Dérive #Tirana | In search of missing pieces

“not a town planning project, but rather a way of thinking, of imagining, of looking at things and at life.” 1

On the eve(s) of new competing campaigns for the ultimate power honor of reigning over serving Tirana, I'd like to point out that the city is a public space and the ultimate power is held by its people. Their vote will elect. Their vote does not mean ownership, but participation. Engagement. Responsibility. Competence. Their vote and subsequent implementation of what it represents will determine the kind of comprehensive public(s) we will have (physically, socially, economically, politically).

Will it be a (Roman) Arena or a (Greek) Agora?
Will it favor:
Spectacle or Discourse?
Spectatorship or Participation?
Separation or Integration?

Materialism or Idealism?
Image or Value?

Power or Demos(cracy vs. crazy)?
Ownership or Accessibility?

Public polity in Albania is in desperate need of “a stiff, clarifying test...” 2

There will be a lot of talk about the (physical) infrastructure of public space, which is fine because Tirana definitely needs it - but again, I think many will steer away from the real problem, identifying the real public polemic. A public that has been hiding in plain sight. A public in fight and/or flight.
Once identified, how, do we then see it? How do we engage it, not enforce it?
What is its public dimension? Is it a landmark or an entire urban context?
Is it made of signage, architecture or bodies?
What is its public threshold? Is it edging domesticity, privatization, or blighted voids?
What are its public multitudes? What are its habitats: humans, ecology, pollution, etc.?
What is the public condition in Tirana?

“Is it possible to imagine collective human agency as productive of something playful, joyous, communal, even beautiful?” 3

As we approach election season, I'd like to remind all involved: those who are strategizing the implementation of what public vote stands for (i.e. campaign promises) and those of us who will indirectly be involved by writing, discussing, consulting and challenging along the way and from far away - to not be so short-sighted and get lost in the creative promises of town planning projects of art and architecture, but dig deep into our capabilities as citizen voters, holding the power of electing our public servants, that these elections are our public space, that our vote is our right to access, use and transform the city.

“Beneath the pavement, the beach. Wherever the boredom with given forms of art, politics, thought, everyday life jackhammers through the carapace of mindless form, the beach emerges, where form is ground down to particles, to the ruin of ruins. There lies what the old mole is always busy making: the materials for the construction of situations. These too might be recuperated into mere art or writing some day, and sooner rather than later, but not before their glorious time. Our species-being is as builders of worlds. Should we consent to inhabit this given one as our resting place, we're dead already. There may be no dignified exits left to the twenty-first century, the century of the flying inflatable turd, but there might at least be some paths to adventure. The unexamined life is not worth living, but the unlived life doesn't bear thinking about.” 4

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1 Constant, “Lecture Given at the ICA, London” (1963), The Decomposition of the Artist, p. 9 (a). As noted in McKenzie Wark's The Beach Beneath the Street, p.144.
2 William H. Whyte and Albert LaFarge. The Essential William H. Whyte, New York: Fordham UP, 2000. Page 317.

3 McKenzie Wark, The Beach Beneath the Street, p.144.

4 McKenzie Wark, The Beach Beneath the Street, p.159.

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21 May | World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development

To Become Other, To Become New, To Survive Absolute Uncertainty | To Live New Singularities

** excerpts from cache's earth moves have inspired a personal reading of 'framing territories' (as thinking scapes in acting and reacting to what's around us and what we think we know)

It all comes down to how you frame 'things'.
What you choose to include and exclude.
Inside and outside are notions devoid of meaning.
The frame selects because it eliminates the tendency for evasion.

'Things' are not stable. They undergo variations, giving rise to new possibilities of seeing.
'Things' are images not pictures.
We see 'things' as functions of actions in and reactions to a milieu.
But since such reactions are not automatic or deterministic and include 'zones of indetermination' from which unexpected movement might come, images involve what transpires in the intervals or disparities between 'things.'
They are connected through a logic where the whole is not given but always open to variation, as new things are added or new relations made, creating new continuities out of such intervals or disparities.
In this unstable dynamic world, 'things' are therefore no longer defined by fixed divisions between inside and outside.
Rather this division itself comes to shift or move as outside forces cause internal variations or as internal variations create new connections with the outside.
In this way we see that 'things' belong to a dynamic rather than a static milieu.

“THE INTERIOR IS ONLY A SELECTED EXTERIOR, 

AND THE EXTERIOR A PROJECTED INTERIOR.”

The inclusion is a 'realization of the possible'.
The exclusion is the 'actualization of the virtual'.
One is redundant and the other creative.
The first operates by principles of limitation and resemblance.
The other operates by differentiation, divergence, and creation.

For framing 'things' always involves, at least potentially, the possibility of deframing, where what is internal discovers a relation to what is external in such a way as to open it up to the outside.

So, it all comes down to how you frame 'things'.
The imaginary line/wall/curtain/fence/tower/mountain/water/horizon we draw around 'things':

- to define 'things' and then let them define us,
- to believe we can frame 'things', that our way is the right way, the only way
- even though in this world, we are reminded everyday of the impossibility of this enclosure.

