> press to exit project space Skopje / Macedonia
*1971, lives and works in Vienna, Austria
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23. August
After I arrived well yestday in the afternoon, I had some talks about the difficulties in communication between coyotes and wolves with Jovanka and her friend Katarina at a bar at night. So today is my first real day in Skopje! Some impressions that are referring mainly to Skopje 2014.
24. August
Skopje would be the last place on earth I would think about the interrelation between different kind of animals. Nevertheless I made an interesting discovery at the local zoo today: Two Ara’s in a cage. They are screaming loud. It sounds strange not like birds. When I got closer I realized, that they are imitating the sheep and goats that are opposite their cage in the other compound. Despite the fact, that zoological gardens are always said, they usually telling a lot about the cities and the people where they are located.
At the moment there is an interesting documentary filmfestival in Skopje. I met there with Gjorgje Jovanovik an young macedonian artist for a couple of evenings.
26. August
Running around Skopje
I am still on my sightseeing through Skopje – might be not so different from tourist behaviour. Otherwise: How to start?
27. August
More visit to the Aras at the zoo.
The Macedonian museum of Natural History is integrated in the entrance building of the the zoo. It is strange to see the dead animals and hearing the sound from outside.
30. August
Of course on my way through the city I stumble upon some beautiful brutalist architecture.
Georgi Konstantinovski: Student Dormitory “Goce Delčev”
01. September
I started to play around with some improvised settings in my apartment, including found objects like architectural models I found in the trash of the Faculty of Architecture and Faculty of Civil Engineering…
There where two openings tonight, which did not excite my to much.
02. September
My artist talk about my works shifted to the 14th of September.
03. September
On a night walk I revisited the center of the city and took some photos, the damage of Skopje 2014 is all around.
04. September
Another walk through the city. I am slowly expanding my radius.
This is another brutalist masterpiece: The Macedonian Hydrometeorology Institute by architect Krsto Todorovski, 1975.
05. September
Wasted years, wasted ideas. Some more trash from the trash bin of the architectural institute to decorate my appartment.
07. September
Today I had the idea to involve Czech artist Jakub Vrba into the performane I am planning to have as intro for my artist talk. A view from outside will improve the thing.
08. September
Some work on the aqueduct, that is quite abandoned.
Skopje Aqueduct Wet Towel Try.
09. September
Tonight there was a book presentation of Jon Blackwoods book “Critical Art in Contemporary Macedonia” at Menada. It really seems to be a very good introduction to understand a specific sector of the macedonian art scene.
10. September
A long walk through the Gazi Baba park, that finally ended at the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University.
11. September
Today there was an earthquake in Skopje. People left the buildings and gathered on the streets. It was said to be the strongest since 1963. That´s why everybody seems to be bit nervous.
12. September
Some more earthquakes today makes me feel a bit shaky. The stongest chaught me in a shopping mall. People where leaving the building in panic.
14. September
So today there was my artist talk at the gem club. I think it went quite well, there where about 20 people, that seemed to be quite interested. I started with swallowing some images as a “devotional excercise”. This ritual refers to the religious “Schluckbildchen” that are going back to the medivial times in Austria. I choosed different motives related to some thoughts I had about Skopje. The work was done in collaboration with Jakub Vrba, who developed the drawings.
