Tuesday, July 11, 2006

email conversation on the 6th July

Hello
I must say that this proposal made me smile.
I am a Portuguese young artist and i would like to know a little bit
more on the program (if there is one) and what are the expectations
concerning the role of the artist in the project. I would also like to
know if there is any founds for the meeting sessions you talked about.
Thankful
André Alves

Hello André,
thanks for your mail.
I will answer your questions but as well, please, let me make you some questions.
How did you know this project?
Are you at the moment living in Finland?
Why the project made you smile?

And now answering you:

The program at the moment is:
1.personal meetings with the people that will get involved (that's already going on now)
2.group meetings: round table and debate (that will happen at the end of this month)
3.work team from the same people that took part in that debate (some time in august, depending on everibody's timetables)
4.protest, demonstration or reply, if there would be any (probably the beginings of september).
This program can have some changes, all depends on other's time, as well.

In reference to the artist role I hope I will succeed with my limited english, but let's say it somehow in that way:
The artist in this case is an agent provoking some meetings because of the whish of giving onself, giving a service. Could be a kind of smooth agitator (you will see why reading further). The artist builds up a situation where the audience gets involved -sometimes per accident, sometimes because the artist invites to do so-. The audience, the people, won't be far from the creation process as they make the project run and as well complete it. This project assumes the open process of the production as it will be developed throw negotiation work. The artist is sometimes an active person in this process, sometimes passive. Depending on the moments.
As I said, the project wants to be a result of a negotiation but even further, wants to be the result of an empathy. Might happen that during the execution complicities, relationships will come up and become part of the project (between participants and between participants and artist).

The issue of the project is really sensitive and due to that, the project itself becomes a research:
a)Does this prejudgement really exists or, even more important, do the Finns think that pregudgement exists? How is the influence on them?
b)Why does it exists and how came up or which facts made this prejudgement come up.
c)Even more important, which facts Finns think that could make this prejudgement come up
d)Do Finns think that this prejudgement is too far from the reality?
e)Would they make something to change/update this? Is there any needing for that?
f)How would they make it?

It might happen that there won't be final conclusions or that we all find out that this pre conception doesn't really exist, but the materialization of the debate.

As well the research becomes part of the project because the artist itself doesn't want to have a paternalistic approach like in general "social art" or "public art" have. Doesn't want to educate anybody or redeem anybody (will never have the right to do so!)

Particullary the artist thinks that now and then we need to find elements that will provoke ourselves to think what we are are and what we do in our everyday life. Specially in our closest environment.

About the funds for the meeting sessions:
The budget is really limited. The artist, which is in resindece, just gets some money for the living costs and little material. It is a wish from the artist to pay the participants but it is impossible to do so.

Do you, as an artist, work with the audience?
Do you normally get enought budget to pay them?

Have I been answering all your questions?

Sincerely,
Mireia

Hello Mireia

First of all i must say your English is far from being poor or
disarticulated.
I came to know about this project jumping from link to link via the
NIFCA website.

The reason that came to me as funny was in fact was that of the
misconception of prejudgment of Finns as not happy shinning people. I
couldn´t stop (laughing) thinking in the image of stoic inexpressive
Scandinavian. It is in fact a judgment based on the contrast from the
point of view of a latin. But i think you must focus on the fact of the
importance or not of that (let's call it) image. It is good to feel that
it goes on both directions (the image of the Finns from the outsiders
and the view of the Finns themselves).

At the moment i am under a residency program in The Netherlands and not
in Finland. I was just curious about he structure, intentions (and
financing) of the project, since i couldn´t find any further info.

The best for the outcome of the project
André Alves

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