This is how we see 'things', as a picture not as an image.
We choose to accept and allow the existence of what's inside the frame.
The well marked barriers of the frame keep us safe from the fear of its bigness, the actual impossibility to enclose it.
Do we really know what 'things' are? How they become?
Our dismissal shows we don't care to.

We have shielded ourselves from further exploration of potential uncertainty and exciting new possibilities of seeing.

We choose to include.
With each inclusion, we exclude.
We exclude the curiosity of 'things'.
We exclude the imagination of 'things'.
We exclude the inspiration from 'things'.
We exclude new forms of singularities.

We ought to not use the frame as a leash, allowing only enough rope to hang ourselves in redundancy.

The frame is anticipation. 

So,

Release the leash.
Become other.
Become new.
Survive absolute uncertainty.
Fully explore 'things'.
Live new singularities.


** What are these 'things'? 

All of us.

All of what we are.

All of what we claim to be.

All of what we can offer.

All of what has made us.

All of what we inhabit.

All of what we destroy.

All of what we inherit.

All of what we leave behind.

All of what we learn, misunderstand, take for granted, angrily project, and (hopefully) re-learn.

All of the passive-aggressive humor we use to pat ourselves on the back for cleverly manipulating a latent refusal to face the bleakness of a conversation or topic head on.

All of what we release to the world openly on the airwaves or as underground whispers, without once turning around and directly saying it to the other (wo)man. 

All of our destructive mentality that follows the oh so great disruptive ideology. 

One generation after another of somewhat disruptive ideologies that follow the same destructive agenda toward the previous, the other and all visionary opponents. 

Opponents as in idea opposition, not fully blown combatant. 

Plague and War should be fought. Not each other.

Each generation that (thinks it) knows more than the previous, dismisses (maybe rightfully so) the incapacity/incapability that has masked the latter's ignorance and corruption. 

This newbie generation that in its revolutionary manifest shows willingness to change, potential to explore, talent to break free from past mistakes, refusal to cater to political associations and powerful patrons. 

This generation that wants to be so alternative, so closer to the Western standards and expectations, that has been educated and (somewhat) raised abroad.

It now refuses to listen to anyone else. 

Anyone else that has the same dreams and goals and wants the same break from past mistakes. 

Anyone who is a peer but has stayed away. 

Anyone who is an old friend and has lived the same obstacle(d), annexed, poor childhood. 

Anyone with a different idea. 

Different way of doing things. 

Different way of acting on 'things'. 

Different way of laughing with, constructively or destructively criticizing 'things'. 

Different way of framing 'things.' 

Anyone else that inherently wants the same 'thing' (outcome). 

To be a better (big brother) generation to our youth. 

To not repeat the same destructive way of ruining our resources. 

To encourage change through disruptive thinking, making, talking through, receiving, and educating the rest.

Who's this generation and who is anyone else? 

It is all of us. 

Me. 

You. 

And the (participatory or even the unaware) rest. 

These 'things' are our spatialities. 

How we frame them. 

How we build our society, culture, community, and value. 

A mature change doesn't stop at just a paradigm shift. 

Our goal should not only be about proving to the previous generation how much (more) we know or how awesomely popular our events are. 

It has to be about how we are changing 'things': 

in our thinking, in our approach, in the lasting impact of our efforts. 

As a generation, we need to be a community (after all our goal is the same) where each of us can bring in new singularities in order to create new continuities and responsibilities for the next generation to follow. 

How will they look up to us if there is no lasting change? 

Change should not be stopped and renewed with each national election, and what we inherit from the previous generation should not be claimed obsolete. Let's not be redundant in repetition but unleash our creative capacity to anticipate its growth potential beyond a single generation.

Let's not (only) include ourselves and exclude our public. 

Not again.

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Featured Artist | Ergin Zaloshnja @MIZA

MIZA Galeri

presents // prezanton:

DE LUDII

by // nga

Ergin Zaloshnja

May 7 - June 7, 2014 //7 Maj - 7 Qershor, 2014

Opening // Hapja @19:00 hr

“ Ekspozita e Ergin Zaloshnjёs “De Ludii” sintetizon me dashje hapёsirёn duale tё Galerisё MIZA pёr tё tejçuar matanё dyerve tё saj njё situatё onirike, “site specific”, tashmё tё pёrthithur dhe tё asimiluar prej sё pёrditshmes. Me natyrshmёrine e lojёrave fёminore publiku do tё tranzitojё cakun imanent tё horizontit tё eventeve artistike ku ankthi karakterizon shkrirjen dhe shkartisjen e racionales me joracionalen. Koherenca e pazakontё artistike e aktit dhe objekteve, pёrpos artikulimit taksonomik nё hapёsirёn e pёrzgjedhur, i lihen nё dorё ekskluzivisht gjykimit tё publikut.” - Romeo Kodra

De LUDII nga Ergin Zaloshnja from MIZA on Vimeo.

