Artists’ initiatives
A total of 30 international artists’ initiatives from 20 countries have been invited to the Hanseatic city - from a spectrum of far more than 300 groups that were researched in advance. They include “Gugulective” from South Africa, “Publish and be damned” from Great Britain, “The Suburban” from the United States, “C.A.A.” (Center for Art Analysis) from Romania, “Chto Djelat” from Russia, or “Baltic Raw Org” from Hamburg. Curator Brigitte Kölle on the selection: “With subvision, we intend to present an international panorama that gives insights into a lively and broad field, while at the same time doing justice to the autonomy and distinctive features of the individual initiatives.”
subvision is divided into three parts: an exhibition that, depending of the dynamics of the artists working on location, will change time and again during the course of the festival; a temporary academy with panel discussions, lectures and seminars; as well as a varied event programme with performances, book presentations and concerts. The special mixture of exhibition and working situations opens up new networking opportunities - between the individual artists’ initiatives as well as with interested visitors.
Architecture
The Architektur Werkstatt Hamburg, together with HafenCity Hamburg GmbH, has designed a temporary exhibition architecture consisting of ship containers and scaffoldings along the lines of urbanistic models. Hence, a “city inside the city” will be created on the Strandkai that with its block structure is reminiscent of both the city map of Manhattan and a playing field. Each individual field consists of one to three containers coloured red (Hamburg Süd), blue (NYK) or green (Capital Intermodal), and is “occupied” by one artists’ group. Places of joint use as well as an event hall and a café further the participatory moment. All constructional elements and materials will be used again after the end of the festival.
Venue
HafenCity Hamburg, currently the largest intra-urban construction site in Europe, is an ideal venue for subvision, as it forms both the context and the contrasting backdrop to the artistic contents and issues. This productive field of tension is desired. subvision utilizes an area
of 10,000 square metres on the Strandkai in the western part of HafenCity - a “prime cut“ directly on the Elbe and in the immediate vicinity of the Elbphilharmonie - for a powerful artistic positing, the supra-regional radiation of which will benefit the City of Hamburg on many levels.
Cooperation
subvision is curated by the cultural studies scholar Brigitte Kölle; the artistic director is the president of the Hochschule für bildende Künste, Martin Köttering. The festival has been made possible through the cooperation of the Hochschule für bildende Künste, the Deichtorhallen and the Hamburger Kunsthalle, as well as through the support of numerous public and private promoters. “We are delighted that, especially in a time of extreme crisis, such broad support has been given to a project offering artists’ initiatives a platform for new and different forms of working.
subvision. kunst. festival. off.
Vernissage 26.08.2009, 19 p.m.
27.08. – 06.09.2009
Sunday - Thursday 14 - 22 p.m.
Friday + Saturday 14 - 24 p.m.
Festival entrance fee und guided tours for free
