“Checkpoint Peace”
Interdisciplinary memory project in Berlin.
Organizers: Platform TU, Mariupol, Ukraine and Vitsche, Berlin, Germany
With support: Prague Civil Society Center
Curator: TBA
For whom: artists and artistic researchers who work in directions: memory, history, de-totalitarianism, visual/sound/interdisciplinary, installations, ready-made, political art, performative interventions.
Details: age 18+, Ukrainian citizenship
When: 17.04-30.04.2023
Where: Berlin, Art Space in exile
Language of project: English
Deadline for application: 05.04.2023
Date of winners announcement: 10.04.23
We are searching for 4 artists or art collectives, and cultural researchers to create four art projects and artistic interventions into Berlin public spaces and memory topography of the German capital. The goal of the project is to show the blind spots and gray zones in the culture of memory, bring into light the presence of controversial soviet memorials and point to historical myths.
We want to find the grassroots in estimating the meaning of commonly shared values and historical events to reveal differences in their understanding. The project dares to reveal, re-open and share four different practices and approaches that brought modern Germany for spreading the distorted ideas of abstract peace. We have the ambition and courage to criticize and re-think the most prominent historical events and their modern interpretations, as well as show them in modern topography of Berlin.
The aim of the program is to build a space for debate and put the light on imperialistic and totalitarian relationships in russian and German historical past, to find the connections between memory and present difficulties in the common way we think about russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
From 17-30 April 2023 we invite you to work in Berlin and take part in a 2 weeks working group with the curatorial guidance to create four artistic projects in the public space of Berlin.
Checkpoint Peace will explore four thematic sections and historical periods with different myths and different understanding of notions:
- Russian Liberation of Germany vs. Germany was defeated by collective Arm force of Alliance and Soviet Army is the part of that legacy including battalions of different Soviet Republics.
- Cold War, nuclear weapons, anti-American sentiments. The division of Germany, peculiarities and differences of historical narratives regarding the Arms Race
- Berlin Wall fall, reunification of Germany. The historical narratives regarding topic of Freedom, the idealization of Gorbachev as a freedom giver and savior in former East and West Germany.
- Contemporary Peace movements in Germany. To reveal the narrative construct on which the German pacifist movement is based. How does this general conspiracy theory work, which is able to unite anti-vaxxers, radical leftists, and rightists together? Show its groundlessness and its gaps. If possible, to reveal the economic and cultural foundations of its emergence and current functioning.
SELECTION
Participants will be selected in an open call procedure, with a maximum of 4 individuals or collectives. Refugees from Ukraine are welcome.
OUR OFFER INCLUDES
Participation in working group for facilitation of creation of the art project
- Activities in the city such as guided city walk, memorial places visit
- Curatorial Lecture
- Honorary for work – 750
- Research and production budget for each art project
OUR OFFER DOES NOT INCLUDE
- expenses for travelling, accommodation and catering in Berlin
- city travel expenses
The organizers reserve the right to contact the selected candidate(s) for additional online interviews and for one online group meeting;
Please apply via online form till 05.04.2023
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
- Application documents will be accepted in English only;
- Successful candidates undertake to attend the full program in April 2023 (depending on COVID-19 restrictions);
- Courses, lectures and workshops will be held in English and Ukrainian;
- If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the program manager Kateryna Tarabukina: kateryna.tarabukina@vitsche.org with subject “Checkpoint peace open-call”
- The results of the recruitment procedure will be announced by April 10, 2023.
The list of selected participants will be published:
– on the website of the Mariupol TU
- Instagrams of:
– VITSCHE
- The organizers are not under any obligation to substantiate the decisions of the enrolment committee. No appeal procedure has been provided for.
- For candidates selected to participate in the project, the present document will constitute an attachment to the agreement concluded between any such candidate and Platforml TU. Only individuals with Ukrainian passport are eligible to apply.
- Honorarium of 750 euro is subject of taxation depending on the status of individual.
ORGANISATION
Organizers:
Platform TU
Vitsche
Partner: Art-scape in exile
with support of:
Prague Civil Society Center