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Brecht's 5 Difficulties in Writing the Truth | Introducing the Idea of a Possible Podcast Form of Communication

“Unhappy the land where heroes are needed.”- Galileo, in Brecht's Life of Galileo (1943)

A few weeks ago, I made my usual seasonal trip to the local bookstore John K. King, which happens to have one of the biggest, internationally praised collections of rare and used books. (It is also the best Indie Bookstore in Detroit.) This time I was interested in finding pieces that (somewhat) relate to architectural spatial qualities of ‘security’ and ‘desire’, as well as to satisfy my hobby of hoarding opera librettos and haikus. 

John K. King Rare and Used Books, Detroit

Anyways, long story short, I stumbled upon a book written in 1962 by David I. Grossvogel and titled “THE BLASPHEMERS: the theater of Brecht, Ionesco, Beckett, Genet.” I admit, when it comes to history and theory of the theater, I am still a student, but since I've been researching spatial qualities of ‘desire’, a quick look at the title and a few of the intro pages, I was hooked. So, I ended up buying the book and a few others on ‘stage’ and ‘storytelling’ (as well as some on ‘security’ and WWII aircrafts, battleships, and other spy goods ☺). Needless to say, I was a happy gal (with a lot of homework).

I've just recently started to (really) read the book, so I'll give you a sneak peek of (the difficulty of) its content:

          I.      Bertolt Brecht: The Difficulty of Witnessing 

          II.    Eugène Ionesco: The Difficulty of Living 

          III.  Samuel Beckett: The Difficulty of Dying 

          IV.   Jean Genet: The Difficulty of Defining 

          V.     Postscript

And of course what captured me right off the bat, the Introduction:

“THE four playwrights considered here have in common an aggressiveness: each has come to the theater in his own way, but with anger. Every age expects its theater to be oracular, but age and oracle lapse sooner or later into familiarity. When this occurs, a blasphemer rises to voice his indignation at this meretriciousness, castigating with equal contempt and little logic the stage that allows such familiarity and the public that is content with such meretriciousness.

[...] Part of the evidence of a corrupt world was a corrupt stage. 

[...] These four have been blasphemers.”

It is very curious (and fascinating) that a book written over half a century ago still echoes to this day and resonates with the reality of arts and culture as we witness them daily, especially in the small Mediterranean country of Albania. The author uses the playwrights' ‘stage’ but I am sure we could just as easily (lost in) translate it onto other mediums, performances, and publics that witness, define, give birth and kill Albanian arts and culture. 

Maybe in this context ‘The Iron Curtain’ really finds a role within the actual and/or metaphorical ‘stage’ and ‘spectatorship’. I can go on to make the case and critique about what's being done to the Albanian arts, culture, and lately history - but they have been already voiced by people more qualified than myself. I wholeheartedly agree with the points they make and I echo their frustrations. 

I will only say that ‘The Iron Curtain’ is bigger than one project and it casts a shadow on all creative fields (if we're even calling them that). ‘The Iron Curtain’ is still relevant because we still haven't dealt with what was beyond it (behind, it was hiding us) and we haven't taken enough peeks to the other side. Blame it on the sturdy ‘iron’ material or the incompetency and laziness of the ‘iron-workers’ but I gotta say, this last project really materialized the (somewhat peripheral?) idea that we are (still) dealing with a series of ‘iron curtains’ (be that political, institutional, or artistic) that we have been building systematically, (even though) on a smaller scale, ‘cookie-cutter’ style molded from the original one. This is a copy, of a copy, of a copy, of a copy... pieces that turn out to be larger than the original whole. In this sense, the success of the recent ‘Iron Curtain’ project exists only in climaxing our realization that this idea hasn't been peripheral at all, it has been hiding in plain sight.

Myself, I would've gone with something awesome like ‘Ideological Bubble’ or ‘In Vain’. Spatially it would've made more sense (but oh well). ‘Curtain’ vs.‘Bubble’ bring out the boxing gloves.(☻) And, to be fair to Brecht, add a few of his contenders in the mix: ‘Servant of Two Masters’, ‘Six Characters in Search of an Author’, ‘In the Jungle of Cities’, and so on. Pardon my dry sense of humor, but to quote Metahaven: “Jokes are political weapons and design objects.” Thus, my tone is en pointe!! ☺

NO CAPTIONS needed if you're familiar with the genius of Luis Buñuel's in the surrealist film

Viridiana and specifically the ‪#‎LastSupper‬ scene. (photo is my edit)

***

“Buñuel isn't interested in social institutions themselves, but in those human beings 

corralled by such institutions into large, unruly groups, and how quickly their conduct 

devolves into spasms of primal behavior.” via

In the spirit of difficulties, the blasphemers (of the above book) and other blasphemies (of a different kind) happening to the Albanian arts and culture, I'd like to mention for those of you who don't know ‘The Five Difficulties in Writing the Truth.’ A manifesto written by Bertolt Brecht even earlier in 1934.

