Emil Memon – GRAFFITI
Published on December 4th, 2021[lang_si]V torek, 14. decembra 2021 ob 20.00 ponovno vabimo v Cirkulacijo 2 | podhod Ajdovščina Ljubljana na NYC (->New York City) “post velvetovski underground” kantavtorsko glasbeno-zvočno posvetitev razstave:
Emil Memon – GRAFFITI
razstava celostenske grafiti slike z multimedijskimi kontekstualnimi dodatki
otvoritev: četrtek, 9. decembra 2021 ob 20.00
+ torek, 14. december 2021: posebni kantavtorski NYC “velvet” dogodek!
delo bo na ogled predvidoma do 17. januarja 2022
Celostensko veliko platno / slika s povednim naslovom GRAFITI (tehnika: barve v spreju na platnu). Velikost in intenzivnost barve bosta uravnotežili arhitekturo prizorišča/ podhoda Ajdovščina, ki je po avtorjevem mnenju sodobna distopija nekdanje lokalne želje po arhitekturni modernosti / urbanosti. Podzemni nakupovalni kotiček se je spremenil v neobljuden rob družbe in mesta. Dinamično delovanje Cirkulacije 2 skuša pokazati na pozabljene potenciale. Vzporednice z njegovo njujorško izkušnjo 80-ih in 90-ih let – in današnjim časom in prostorom – so vseskozi prisotne.
Emil Memon: Nasičena energija dela bo aktivno pridodala k programu Cirkulacije 2. Dodatni elementi razstave bodo stilsko ustrezna avtorjeva video dela – in njegova glasba!
Post-festum: Emil Memon Twilight of the Gods Live @ Cirkulacija 2
Emil Memon je umetnik, ki je večino življenja deloval v New Yorku, zato morda še vedno ni ustrezno prisoten v lokalni zavesti.
Njegova pripoved:
Študiral sem na Akademiji za likovno umetnost v Firencah, oddelek za slikarstvo. Bilo je konec 70-ih v tako imenovanih »Anni di piombo« (svinčena leta). To so bili izjemni časi v Italiji. Časi velikih družbenih preobratov, študentsko gibanje mladih, ki zahteva spremembe, ki prevzamejo univerze; Rdeče brigade, fašistične teroristične skupine, Autonomia, Radio Alice, Italicus, Piazza Fontana, “Compromesso Storico”, atentat na Alda Mora, metropolitanski Indijanci. Ironija je bila orodje spopadanja s silami represije, množičen pojav heroina. V Firencah je bilo mladinsko gibanje močno, ne kot v Bologni ali Rimu, vendar smo zasedli svojo univerzo. Bilo je zelo razgibano. Stene na ulicah, trgih, univerzah so bile prevlečene s parolami, slikami s političnimi sporočili, … z GRAFITI.
Prva leta 80-ih sem študiral na ALU, Specialka. Tudi tu so bili časi izjemni, spremembe so bile v zraku. Mladinska kultura je bila močna, z neodvisnimi mediji in umetniškimi prizorišči, kot so Radio Študent, ŠKUC .., ki so ustvarjali alternativno kulturo. PUNK je vladal. Bilo je osvobajajoče. V tistem času sem imel nekaj umetniških razstav v ŠKUCu. Ta leta se čutijo tudi danes – so temelj za samostojno Slovenijo. Na ulicah so bili s sprejom naslikani logotipi Anarchy in seveda lep grafiti napis, ki je trg v središču Ljubljane preimenoval v trg Sida Viciousa.
Kot Fulbrightov štipendist sem v zgodnjih 80-ih šel študirat na Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NYC. Šlo je za podiplomski program MZZ. Moja smer je bila Proste oblike (konceptualna umetnost). NYC je bil v krizi – v urbani distopiji. Počutil sem se svobodno.
Lower East Side, južni Bronx, deli Brooklyna so bili dobesedno požgani. Vlaki podzemne železnice so hiteli naokoli s fantastičnimi mojstrskimi grafiti, tovrstnimi napisi, imeni mladcev iz getov, ki so podajali svoja mnenja in tako specifično zaznamovali mesto.
V zraku je bil »The Message« Grand Master Flash-a. Jean-Michael Basquiat je po stenah okrožja umetniške galerije Soho risal krone z imenom Samo. Keith Haring je risal svoje podzemne postaje. East Village Art scena je nastajala med ruševinami Lower East Side-a, vključevala je grafiti umetnike – in tudi umetnika znanega kot Futura 2000.
To je bil tudi čas groze epidemije aidsa.
NYC GRAFITI se je kot urbana mladinska kultura razširila po vsem svetu, je komunalna oblika izražanja, ki se uporablja na način osvobajanja umetnosti, kot revolucija, raziskovanje, tudi monetizacija – je eksplozija človeške energije in direktnih povezav med akterji.
