A number of independent culture and civil society organizations are calling for the joint creation of a Croatian-European Friendship Society, playing with concepts and images of Croatian and European traditions, political phrases, ceremonial pomposity and statesman iconography.
Zeljko Zorica: Kroatisch-EU Freundschaft (KEUF)
(Audio-video-edible installations with a controlled happening)
THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE OR LOVE ME OR LEAVE ME
June 30th 2013 / July 1st 2013 (10 PM – 1 AM)
The French Republic Square (Trg Francuske Republike)
Kroatisch-EU Freundschaft (KEUF) is a controlled happening, with a large art installation, which takes place outdoors at the French Republic Square simultaneously with the official celebration of Croatia’s accession to the EU at the Ban Jelacic Square.
“The holiness of celebrating accession to the Union in our controlled happening will be accompanied by reading of the texts of the oaths of statesmen by artists and activists, chanting hymns and video projections that will allow an ironic detachment from history and historical moments“, said the artist Zeljko Zorica. The visitors will have a role to play, but also a special treatment because they will be able to participate on a picnic under the stars during the happening and, after midnight, immediately after the official entry into the European Union, they will be invited to enter in the space of a visually attractive and impressive public installation which will be set on the French Republic Square.
The performance includes video installations and musical program, and a number of people involved in public and cultural life, such as Urša Raukar, Luka Dragić, Mario Kovač, Dino Pešut, Vesna Teršelić, Sanja Sarnavka, Čipkice Choir and others.
“Perforations Festival deals with artistic experiments that encourage new perspectives in our daily examination of broader social and political issues. In this way, the Kroatisch-EU Freundschaft happening, which marks the Croatian accession to the EU at the same time as the official celebrations organized by the Croatian Government, creates a picture of today’s Croatia and Europe filled with amenities, symbols and meanings”, said Zvonimir Dobrović, Perforations festival artistic director. He added that this “Celebration will face political detachment from the various historical empires we belonged to, at the same time highlighting the current reality of Europe and our will to change it for the better with our experience. Therefore, “KroaTisch-EU Freundschaft” is a happening which obliges us all for artistic responsibility and political creativity. It is a celebration of this moment, because it offers content with classic festive and ceremonial form“.
About the artist: In the last ten years Željko Zorica realizes his work as controlled happenings and consistently through them he encourages the audience to (inter)action and uses this participation as an important part of the performance. He makes it possible for the audience to freely enjoy and turns it into an active work of art that produces additional meanings that develop or challenge the ideas of the original idea behind the work and defined position of the audience as observers.
About the organizers: Together with Perforations festival (Domino Association) and the 11th Festival of the First, with the support of POGON, the project involves the Platform 112, which brings together more than 70 Croatian civil society organizations and coalitions, emphasizing the contribution of civil society to the transition process of Croatia and its accession to the EU.
Additional information: Facebook event is available at this link
Photos in print format are available on We Transfer link: http://we.tl/DXl9PIYvVt
For further information, please contact Karla Horvat Crnogaj (pr@queerzagreb.org)