“Nowadays, anyone who wishes to combat lies and ignorance and to write the truth must overcome at least five difficulties. He must have the courage to write the truth when truth is everywhere opposed; the keenness to recognize it, although it is everywhere concealed; the skill to manipulate it as a weapon; the judgment to select those in whose hands it will be effective; and the cunning to spread the truth among such persons. These are formidable problems for writers living under Fascism, but they exist also for those writers who have fled or been exiled; they exist even for writers working in countries where civil liberty prevails.” (via)

He's got some valid points, considering it was written right before WWII broke out. And I think that we should bring them to the table when talking about the Albanian arts and cultural scene, institution, mentality and complexes. Granted, it might seem like a big muddy mess (fighting in the trenches) considering that truth nowadays has no real definition and it is interpreted, used, and flat out denied, but I am speaking of the common truth, humane truth, civic truth, patriotic truth, artistic truth (although, if you're a runner you might want to chase after that one for awhile); meaning simply: ethics, transparency, original talent, love for a better quality (of anything really), communication, access, help, preservation, participation and basic willingness to do so. 

Here are the Five Difficulties again:

1. The Courage to Write the Truth.

2. The Keenness to Recognize the Truth. 

3. The Skill to Manipulate the Truth as a Weapon.

4. The Judgement to Select Those in Whose Hands the Truth Will Be Effective.

5. The Cunning to Spread the Truth Among the Many.

Technically, all these have been used in Albania to lie (ironically enough) and without difficulty at that either. (Arghh, why are they so difficult to use otherwise?!)

I would like to focus on the fourth difficulty: selecting those who would be effective in handing the truth you're trying writing.

“But the truth cannot merely be written; it must be written for someone, someone who can do something with it. The process of recognizing truth is the same for writers and readers. In order to say good things, one's hearing must be good and one must hear good things. The truth must be spoken deliberately and listened to deliberately.” (Brecht 4)

So, whoever (and wherever they are) is voicing their frustrations, opinions, lingering thoughts and are pushing these difficulties to write the truth of what's been happening this quarter century in the Albanian arts and culture and what needs to happen next (which is not blaming the previous half century, but feeding off it), you're ALL on the right path. It means the process of getting there (and maybe latter getting better) is underway. 

Though, one thing worries me: all this writing that we do. Who is reading it? What are they doing about it when they agree with what's being written? What are they doing about it when they don't agree with us? Other than screaming of course. Screaming has never solved anything, and (in my book) it is as useless as regret or gloating. Let's call screaming our kick-off moment toward a common truth onto the right path of (hopefully) getting somewhere good.

Another alternative I've been thinking about (that it might bring better communicative results) is PODCASTING. I don't know if anyone is already doing it in Albania, but wouldn't it be the greatest tool for communication and putting some tone and attitude to the words other than just punctuation?! Podcasting happens in different ways and formats and I have considered doing it many times, but I am so far away from this tiny Mediterranean country that I don't want to speculate or spectate (even more) from such distance. 

Wouldn't it be awesome? An interactive podcast that connects local artists with the rest of us (dispersed) all over the planet. I don't usually follow Albanian Television because it is the same thing over and over again: interviews that say nothing, journalists that have no clue, grasp or sensibility toward the arts, and artists that just want the spotlight and a mediocre visibility (if that). 

I am looking for a medium of communication that says something, means something, changes my mind, adds to the discourse. And yes writing does that, but I feel we need to introduce audio/visual elements to our writings, rants and Facebook posts to be taken seriously. A podcast can be short and as frequent as there is momentum in wanting to tell the truth and create a dialog around it. It can follow the Public Radio format and even have a Kickstarter or Indiegogo campaign. We are missing the independent media in Albania and a podcast (of sorts) might be a good move in that direction. People (in general) and creatives more specifically can be as revolutionary as the (shiny or rainy) cloud they've buried their head in, but if they go to one or all the existing Albanian media entity, they somehow conform or lower their voice or just answer the poorly written questions or promote their work. No say on where they stand, what they deal with, what their work strives to do, and how they're going to change their world. I might be wrong, but from what I've briefly seen, this is definitely the case. Difficulties in telling their truth. What's the alternative then?! Podcast anyone?! Here's an excellent example.☺

**As always thanks for reading!!

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Albanian Animation | Kau dhe Ujku

Here's an Albanian animation video that sums up a lot of the discussions happening on social media these past few weeks on Albanian Culture & Arts Scene. Although, I'm being a bit gullible naive when I define these arguments, banter and plain rants as dialog(ing) discussions. We all have the same passion (for art) and goals (for it to be just better), so let's just stop the bickering and start communicating. If we all claim to be educated enough to have the capacity to do so, then having a go at it should not be this hard. C'mon!! It is a process. Unless it is not an ‘ego’ clash, but an ‘end game’ (ambition) difference, then it becomes a (much) jaded and toxic process.

I'd like to stay positive in the hope that some of this filters in and becomes productive in the long run. So I'm just going to say: This too shall pass, once the cliches have all performed played out. As for the rest, this video speaks much better than I ever could. It says it all. Still relevant after 30 years.

“PA BRIRË TI JE MBRET.

PA BRIRË JE PASHA. 

PA BRIRË ËSHTË DHE MODA.”

PS: From 'paMUR' to 'iron curtain' - the journey of architectural art partitions. a.k.a. mirrors that barricade.

**This is where I would start the conversation on the project (possibly collaborative) I've mentioned before: SCAPEGOAT(ing).

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Featured Thought | Possible Collaboration?

