This autumn, a Bulgarian touch will aid the transformation of abandoned spaces in one of the most scenic and inspiring places in Japan – Nakanojo. The world recognised Nakanojo Art Biennale traditionally invites international artists with projects for reviving disused buildings and adapting them as galleries and exhibitions spaces for the duration of the event. Nia Pushkarova, the founder and director of Water Tower Art Fest and Association IME, has received an invite from the organisers of the biennale for participation with a whole pavilion dedicated to contemporary Bulgarian art. Together with Nia, the Bulgarian pavilion at Nakanojo, “Distant Relatives”, will be presented by: Galina Yotova – long-term collaborator and official photographer of WTAF; Elitsa Ganeva – long-term collaborator of WTAF, recipient of WTAF 2016 “Debut” Award; Radina Stoimenova – former intern (2015) and participant in WTAF 2016, performance, installations. Their projects will see the former primary school in Nakanojo take on a new life throughout September 2017.

The participation of precisely Water Tower Art Fest artists and organisers is no coincidence, given the many similarities between the two projects – Nakanojo and WTAF – and it serves to prove the experience and expertise of Association IME (WTAF) in the field of urban arts and interventions. Both WTAF and Nakanojo Art Biennale were set up in the same year, 2006. The projects share the same idea about re-imagining disused urban spaces and rediscovering their potential. 

In just 10 years, the Biennale has turned Nakanojo in an attractive cultural hub for international artists and an area of regeneration – abandoned schools are being turned into galleries, public spaces take on the role of sculpture parks. The project is a successful example of a sustainable cultural initiative. The Biennale has a socio-economic contribution to the region, by a). creating temporary employment for the locals, as translators and artists’ assistants, as well as volunteers, b). attracting thousands of tourists for several months, c). aiding the communication between institutions, artists and culture collectives; helping emerging practitioners get noticed by renowned curators, international associations and media.

Likewise, over the last 10 years Water Tower Art Fest have been developing and fighting for good practices in preserving valuable but abandoned Bulgarian cityscapes, proving that culture is not something that can be just stored in a museum or gallery but is actually part of our everyday life. Even after unjustly losing the symbol of the festival, the old water tower in Sofia’s Lozenec area (the municipality closed the tower for public access in 2014 and then, in 2016 sold it privately, through a “behind-the-closed-doors” auction to a yet unnamed buyer, despite all the regeneration efforts and project proposal for permanent art space from WTAF), the collective continues its work in socially engaged art practices, locally and internationally – and their visit to Japan is an opportunity to acquire further knowledge in building sustainable development models. 

The model adopted in Nakanojo is one of cultural exchange and active communication, which produces long-lasting partnerships and gives basis to future shared projects; it creates a dialogue for finding solutions to the current, shared issues in the art world – rather than just being a pure exhibition platform. The same principals were established by WTAF 2006-2016 and all consecutive initiatives of Association IME, e.g. Water Tower Art Residency, July 2017.

Last, but not least, the impressive number of visitors to Nakanojo Biennale – over 470 000 for the 2016 edition – will guarantee wide exposure to the Bulgarian pavilion and its representatives, thus further promoting contemporary Bulgarian art overseas and contextualising it within the international arts scene.

You can follow live updates & details of WTAF’s visit to Nakanojo Biennale 2017 on Facebook

WTAR 2017 Documentary

Mariko Hori (Japan/Serbia) – Born in Hyogo, Japan, based in Belgrade, Serbia. Mainly installations, her work deals with alternatives space and uncovering site-specific perceptions through broadening or changing the focus in the details of daily life. When intentionally placing specific objects in spaces where they don’t usually belong, the selection of objects and the space in-between makes the atmosphere different and something unexplainable arises.

Marina Moskalenko (Ukraine) – Marina specializes in interactive installations, actions and visual arts (incl. Fine Arts, with Graphic Artist qualification); her WTAR project will be presented in Depot Poduene, details TBC – the concept of her project will be created and developed during the residency, with the site in mind, and is not available beforehand.

