FLAK in EXILE
The authorities cancelled the already curated exhibition “Beauty of the Beast” (see http://flakturm.net) which was planned within the framework of FLAK OFF parallel to the Vienna Art Week in the flak lead tower located at the Arenbergpark. The locks have been changed. The organisers and artists no longer have access to the tower. We had to turn down invited national and international art-related projects and approximately 140 individual artists. The exhibition is put off for an unlimited period of time.
We were told that the cancellation was due to the expired licence agreement and shortcomings with regard to the safety of visitors to the exhibitions. However, there are active licence agreements with cellular network operators for cell sites on the roof and with the municipal department for parks and gardens for store rooms on the ground floor. These users were granted access, obviously without being familiarised to the careful handling of the historic material. This has already led to damages of the listed substance. The hitherto unused eight floors which we opened up for three well-visited exhibitions are now empty.
The analysis of the tower’s building history and its usage, which was started as part of the last exhibition by the FAKTUM FLAKTURM team of historians, must now be continued outside the building. At present, the fate of the authentic traces and remains in the interior is still unclear and also how the building will be used in the future.
WE WANT TO OPEN UP THE FLAK TOWER TO COMMUNICATE ART AND HISTORY!
NO MORE REINTERPRATIONS, BELITTLEMENTS, GRINDINGS. WE WANT TO DEAL WITH IT!
FLAK in EXILE shouts out to attract attention. It is a protest, a discoursive attempt for transformation and serves as exchange of information. The project FAKTUM FLAKTURM is one of its kind. It’s an opportunity for facing and analysing the past on an international scale, a European experiment with regard to remembering the past and conveying history.
flak attack 1: Mobile models of the flak lead tower, which explicitly serve as an exchange of information by way of network(ing)s rather than an artistic interpretation, will temporarily pop up at distinctive spots in Vienna. We want to enable to discuss how art can be seen as a means for an active conveyance of knowledge, the free space as a place for a new form of the contemporary, the mute house as an open, discourse-relevant platform. Also the associated problems our association had to face will be part of the discussion which will take place within the week of action.
flak attack 2: We protest against the strategy of the City of Vienna of avoiding to actively deal with the building by dubiously referring to the competence of the MA 34, the municipal department for the administration of municipal buildings, by setting up a permanent, mute projection on the tower in the absence of the artists during the days of action.
flak attack 3: We want you to distribute the hardly perceived flak towers all over Vienna through posters, flyers, stickers, chalk drawings, 3-D-models, acoustic, medial, performative practices! You are welcome to use the FAKTUM FLAKTURM logo or your own designs. Your implemented ideas will be documented on our web page!
flak at fluc: The singer and performer Deize Tigrona, a renowned exponent in the international arena of art, together with dj Rafa will mark the end of the week of action at the fluc. Carioca, known as Brasilian funk, emerged in the late 80ies in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro and premieres in Vienna on May 6 as part of FLAKTURM IN EXILE at the fluc!
flak at brick-5: On Tuesday, May 8 at 7 pm there is a discussion/press conference at brick-5. Brick-5, Verein zur Förderung multimedialer Kunst und Techniken, Fünfhausgasse 5, 1150 Wien.
We shout out to all artists and everyone interested to solidarise with us and support us according to their possibilities!
Thank you!
Verein zur Förderung interdisziplinärer Kunst und Kultur
im Flakleitturm Arenbergpark Wien 3