Lately, Facebook and other social media conversations between most of us in the creative fields, have been lengthy, participatory and more constructive in voicing frustrations, expectations, means to ends and possible discourse, than any conference, festival or even conversation over coffee has ever produced about art and culture in Albania. I like the many directions this conversation has taken and I applaud the courage of the ones that publicly take on such a “messy” subject force that continues to fight them from a defensive position (a response defined as: very anxious to challenge or avoid criticism). 

So, I've been thinking, why not join forces and collaborate in a free, open-source collection (maybe an e-publication) of opinions, works, and what have you that include: literary writings, slam poetry, spatial and structural moments, artistic interpretations, philosophy bits, socio/anthropology research, historical facts, futuristic speculations, live performances, film and still shots; anything that would counter-voice what culture and art institutions in Albania have been selling for years, and multi-dimensionally challenge their course. I don't mean this to be a negation of what many Albanian artists and other creatives are currently doing, but more of an incentive, a boost of confidence as they move forward in their careers. And, as I mentioned above, this would be something of an anti-festival/conference. Not that they are particularly non-significant, but because most of us cannot be present and thus cannot express ourselves through participation. (more on this later)

As an anthology of voices, it should be very open in terms of coverage but I'd like to focus on the subject of SCAPEGOAT(ing) and take it from there. It has to be a collective effort, an accelerated future heritage (if you will) and I would like to work with as many as you as possible (or as interested). If you have any other suggestions, ideas or recommendations please let me know. Let's do this. ☺   

To start I would recommend you all read this piece by Eriola Pira.

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Featured Event | Muzgu i Rikthimit @MIZA

MIZA Galeri

presents // prezanton:

Muzgu i Rikthimit [Twilight of Return]

by // nga 

Ilir Lluka

April 4, 2014 // 4 Prill, 2014

@19:30 hr  

RSVP

,

Here's the curatorial excerpt via MIZA (eng+alb); 

also, make sure to check out other works by the artist here.

“The Twilight of Returning” is a sound-art performance related to the deep senses , to the perception of memory and the way how an object of remembrance returns in less of its original form.

The sounds establish meeting points between the contexta and the listener, each sound bears unique perceptions and aims to trasmit an abstract sense of affiliation to the self.

Perceiveing memory, not as a meditation on the object of remembrance but as a meditation on memory itself and how memory can never reappear detachedly from the flow of thoughts/contextx/sensations that a person has during his life. Every time a memory reappears it exists as a context in progressive evolution. To remember means to continually rediscover yourself in the present state of being.

Twilight: Aesthetic/conceptual conjunction between the element of fading (of a memory) and the romantic element of the perception of the fading itself.

Returning: The return of the object of remembrance (more and more vague and abstracted )

The performance takes place for a period of about 45-50 minutes. The design of the sketch of the musical bases and modulations/stratificationa of the sounds will be prepared in advance and will then be completed during the performance through the laptops, the softwares designed by the artist and the electronic devices. 

The soundworks have a minimalist approach and the performance will also include an associative visual element with a video composed of slowly flowing blurred shapes to provide a hypnotic character to the continuity of perception..

The visual element is not meant to be directly related to the music, but have an additional effect to the musical concepts by creating a separate presentation in two different planes, like looking at an object directly in front of our vision and one in the tail of our vision at the same moment. 

Writer/sound artist from Tirana focused on “Musique Concrete”, an abstract musical form in the field of experimental electronic music. Ilir compositions have been presented/performed in artistic environments and installations in Tirana while his first album was released in March 2014 by the Italian label Manyfeetunder with wider listening in other countries like Italy , Germany , France, England. Several other works have been published published as singles online at the Bandcamp page of the artist. 

The sound compositions contain recorded daily sounds of the city life which are then extremely modified/reshaped until they loose their original form and context merging with instrumental and electronic sounds to form new layers of organic nature. Among the composers who have influenced Ilir conceptually/musically are: Luigi Russolo, Pierre Schaeffer, Bernard Parmegiani, Luc Ferrari, Francis Dhomont, Eliane Radigue, John Cage, Giacinto Scelsi , Morton Feldman, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Autechre, Akira Rabelais, Atau Tanaka, Fabio Orsi, Ryoji Ikeda, etc.

Ilir Lluka has composed music for installations performed in Tirana and short film be commissioned by the Academy of Arts presented in February 2014 at the Black Box Theater at the Academy of Arts. In March 2013 he has been part of a worldwide radiophonic/web event alongside-known figures in the world of contemporary music like Pauline Oliveros , Felicia Atkinson , Rhys Chatham , Eyvind Kang , André Gonçalves and many others representing Albania as an active point in the sound-art scene . His latest live performance "Intimate Sound Perceptions" was held on February 2014 in the premises of the National History Museum, Tirana.

The artist’s forthcoming album, a sound poetry collaboration with the poet Jonida Prifti, will be issued on June 2014 by the Italian label Ozky E-Sound. 

Since 2011 he is a member of “A Material, A Sound, A Shape”, a community consisting of many known artists in the field of experimental music, where are held promotions and collaborations beyond the divisionas between the national borders of the members. Ilir has been invited to participate in the edition of 2015 of Avantgarde Festival in Schiphorst, Germany. 

