSFORM, PERFORM is the subtitle the four artists give to the project. While their individual works draw international attention, Norwegian Instant Art is a charity project designed to share cultural energy – this time between Norway and the US.
The San Francisco issue is the third part of the series. The first two were initiated and held by Pippip Ferner and Kristine Maudal. For the San Francisco show, Kristin Romberg and Ingrid A. Tronstad complete the quartet.
The project will be put through from November 1st to 12th 2009. The opening will take place on 12th November between 6pm and 9pm at Studio Anodyne, 77 Dow Place.
>> Invitation EXPLORE TRANSFORM PERFORM 12th November 09
>> Go to Kristine Maudal’s website
>> Go to Pippip Ferner’s website
>> Go to Kristin Romberg’s website
>> Go to Ingrid A. Tronstad’s website
2 Comments | artikel | Tagged: art, culture, exchange, explore transform perform, ingrid a. tronstad, kristin romberg, kristine maudal, kunst, norway, norwegian instant art, pippip ferner, san francisco, studio anodyne | Permalink
Posted by istwasesist
October 21, 2009
With Village Sauvage successfully put through, it’s time for a brush-up on the movements in local independent culture scene in Basel. The situation is, frankly speaking, quite poor. Basel profits from an international reputation of being an art capital, certainly due to the annual ArtBasel. However, in terms of acting towards fostering this reputation, the city’s government lacks understanding. Or so it seems.
A short roundup of what happened in recent history:
- NT-Areal, open space for independent culture projects such as open-air bars, nightclubs, a dirt track, a skater park and more, is coming to an end. As a new housing estate is being built, located between two main highways, the last large open area will vanish shortly. NT-Areal used to be a one-of-a-kind project in Switzerland, and even in the whole of Europe, you will have to look closely to find something similar. Literally thousands of people gathered on NT-Areal in summer nights to cherish the atmosphere. There is no alternative yet to this kind of area, and it seems as if Basel’s government is rather happy to get rid of it.
- Schällemätteli, Basel’s old prison has been standing empty for a number of years now. Surrounded by construction sites and university buildings, the former prison building would have made for a perfect cultural center for all kinds of usage. Instead of the city understanding this opportunity and trying to set up an interim use, the doors were kept locked and the building – the last of its kind in Europe, is being demolished. The works have already begun.
What happened on the other side:
Millions of Swiss Francs have been invested in the construction and planning of several shopping malls. One of them is going to be built at Voltaplatz, another one where NT-Areal used to be, a third in Markthalle Basel near the train station and a fourth one has opened its doors where more than a decade ago, Stückfärberei was closed, to most people merely a shadow of a memory by now, but during its time a very much frequented alternative clubbing space.
With all these new shopping facilities, one needs to wonder where independent culture will go? It seems quite clear that this kind of culture is not on the government’s agenda. But this is a mistake. Because the need for spaces where culture and subculture can grow on its own and on a grassroots democratic level exists. And it will not be ruled out.
It’s time to take action. And it’s high time that the deciders in Basel realized that there is a great number of citizens who are not willing to accept this kind of policy. They will continue to stand up.
And most of all: it’s time that the government realized that with an existing culture and subculture, Basel will truly move into the spotlight of being a cultural capital. Not only during ArtBasel. But all year round. And this, in turn, will attract creatives from all over Europe and beyond. Let’s move!
Leave a Comment » | artikel | Tagged: artbasel, basel, culture, kultur, nt-areal, politics, scene, schaellemaetteli, schällemätteli, stückfärberei, stücki, village sauvage, volta, voltaplatz, young | Permalink
Posted by istwasesist
October 18, 2009
This weekend, a big cultural happening has unsettled the conservative establishment’s handling of open cultural space in Basel. As the few remaining open spaces in Basel are being closed down one after another, subculture stands up. This weekend it was Village Sauvage. An entire housing estate subject to demolition was transformed into a huge party area.
Hundreds of party goers gathered at 9.30 pm in Riehen and were guided by party officials to a hitherto secret place. It was a housing estate, which will be demolished by the government shortly to make room for new houses. Twelve houses, located in a park and standing empty, were annexed and transformed into party locations. Every music style imaginable, from Punk to Electro, from Roots Reggae to Breakcore, and from Dubstep to live Rock’n'Roll. All kinds of people gathered in huge numbers, peacefully cherishing the place, the music and the occasion.
As open spaces in Basel are being closed down one after another, the cultural scene is trying to find new ones. With Basel being a city canton in Switzerland, open spaces tend to be filled with new buildings. As many as four new shopping malls are planned or being built. Quite a number of culturally initiative groups are urgently asking the same question: where will independent culture go? After the closing of Nt-Areal, independent culture lacks space to pull projects that enrich Basel’s culture without depending on the establishment. Some of the groups discuss the issue, and some of them take action. This is what Village Sauvage has proved this weekend: culture will not be stopped. It will move, and it will eventually pop up elsewhere. There’s no stopping that.
Article re-edited on 20th October.
>> See photos of the happening on FlickR
>> Village Sauvage: Message to the Press (German)
>> Village Sauvage on Twitter
Leave a Comment » | artikel | Tagged: basel, design, kultur, kunst, Polizei | Permalink
Posted by istwasesist
October 10, 2009
Led R. Nanirok is the title of the current exhibition by Daniel Knorr in Kunsthalle Basel. The name reveals the main idea behind all works: they are showing objects in different ways that we are conditioned to seeing them.
Image source: www.kunsthallebasel.ch. All rights reserved.
>> Read the full article here
Leave a Comment » | artikel | Tagged: art, basel, daniel knorr, kultur, kunst, kunsthalle basel, led r. nanirok | Permalink
Posted by istwasesist
October 8, 2009
3rd Ward Gallery in Brooklyn NYC has released an international call for entries for the Solo Show Fall 2009. It’s a call “for the best New Art”. The gallery is on the lookout for young artists from all around the world. You are invited to send your dynamic, inventive and provocative art until 22nd of October. Works can be from all sorts of media.
The selected artist will be rewarded financially, will be payed a stay in Brooklyn and much more.
Have something ready? Check it out!
>> http://www.3rdward.com/soloshowcurrent/rt
Leave a Comment » | artikel | Tagged: 3rd Ward Gallery, art, Award, Brooklyn, Call, Call for Entries, kultur, kunst, press, upcoming, Wordwide, young | Permalink
Posted by istwasesist