Takrat so me navdušila dela Future 2000, ki je predstavil možnosti čiste abstrakcije, ki izhaja iz street-art grafitov. Vzpostavila se je povezava z Jacksonom Pollockom in Josephom Beuysom. Slednji je negova dela opredelil kot “nasičeno energijo”.
Kot poveden za tisti čas zgodnjega razkrajanja / in dinamičnega umetniškega ustvarjanja Emil Memon predlaga njegov video z naslovom “1983/Blue Movie” – intimistična pripoved avtorja neposredno po njegovem prihodu v New York. Avtor izkazuje fascinacijo nad monumentalno urbano sredino, arhitekturnimi strukturami in položajem posameznika v tovrstni sredini.
DIVA (digitalni video arhiv) -> http://www.e-arhiv.org/diva/index.php?opt=work&id=911
Dodatni material za spoznavanje Emila Memona:
Live Music Performance @ Union Docs, Williamsburg, NYC https://youtu.be/umG_QX7kkRg
Live Music Performance @ Spectrum, NYC https://youtu.be/P5nHKZgEi24
Pri produkciji sodelujeta Zavod za mladino, kulturo in turizem Koper in Cirkulacija 2, Ljubljana.
[lang_en]Tuesday, 14th december 2021 at 8.00 pm, warmly invited again to Cirkulacija 2, Ajdovščina subway, Ljubljana to NYC style of “post velvet underground” music & sound consacration of exhibition:
Emil Memon – GRAFFITI
huge 10 m x 2.5 m graffiti painting with multimedia contextual additions
opening: thursday, 9th december 2021 at 8 pm
+ tuesday, 14th december 2021: special singer/songwriter NYC “velvet” style event!
exhibition will be presumably open until 17th January 2022!
Art event at Cirkulacija 2 consist of large GRAFFITI painting – spray paint on canvas – on the wall oposite the entrance to the space. The size and intensity of color will balance the architecture of the venue. The compressed energy of the work actively interacts with Cirkulacija’s dynamic program.
Additional elements will be some of Emil Memon’s video works – and his music.
Post-festum: Emil Memon Twilight of the Gods Live @ Cirkulacija 2
I did my studies at Academy of Fine Arts in Florence, department of painting. It was at the end of 70’s during so called “ Anni di piombo “ ( The years of lead ). Those were extraordinary times in Italy. Times of great social upheaval, the youth student movement demanding change taking over universities; Red Brigades, The Fascist terror groups, Autonomia, Radio Alice, Italicus, Piazza Fontana, “ Compromesso Storico “, assassination of Aldo Moro, Metrpolitan Indians. Irony as a tool of confrontation with forces of repression, massive appearance of heroin. In Florence youth movement was strong, not as in Bologna or Rome, but we did occupy our university. It was very exuberant. The walls on the streets, squares, universities were covered with spray painted slogans, images with political messages, ……… GRAFFITI.
First years of 80’s did my studies at ALU, Specialka. Times were extraordinary, change was in the air. Youth culture was powerful, with independent media and Art venues like Radio Student, SKUC,…… on disposal creating Alternative culture. PUNK was ruling the waves. It was liberating. Did few Art shows at that time @ SKUC. Those years are still felt till today including
being foundation for independent Slovenia. On the streets were spray painted Anarchy logos and of course a nice GRAFFITI renaming square in center of Ljubljana to Sid Vicious square.
As a Fulbright Scholar in early 80’s went to study at Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NYC. It was a graduate program MFA. My major was Free Forms (Conceptual Art). NYC was in crisis – an urban dystopia. I felt free.
Lower East Side, South Bronx , parts of Brooklyn were burned down. Subway trains were speeding around with fantastic graffiti masterworks, messages, names of young kids from ghettos making their statement and mark on the city. There was Grand Master Flash’s “The Message“ in the air. A crown with the name Samo was spray painted on the walls of Soho Art gallery district by Jean-Michael Basquiat. Keith Haring was making his Subway stations drawings. East Village Art scene was emerging in the ruins of Lower East Side. It included graffiti artists – also artist known as Futura 2000.
It was also time of horror of AIDS epidemic.
The NYC’s GRAFFITI as the Urban Youth Culture spread around the world – it is a commune form of expression, used as art of liberation, revolution, exploration, monetization – it is about energy and direct connection. I was impressed at that time by the works of Futura 2000, who introduced the great possibility of pure abstraction deriving from street art GRAFFITI. It connected with Jackson Pollock and definition of his work by Joseph Beuys: as “compressed energy”.
As sign of the times Emil Memon suggests his video “1983/Blue Movie” – his intimistic narrative created just after his arrival to New York.
DIVA (digital video archive) -> http://www.e-arhiv.org/diva/index.php?opt=work&id=911
Additional materials to learn more about Emil Memon:
Live Music Performance @ Union Docs, Williamsburg, NYC https://youtu.be/umG_QX7kkRg
Live Music Performance @ Spectrum, NYC https://youtu.be/P5nHKZgEi24
A coproduction of Zavod za mladino, kulturo in turizem Koper and Cirkulacija 2, Ljubljana.