A|R Travelling: Luggage Restriction.
The one thing we all do when heading out on an international trip is pack a bag. We may pack different things depending on the climate, availability of products, and other personal needs. But a suitcase full of socks and toothpaste isn’t the only bag we lug around with us. Whether or not we know it, most of us also tote around at least a few pieces of cultural baggage. Like any good suitcase, our personal luggage contains loads of compartments and hidden pockets—but they are stuffed with things that are less tangible and more likely to get you into new discovery when crossing borders.[1]
The artists‘ creative process is always shaped by his or her personal experience and cultural background acquired throughout their life. The viewer, as well, sees the work through the lenses of what s/he has lived through, experienced and learned. Thus, each encounter between the work and person is different and each change of the place where it is shown gives it new meanings and values. Thanks to that, an artwork is alive and represents a chance for the artist-designers and people to meet and exchange their experience. The artwork becomes the starting point of a dialogue between different cultures. Nowadays, it is vital to look beyond your own background and take advantage of the vanishing borders, especially in this tough period. Young artists and recently graduated people, after finishing their own studies do not have, yet, the useful connections needed in order to build up their artistic career and develop their skills. AIR Traveling seeks to bridge this gap by giving them the opportunity to connect with experienced artists, cultural professionals and main characters who play a significant role in the cultural scene.
A|R Traveling project promotes emerging talented artists and cultural professionals mobility, increases visibility of artistic production and fosters sharing knowledge between the participants among countries of Europe.
A|R Traveling serves as genuine network for the young professional to develop their own career in Europe. This project is an alternative channel that creates an international artistic exchange, accessible to everyone willing to connect to other organizations, artists, and professionals in the European cultural scene.
AIR Traveling offers a space to exchange and discuss meaningful issues that different artists and cultural professionals are dealing with. By letting young artists encounter more experienced actors in the cultural field, AIR Traveling supports participants to develop fruitful connections for their professional life. Thanks to this project collaborations are nurtured and the creation of a European artistic community is shaped.
A|R Traveling project takes place in particular art events connected to the European Contemporary art scene, such as gallery weekends, national contemporary art days and so on. In this way, the ‘artworks’ and the ‘artists’ could be also enriched by many art-lovers, collectors, artists, experts and curators, in few days. Moreover, a series of meetings with local cultural actors take place during those days.
Each A|R Traveling project includes also the set up of an exhibition, and discussion sessions between the local and the traveling artists. Important part of the project is also embedded in the accommodation of the participants, who are hosted by local artists or cultural professionals. In this ways the ‘travelers’ can get a full authentic experience of the local culture and their life. Moreover, the all participants within this project could be in contact trough a private group on social media. Furthermore, the traveling artists, once back in their own country, are invited to share their own new acquired cultural luggage thanks to a public presentation. In this way participants also become ambassadors of the new developed connections and the new knowledge gained from the encountering of different European artistic cultures. Lastly, with this project, participants had the opportunity to develop a European network, pivotal for enhance their artistic projects in Europe. These exchanges enable constructive discussions and the transmission of values such as community, creativity, sharing and solidarity. At the same time, it serves as a discussion point on how young artists could contribute to the society and how they could support each other throughout their own experience as worker in Europe especially in this tough economic time. As a result, these regular collaborations will have a more important outreach in the development of our supportive societies and it will create a stronger community based on cultural values.
First Stop: 11 October 2014 for AMACI (Italy, International Day of Contemporary Art) realized in cooperation with Streamcolors and Frattura Scomposta Contemporary Art Magazine.
Here you can see the video realized by the artists and the visual essay of the project and of the presentations in Maastricht .
GALLERY