“Muzgu I Rikthimit” nga Ilir Lluka from MIZA on Vimeo.

“Muzgu I Rikthimit” eshte nje performance zanore e lidhur me thellesine e shqisave, perceptimin ndaj memories dhe menyres sesi cdo objekt I kujtuar rikthehet duke sjelle gjithmone e me pak nga forma e tij origjinale.

Tingujt percaktojne pika takimi mes kontekstit dhe degjuesit, secila pike mbart nje perceptim unik dhe synon tejcimin e nje ndjesie abstrakte perkatesie te gjithsecilit ndaj vete vetes se tij.

Te perceptosh nje kujtim jo si meditim rreth objektit te memories por si meditim rreth vetvetes dhe sesi nje kujtim i caktuar nuk mund te rishfaqet dot kurre ne forme te ftohte i vecuar nga rrjedha e mendimeve/perceptimeve te vazhdueshme qe cdokush ka gjate jetes se vet. Cdo here qe nje kujtim rishfaqet mbart nje kontekst ne evolim. Te kujtosh, ne nje sens egoist te eperm do te thote te rizbulosh veten ne menyre te vazhdueshme.

Muzgu: Nderlidhje estetike/konceptuale midis elementit te venitjes (se nje kujtimi) dhe elementit romantik te perceptimit te venitjes.

Rikthimi: Procesi I rikthimit te objektit te memories (gjithmone e me teper me karakter te mjegullt dhe te abstraguar)

Performanca zhvillohet pergjate nje harku kohor prej rreth 45-50 minutash. Nje skice e bazave muzikore dhe modifikimeve/shtresezimeve te tingujve do jete e dizenjuar dhe parapergatitur dhe me pas do te plotesohet gjate performances nepermjet laptopit, software-ve te dizenjuar prej artistit dhe aparaturave elektronike.

Punimet muzikore do kene natyre minimaliste dhe performanca do perfshije edhe nje element vizual shoqerues te po kesaj natyre te perbere nga video me forma me rrjedhe te ngadalte per ti dhene karakter hipnotik vazhdimesise se perceptimit.

Elementi vizual nuk ka si qellim te kete lidhje te drejtperdrejte me muziken por te kete efekt plotesues anesor te koncepteve muzikore duke krijuar nje paraqitje te ndare ne dy plane te ndryshme, njelloj sic eshte shikimi I nje objekti ne menyre te drejtperdrejte dhe shikimi I objekteve ne rrafshin anesor me bisht te syrit ne te njejtin moment.

Shkrimtar/sound-artist nga Tirana i fokusuar ne “Musique Concrète”, nje forme abstrakte muzikore ne fushen e muzikes elektronike/eksperimentale. Kompozimet e Ilirit jane paraqitur/performuar ne ambiente artistike dhe instalative ne Tirane nderkohe qe album I tij I pare eshte leshuar ne mars 2014 prej shtepise diskografike italiane Manyfeetunder Label me degjim me te gjere ne vende te tjera si Itali, Gjermani, France, Angli. Njekohesisht disa punime te tjera jane publikuar si singles ne internet ne faqen e Bandcamp te Ilirit.

Krijimet permbajne ne themel te tyre tinguj te perditshem te jetes se qytetit te cilat trasformohen ne mase ekstreme deri sa humbin formen dhe kontekstin e tyre origjinal dhe shkrihen me tinguj instrumentale dhe ato elektronike per te formuar shtresa te reja me natyre organike. Nder kompozitoret qe kane influencuar tek Iliri nga ana konceptuale/muzikore jane: Luigi Russolo, Pierre Schaeffer, Bernard Parmegiani, Luc Ferrari, Francis Dhomont, Eliane Radigue, John Cage, Giacinto Scelsi, Morton Feldman, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Autechre, Akira Rabelais, Atau Tanaka, Fabio Orsi, Ryoji Ikeda etj.

Ilir Lluka ka kompozuar muzike per instalacione te kryera ne Tirane dhe per kortometrazh te komisionuar nga Akademia e Arteve i prezantuar ne shkurt 2014 ne sallen Black Box te Akademise se Arteve. Ne mars 2013 ka qene pjesemarres ne nje event mbareboteror radiofonik/web perkrah emrash te njohur te botes se muzikes kontemporane si Pauline Oliveros, Felicia Atkinson, Rhys Catham, Eyvind Kang, André Gonçalves dhe shume te tjere duke perfaqesuar Shqiperine si nje pike aktive ne skenen e sound-artit. Performanca e tij e fundit live “Intimate Sound Perceptions” u mbajt ne shkurt 2014 ne ambientet e Muzeut Historik Kombetar, Tirane.

Albumi i ardhshem i Ilirit, nje bashkepunim ne sound/poetry me poeten Jonida Prifti, do leshohet ne qershor 2014 prej labelit italian Ozky E-Sound.

Qe prej vitit 2011eshte pjese e “A Material, A Sound, A Shape”, nje komunitet i perbere nga artiste te njohur ne fushen nderkombetare te muzikes eksperimentale, ku kryhen promovime dhe bashkepunime pertej ndarjeve te kufijve shteterore midis pjesetareve.

