The ICF (The International Curators Forum) & Venice Agendas

Closed Border & Open Borders
The ICF (international Curators Forum) & Venice Agendas
Giudecca 95
30133 Venezia
Italy
May 2015

​Venice Agendas 2015 programme was a breakfast event with performances, curated by Workinprogress, during the preview week of the 56th International Art Exhibition. La Biennale di Venezia was followed by a series of outcome events that took place internationally throughout 2015. The theme for the edition was Crossing Boundaries; an open brief, which considers the many ways art not only trespasses geographical territories but how it crosses cultural, political and artistic boundaries. Since 2011 Venice Agendas has  included live art presentations.

The first edition of Agendas held at the Venice Biennale was in 1999, created by the sound artist Bill Furlong and the writer Mel Gooding, Since 2011 workinprogress, Clare Fitzpatrick and Terry Smith, have continued the project working closely with Vittorio Urbani, director of Nuova Icona who has supported Venice Agendas since 1999.

VENICE AGENDAS EVENINGS AT IMAGINA CAFÉ
Rio Terà Canal, near Campo Santa Margherita, Dorsoduro, Venice
The Imagina Cafe/Bar was the evening hub for Venice Agendas with planned performances and improvised events and informal discussions.

Jon Adams performed "Games With The Water Horse", a performance / installation piece that he has learnt as a memory journey. Starting from a time on the 12 hour clock face (provided on request by an audience member), then following Fibonacci numbers, he described events connected to time, but liberated from an easily digested narrative, informed by his synaethesia.

Katrina Palmer read from a selection of her books on a one-to-one basis for up to ten minutes, along with a further twelve audience members as observers. The one-to-one listener selected from Katrina’s publications which was then available on the table while the observers viewed the reading in close proximity. Courtesy of the artist and MOT International, London and Brussels.

Marita Isobel Solberg performed "There Exists Love, with Sounds And Movements, In This Vast Room We Are Deeply Connected". The performance concerns reflections on the challenges, conflicts, potentials, aspirations, importance and impact of being both a citizen of the world while remaining close to our roots. A following spoken word session included poetry, movement, singing, making sounds and rhythm.

MORNINGS AT VENICE AGENDAS CZ95
Giudecca 95, 30133 Venezia

OPEN BORDERS: Where Are You From?
Considered identity – do artists belong to one culture through their Nationality, or are they citizens of the world?
Moderators: JW Stella and Mark Waugh
Participants included: Marita Isobel Solberg (is a musician, a visual artist and poet. A nomad of the world), Richard Demarco (curator of cross-cultural links,  presenting artists such as Joseph Bueys and Marina Abramovic) Tony Heaton ( artist, Chief Executive SHAPE), Angela Vettese (is an art critic, curator,she was president of the international jury of the Biennale of visual arts in Venice. From 1995 to 2003), Ala Younis (Artist and curator based in Amman)  Gaynor O’Flynn ( Artist and curator Being Human).

Audio recording of Open Borders: Tourists or Explorers?
clocktower.org/show/open-borders-tourists-or-explorers
CLOSED BORDERS: Whose Boycott Is It Anyway?
Do boycott’s work or are they just ways that culture is used as a smokescreen for public conscience?
Moderator: Gilane Tawadros
Anna Bitkina and Maria Veits (co founders of Creative Association of Curators TOK, Russia) Sacha Craddock (curator/writer), Vassiliki Tzanakou, (curator/writer) David A Bailey (artist) and “Emeka Okereke (Artist, Founder and Artistic Director of Invisible Borders – The Trans-African project), Sue Williamson (artist).
Audio recording of Closed Borders: Cultural Boycotts
clocktower.org/show/closed-borders-cultural-boycotts