[artinfo] CROssoverUK

[Galerija Miroslav Kraljevic]

CROssoverUK

// A pilot program of artist exchange and establishing contact 
between Croatian and British organizations working in non-central 
regions//

Galerija Miroslav Kraljevic /GMK

&
<>Art Radionica Lazareti, Dubrovnik
<>HDLU Osijek
<>HDLU Varazdin

&
The Station, Bristol
<>PVA MediaLab, Bridport
<>Re.projects, Stroud

CROssoverUK is a sequel of sorts to the Blind Date project, initiated 
by Gallery Miroslav Kraljevic in 2001 with the purpose of bringing 
together artists from Great Britain and Croatia. The residencies of 
British artists took place in Split, Zagreb and Rijeka, where they 
were paired up with Croatian artists, developing new, collaborative 
site specific projects. Instead of encouraging contact and production 
of a collaborative work of individual artists, the purpose of the 
CROssoverUK project is to bring together British and Croatian 
artist-led organizations, located and working in non-central regions, 
outside large cities with a developed art scene.
Considering the almost complete absence of independent artist led 
organizations in Croatia, we decided to 'experiment' with two active 
branches of HDLU (Croatian Association of Artists ) - those in Osijek 
and Varazdin, and ARL - Art Workshop Lazareti in Dubrovnik, 
independent artist organization and also the only space in Croatia in 
which residential programs form an integral part of the 
organization's activities.
By associating Croatian artists from non-central regions with their 
British colleagues we wanted to give the Croatian artists the 
possibility of an insight in possible models of artist 
self-organization and the opportunity to develop future partnerships. 
The British artists were given the opportunity to visit three 
Croatian cities and get acquainted with the local context. The main 
objective of this experimental project was to create the possibility 
of collaboration, rather than focusing on the production of 
new artworks. Yet it seems that all artists involved in the project 
reacted to the new situations with ease, spontaneously developing new 
projects, that are all reflections of their experiences, articulated 
through specific and heterogeneous languages, and all of which can be 
seen on the show.
The intention of GMK was primarily guided by the understanding of the 
need of decentralization and encouraging affirmation of the idea of a 
new situation in the context of art, in which there are numerous 
small centers, flexible and dynamic organizations able to actively 
participate and contribute to the national, but also the 
international art scene. This pilot project is only an initiation of 
dealing with this extensive and complex issue.

The exhibition will present works by ANTUN BOZICEVIC, IVAN MESEK, ANA 
POZAR PIPLICA, LUKO PIPLICA,  SIMON POULTER, LOUISE SHORT, DOMINIC 
THOMAS & will be accompanied by a publication with contributions by 
Antun Bozicevic, Srdjana Cvijetic, Colin Glen, Ksenija Kipke, 
Ana-Marija Koljanin, Ivan Mesek, Antonia Majaca, Dominic Thomas, 
Louise Short, Luko Piplica, Ana Pozar Piplica, Simon Poulter.

> find out more / download broshure in pdf >> 
><>http://www.miroslav-kraljevic.hr/en/index.htm // new GMK website 
>is under construction! //

CROssoverUK is supported by: Ministry of Culture, Republic of 
Croatia; City of Zagreb - Office for Culture; British Council 
Croatia; Arts Council of England; Visiting Arts

The exhibition is opened until February 14.

GMK/ Gallery Miroslav Kraljevic
Subiceva 29, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
t.+ 385 1 4592 696, +385 98 350 860
<>http://www.miroslav-kraljevic.hr
e-mail: info<>@miroslav-kraljevic.hr



<mailto:am at miroslav-kraljevic.hr>