Johannes Gerard (Netherlands) – visual artist with almost 30 years of experience with projects in sculpture, installations, mixed media, photography and print; his WTAR project will be presented at the House of Culture “Iskur”, details TBC.

Pierre Tardiff (France/UK) – creative technologist and sound designer, with a degree in electronic engineering, Pierre has an exciting portfolio of work in London; his idea is to present a combination of music, science and artwork.

Anna-Maria Bogner (Austria) – her work focuses on the appropriation of space, space limitations and the spaces in between. WTAR project: installation from objects found on site, transforming the space in which they’re found; an exploration of our own and shared reality.

Haruka Tomatsu (Japan) – WTAR project: installation and interactive dance performance for Depot Poduene, exploring memories-objects relations; the dance technique used in this project is called Butho – originated in Japan in the 1950s, it’s a dance without preliminary choreography, created on the spot, depending on the space and context in which it is performed. 

Serena Chalker (Australia) – Serena’s practice draws from dance, audio/text, theatre, happening and intervention. WTAR project: series of intimate performance encounters / meetings with the audience, based at Depot Poduene, examining our relationship to change and transition, and how this influences our sense of connectedness to a place.

Ren Qian, Cai Qing, Shen Yun (China) – collective exhibition of projects (video, photography, installations), documenting a nearly 10-years long exploration of water (lakes, rivers, bays, etc.) and its place in humans’ traditions/history/practices around the world and in China.

Nia Pushkarova - PREDISPOSITION LIMITED BY CIRCUMSTANCES” – Performance and installation

Music Performers

Ponton (Serbia) - The Serbian Duo are Marko Jevtic and Igor Stangliczky. PonTon are soundscape storytellers since 2008 and have 5 albums behind their back – a collection of electro-acoustic improv, drone, post-rock, soundscape storytelling. 

White Flower (UK) - Seb Silas (soprano saxophone) and Sylvia Schmidt (vocals).
Formed as a response to the erratic and all-consuming city of London, White Flower offers its audiences an opportunity to step away from urban life, pay attention to intimate sound, and be drawn into dream-like sonorities. Through creating a focus on stillness & silence, but exploring uncomfortability & contradiction, a trance-like catharsis is offered for contemplation.

PRESENTATION OF RESULTS TO PUBLIC

21.07, 18:00-22:00, Council Cultural Institute House of Culture “Iskur”:  Cai Qing, Ren Qian, Shen Yun, Johannes Gerard, PonTon

22.07, 18:00-23:00, Depot Poduene: all other artists, White Flower

WATER TOWER ART  RESIDENCY 2017
OPEN CALL
DATES – 14- 23 JULY 2017
PLACES – SOFIA
– TRAIN DEPO PODUENE- 5 ARTISTS AT RESIDENCY -https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B2gqDgNTx6J-VmlTNWd2Qjl2UHM
– CULTURE HOUSE ISKUR https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B2gqDgNTx6J-ZzBOdFFGYlVubVE
AND PUBLIC SPACES – PERFORMANCE DAYS 21-23 JULY 2017

This year we are launching the Short Artists Residency as a continuation of our practice of socially engaged arts in alternative venues. It will be an attempt to do work in collaboration between artists on site working with: performance and installation, interactive actions including the audience and citizens around the places. The results of the residency and performance program will be on sites on 21 to 23rd of July.

Interested artists, curators or practitioners/ thinkers should send a -
- short cv /bio /resume with contacts
-with project proposal or sphere of activity during the stay or site-specific installation or performance for Depo Poduene or Culture house Iskur
- One contact of referee

Deadline 10 of June 2017

What we offer is accommodation at the Depo Poduene for 5 artists, in shared room
Possibility for other accommodation for small fee 10 Euro per day up to 5 artists https://www.facebook.com/events/444006509270092/permalink/453372788333464/

And technical assistance and rental equipment to be discussed after selection
Write to watertowerartfest@gmail.com
www.watertowerartfest.com
Selection committee:
Nia Pushkarova – Director of Water tower art fest
Co Selector: Mariko Hori
Team:
Technical assistance – Teodor Nanev and Georgi Kamburov
PR – Oli Gots