Feinde: an Austrian Enemies project - May 2015
One of the most ambitious international Enemies projects yet, Feinde took in 4 readings & an exhibition, and was a chance for me to bring over to the UK poet's who represent the unique stature of the contemporary Austrian avant-garde. It was also an opportunity to collaborate with the brilliant Jörg Piringer, really a world renowned sound artist and technologically pioneering poet. All thanks to the Austrian Cultural Forum for giving me the chance to create such a remarkable collaborative architecture. www.theenemiesproject.com/feinde
The Feinde exhibition
In terms of a more classical curatorial achievement, the Feinde exhibition, which ran May 1st to 14th at the Hardy Tree Gallery in Kings Cross, London, probably stands as the best work I've done. I was able to commission poets and artists in line with a singular idea, still open conceptually enough to be surprising, and then have the flexibility to pick up individual pieces, already created by artists here in London, to compliment and expand the overall feel of the exhibition. The works sat beautifully together in the gallery, and the sense that it did represent a new generation of poets working in visual terms came through powerfully. www.theenemiesproject.com/feindeexhibition
Feinde is over, what a week
Feinde was ambitious, 6 events, an exhibition, 4 extraordinary Austrians over in London with us. It was an extraordinary experience to get to know Esther Strauss, Ann Cotten, Max Hofler and Jorg Piringer better, to see their work and collaborations unfold in my city and have the great privilege of hosting them at Enemies events. Each event had its own character, each its own energy and ebbs and flows. It was a remarkably intense week for me, marked by calm conversation, gentle humour, nuanced discussion, a bit of physical illness and some intense artmaking. It sounds like puff, but alongside thanking those four artists I must thank the Austrian Cultural Forum and Theodora Danek for being so sophisticated in their / her support. & what an honour for me to work with Jorg Piringer twice, means the world to me to do so. (May 18th 2015)
