[spectre] grey) (area . Critical Tourism (1): Andreja Kulunčić

[Darko Fritz]

grey) (area . space for contemporary and media art



Critical Tourism (1): Andreja Kulunčić

14 - 28 . 7 . 2017
 
part of the exhibition-in-progress Critical Tourism
curator: Darko Fritz

http://sivazona.hr/events/kriticki-turizam-1

opening Friday 14th July . 21 - 23 h
artist talk 17th July . 20 h

The exhibition “Critical Tourism (1)” presents the documentation of the works through which Kuluncic tackles problems of tourism on the Adriatic sea: inappropriate waste disposal, layers of everyday life which are invisible to tourists, myths that serve to increase the value of products, and the commercialization of history.

Commercialisation of History
Korčula statute from 1214, the oldest legal document of the South Slavs, was the inspiration for the artistic action. For five days the artist sold souvenirs on the island of Korčula. The souvenirs themselves were made by applying articles from the old Korčula statute onto cheap items from China; translated to English, Croatian, Czech, French and German. The artist's stand was set among the existing city stands at the entrance to the old town of Korčula. Instead of money, the cost of the souvenirs was expressed by a number of questions that potential buyers needed to answer. That is, potential buyers gave interviews to the artist in exchange for a souvenir, answering questions about the commercialization of history, the good and bad sides of (mass) tourism, and about respect for the city of Korčula and its past and present communities. Video documentation of the conversation with the buyers, that was recorded within the work “Commercialization of History”, will be exhibited for the first time during this exhibition. More about the project here.

Sun's Income
In the base of the work is the main idea of the festival "Jobs with the Sun" which suggests a business partnership, reciprocity and mutual benefit of participants. Andreja Kulunčić looks at it in terms of economic and market operations in which the sun turns out to be a partner. The geographical location and warm climate are the benefits on which Croatia is building its prosperity. There are a lot of stories of the typical Mediterranean products grown under a special break of sunlight bended back from the reflecting surface of the sea which create myths about their unique qualities that, of course, raise the market price of the products. In such stock ownership, the Sun is an important partner, but without recognition of the profit-sharing. In the action "Sun's Income", Andreja Kulunčić corrects the deficient calculations. Kulunčić elaborates a calculation which expresses the solar profit, humorously pointing out the absurdity of the situation in which we "exploit" the sun alternating the real position of power. Products – lavender from Hvar, wine from Pelješac, olive oil from Brač and dried figs from Šibenik – the artist sells herself on the open market at the actual prices of products, separating the percentage that belongs to the Sun. In a conversation with a customer she opens a topic about "jobs" with the Sun.

Enjoy the Beach
The artist handed out trash bags with inscription in several different languages to the foreign tourists who stopped at the toll-houses stops. This artistic action addresses issues of ecology and tourism in a country that was ravaged by then recent military conflicts in the region, and also by the economic problems in the period of transition from the state economy to one dictated by the market. It was a "pilot project," proposal for the next tourist season, which was refused by the authorities.

City Walks
Kulunčić presented the invisible picture of the city by recording different voices of Zadar inhabitants in a form of a stereotype – a tourist guide, which usually contains cultural and historical information. While walking the streets, Andreja made several interviews with ordinary people, inhabitants of different professions, age, views, interests and attitudes. They spoke about everyday life in Zadar, which remains hidden to tourist nomads. The two-language guide is designed as a folding leaflet with a map and marked interview points. The action of handing out the guide to tourists took place on the city streets and also in tourist information offices, where the guide was placed among other guides.

Andreja Kulunčić is visual artist born in 1968. She studied sculpture, graduating in 1992 from the Faculty of Applied Arts and Design in Belgrade, former Yugoslavia. From 1992 to 1994 studied at the Hungarian Academy of Fine Arts in Budapest. She lives in Croatia, where she teaches at the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb, Department of New Media.
Her work has been presented at international exhibitions, including: Documenta 11 (Kassel), Manifesta 4 (Frankfurt/Main), 8. Istanbul Biennial (Istanbul), Liverpool Biennial04 (Liverpool), 3. Tirana biennial (Tirana), 10. Triennial-India (New Delhi) among others.
At collective shows in museums, including: Whitney Museum of American Art (New York), PS1 (New York), Walker Art Centre (Minneapolis), Museum MUAC (Mexico City), Palais de Tokyo (Paris), Garage Museum (Moskva), Kumu Art Museum (Tallin), Museum of Contemporary Art (Zagreb), Museum of Contemporary Art (Ljubljana), Zacheta National Gallery of Art (Warshaw), Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (Rijeka), Lentos kunstmuseum (Linz), Museum of Modern Art (Saint-Etienne), Ludwig Museum (Budapest).
At solo shows, including: Museo Universitario Arte Contemporáneo (Mexico City), Museo MADRE (Napoli), Salon of the Museum of Contemporary Art (Belgrade), Art in General (New York), Artspace Visual Art Canter (Sydney),The Art Center Silkeborg Bad (Denmark), Darat Al Funun (Jordan), Gallery NOVA, Gallery Miroslav Kraljevic and Gallery Forum (Zagreb).


Grey Area: Kovački prolaz 2 . Korčula . daily 21 - 22 h
http://grey-area.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/grey-area-siva-zona/281114805394039?ref=hl


supported by: Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Croatia . Endowment Kultura Nova . HTP Korčula / Korčula Hotels . Korčula Town