Iliri eshte ftuar te marre pjese ne edicionin e 2015 te Avantgarde Festival ne Schiphorst, Gjermani.

Krijimet permbajne ne themel te tyre tinguj te perditshem te jetes se qytetit te cilat trasformohen ne mase ekstreme deri sa humbin formen dhe kontekstin e tyre origjinal dhe shkrihen me tinguj instrumentale dhe ato elektronike per te formuar shtresa te reja me natyre organike. Nder kompozitoret qe kane influencuar tek Iliri nga ana konceptuale/muzikore jane: Luigi Russolo, Pierre Schaeffer, Bernard Parmegiani, Luc Ferrari, Francis Dhomont, Eliane Radigue, John Cage, Giacinto Scelsi, Morton Feldman, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Autechre, Akira Rabelais, Atau Tanaka, Fabio Orsi, Ryoji Ikeda etj.

Ilir Lluka ka kompozuar muzike per instalacione te kryera ne Tirane dhe per kortometrazh te komisionuar nga Akademia e Arteve i prezantuar ne shkurt 2014 ne sallen Black Box te Akademise se Arteve. Ne mars 2013 ka qene pjesemarres ne nje event mbareboteror radiofonik/web perkrah emrash te njohur te botes se muzikes kontemporane si Pauline Oliveros, Felicia Atkinson, Rhys Catham, Eyvind Kang, André Gonçalves dhe shume te tjere duke perfaqesuar Shqiperine si nje pike aktive ne skenen e sound-artit. Performanca e tij e fundit live “Intimate Sound Perceptions” u mbajt ne shkurt 2014 ne ambientet e Muzeut Historik Kombetar, Tirane.

Albumi i ardhshem i Ilirit, nje bashkepunim ne sound/poetry me poeten Jonida Prifti, do leshohet ne qershor 2014 prej labelit italian Ozky E-Sound.

Qe prej vitit 2011eshte pjese e “A Material, A Sound, A Shape”, nje komunitet i perbere nga artiste te njohur ne fushen nderkombetare te muzikes eksperimentale, ku kryhen promovime dhe bashkepunime pertej ndarjeve te kufijve shteterore midis pjesetareve.

Iliri eshte ftuar te marre pjese ne edicionin e 2015 te Avantgarde Festival ne Schiphorst, Gjermani. 

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If you missed the event, you can now watch it below:

LIVE “The Twilight of Returning“ by Ilir Lluka from MIZA on Vimeo.

Open Invitation | makeLab Workshop @Polis University

POLIS[06] from makeLab on Vimeo.

makeLab, the digital fabrication studio at Lawrence Technological University in Southfield, Michigan, will be conducting a workshop at Polis University in Tirana, Albania from July 4 – 13, 2014. The workshop will focus on digital fabrication (on-site digital design/build) and will be conducted on makeLab’s 4th suitcase CNC. 

Contact Jim Stevens for more information and make sure to visit makeLab/Albania 2014 website for updates. 

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Featured Artist | Irgin Sena @MIZA

MIZA Galeri

presents // prezanton:

IT STARTED STARTED STARTED SOMEHOW (zoo)

by // nga

Irgin Sena

February 19 - March 19, 2014 // 19 Shkurt -19 Mars, 2014

Opening // Hapja @19:00 hr

RSVP

Irgin Sena is an Albanian artist currently living and working in NYC. For selected works and other info, make sure to check out his website, where you'll also find a preview of his piece “it started started started somehow (zoo)” opening at MIZA on Wednesday.

Below, is an excerpt in Albanian via MIZA:

“it started started started somehow (zoo)” është një film 16 minuta, i cili përbëhet nga tre elementë të vecantë. Njëri prej tyre hulumton marrëdhënien midis një monumenti dhe pemëve që e rrethojnë atë; për më tepër vë në dukje kapacitetin e kësaj marrëdhënie për të kompozuar kolonën zanore të saj. Një element tjetër hulumton një kopësht zoologjik – që zvogëlohet gjithnjë e më tepër duke qëndruar si një mbetje nga një kohë tjetër – dhe marrëdhënien e tij me ambientin rrethues. Kamera është e drejtuar nga objektet që përbëjnë këtë ambient, duke bërë që kopështi zoologjik të jetë i pranishëm në film vetëm nëpërmjet zhurmave që prodhon. Të tre elementët përbërës ndërpresin, zgjasin, deformojnë, riformojnë dhe përtërijnë kuptimin e njëri-tjetrit nën efektin e kontekstit ku ndodhen.

Pa titull është një video lak e cila paraqet një objekt rrotullues mbi një platformë. Objekti, rrotullimi i të cilit është i përkohshëm, ka si realitet rënien. Rënia, në këtë video, duket e vonuar; por me kalimin e kohës vërehet që objekti nuk bie. Ai është në një rrotullim pa fund.

Kjo zgjatje kohore materializohet edhe në shushurimën e ujit, e cila është një instalacion audio në hapësirën e parë të galerisë. Kjo shushurimë, në gjëndje të segmentuar, është e pranishme dhe në “It started started started somehow (zoo)”, film i cili shfaqet në hapësirën e dytë të galerisë.

Here is an interview with the artist [in Albanian].

IRGIN SENA SPECIALE nga Elsa Demo from MIZA on Vimeo.

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Featured Artist & Exhibit | Ledia Konstandini @MIZA

For its last show of the year and to mark its first anniversary, MIZA Gallery is recognizing the work of Ledia Kostandini, an emerging young Albanian artist with a tremendous body of work. 
Her solo exhibit ÇENTRO ESTETIKE (AESTHETIC DOILY) is curated by Eriola Pira and will be in view at MIZA from December 23, 2013 - January 23, 2014. The opening is Monday @7:00pm so don't miss the chance to meet the artist and curator. 

End 2013 with an artistic blast☺!

Curated by Eriola Pira.

“ Ledia Kostandini closed the year 2012 with a studio visit. Everyone was invited. The artist’s studio (which she still shares with her colleague, Matilda Odobashi) was transformed into a Salon full of art and life. Previously exposed work, work in progress, discussions, gaiety, coffee and wine, all was served to art-lovers for four days. The artist and her art presented themselves generously, straightforwardly, without the framing of an exhibition or the contextualization of the next curator. It’s rare that we, the public, have such direct access to an artist, let alone her studio, which we imagine as a mysterious place where the artistic process and the work of art are conceptualized and realized before we encounter it in the gallery or elsewhere. Last year’s invitation for a studio visit was a sort of demystification of the artist and a re-introduction to her, by bringing the artist, as well as her labor and artwork closer to the public, who has lost links with the artist as much as contact with art.

Ledia Kostandini will close out the year 2013 at MIZA Gallery. Not in her studio, but there she will be welcoming you this holiday season. What was conceptualized over this past year has taken form, personality, and demands attention and value. The invitation to this exhibition -- the last of their first year -- comes from Miza. The end of the year occasion comes as an offer to reformat, redefine, and re-present the self, our appearance, vision, thought, and approach to the everyday and that which surrounds us. Ledia treats things full of energy and intensity, sometimes with sincere and sometimes with grotesque humor, by changing their function, meaning, and value, by adding elements and other object-parts, not very differently to what happens in beauty salons, gyms, and under the plastic surgeons knife. The objects and installations at Miza follow in the trail of the Surrealists of the early 20th Century and the legacy of Duchamp in the 21st, in a post-industrial context of global production and consumption, where criticism and the celebration of this political, economic and cultural order don’t much differ from one another, if they aren’t the same altogether.

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[alb] “ Ledia Kostandini e mbylli vitin 2012 me një vizitë në studio. Të gjithë ishin të ftuar. Studioja e artistes (të cilën e ndan akoma me miken e saj Matilda Odobashi) u shndërrua në një sallon plot art e jete. Vepra të ekspozuara, pune në zhvillim e sipër, diskutime, hare, kafe e verë servirur art-dashësve për plot katër ditë. Artistja dhe arti i saj u paraqitën bujarë, të drejtpërdrejtë, pa kornizën e ndonjë ekpozite apo kontekstualizimin e ndonjë kuratori të rradhës. Pak herë kemi rastin, si publik, të kemi akses kaq direkt me një artiste, dhe aq më pak në studion e saj, të cilën e imagjinojmë si një vend misterioz, ku procesi artistik dhe vepra ngjizen e përfundohet para se ne ta shohim në galeri a gjetkë. Ftesa e vjetshme për vizitë në studio ishte një lloj çmitizimi i artistit dhe një ri-prezantim ndryshe me të, duke e sjellë vetë atë, si dhe përpjekjen dhe punën e saj më afër publikut, i cili në mos ka humbur lidhjet me artistin, ka humbur kontakt dhe me artin.

Ledia Kostandini do ta mbyllë 2013-ën në MIZA Galeri. Jo në studio, por atje ju pret këtë fundvit. Ç'u ngjiz gjatë këtij viti ka marrë formë, personalitet, dhe kërkon vëmendje dhe vlerësim. Ftesën për këtë ekspozitë të fundit të vitit tyre të parë e dërgon Miza. Okazioni i këtij fundviti vjen si një ofertë për të ri-dimensionuar, ri-përkufizuar dhe ri-prezantuar veten, pamjen, shikimin, mendimin dhe qasjen tonë ndaj së përditshmes dhe çka na rrethon. Plot energji dhe intensitet, me një humor herë të çiltër dhe herë-herë grotesk, Ledia i trajton sendet duke iu shndërruar funksionin, kuptimin dhe vlerën, duke iu shtuar elemente e objekte të tjera përbërëse, jo shumë ndryshe nga çka rëndom ndodh nëpër sallone bukurie, nëpër palestra, apo nën thikën e kirurgut plastik. Objektet dhe instalacionet tek Miza janë në vazhdën e Surrealistëve të fillim shekullit XX, trashëgimia e Duchamp në shekullin XXI, në një kontekst post-industrial të prodhimtarisë dhe konsumit global, ku kritika nga lëvdata për këtë rend politik, ekonomik e kulturor, nuk dallojnë shumë nga njëra tjetra, në mos, janë e njëjta gjë.

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