Kickstarter

“Occupy, A.I.R.” Tuzla, 2012

Alexander Viscio, an American artist from New York comes to the city of Tuzla to install, perform and exhibit a new work specifically designed for the International Atelier Ismet Mujezinovic in Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina’ inaugural Artist Residency Program.

The word “Occupy” will be built as an outdoor sculpture large enough to allow 150 people to enter and fill the space to capacity. A film crew documents the progression from directly above the installation until the entire space is filled. Video, photographs, models and other support materials will be included in an exhibition at a following date.

This work represents the culmination of the last 5 years where architectural models of profanities are considered as public space as the viewer enters the physical domain of a word becoming a transient agent and the content simultaneously.

Since the word Occupy has been the cornerstone of public demonstration in the US aimed at drawing attention at the severe economic inequalities among classes, I wanted to offer the actual space of the word itself to be Occupied in a country that only 20 years ago people were paying with their lives to simply exist.

Therefore it’s no co-incidence the artists’ residence comes on the 20th anniversary of this country’s war with Serbia. Yet the artist wants to maintain that the mission of this work lies in the visual/physical experience of those who visit the work while accepting all the social/political parallels as poignant.

“The verb the action becomes a form, an inhabited form. The transient molding agent creates the form of language in which a “human” forms new forms. The form is the manifestation of language that inhabits and in-forms, becoming the seed which is the catalyst for the action.”-Caterina Verde SPS.

Intent: To build a 3 Dimensional version of the word Occupy large enough for a large crowd of citizens of Tuzla to gradually enter until the entire space is filled to capacity. The process is filmed from directly above the structure (which has no roof).

How it’s done: With a local crew; architect, carpenter and a group of High School students from surrounding areas, we will set out to build the word Occupy using wood as the main material. It will take one week to construct and when completed the public will have access to enter at a designated entrance/exit. This will allow the piece to be exposed to the elements and goings on in the city square before the actual performance and filming. 

It is my hope that people will ride their bikes or bring their baby strollers in with them so that the space acquiesce with the general population and even pick up a few tags (graffiti).

How the funds would be used: The essentials; Funds raised will pay for the materials required for the completion of a structurally sound environment that can endure the elements of an Eastern European mid May Spring. And for the documentation process that will include, photography, video and a live video stream (made during the performance) available over the Internet. The funds will also be used to update my homepage to contain the entire process and completion of "Occupy, A.I.R." and list all its backers. All this material will then be exhibited at the official opening a week later at the International Atelier Ismet Mujezinovic or at the International Portrait Gallery in Tuzla, along with models, drawings and artifacts collected during my Residency. The crew needs to be fed so of course there will be a food/drink station for the duration of the building process to re fuel.

Projects' Status: As I'm writing this on KickStarter I have built the architectural scale model out of form core. With one 5sq. cm. representing 1sq. meter the model is 150 long x 50 deep and 20cm., making the actual structure 15 meters long by 5 meters wide by 2 meters high without a roof, Approximately the length of parking spots for 9 cars.

Team:    I have most of the team in place and will arrive in Tuzla April 28th. I will have 3 weeks to complete this task and then I will leave Tuzla for my Viennese studio to prepare the shipments to my backers.

Alexander Viscio: Artist in Residence,

Edina Seleskovic, Program Director, Bosnian born, New York based American artist.

NGO Radio Kameleon Open Network for Human Rights and Democracy Tuzla Bosnia and Herzegovina

Radio Kameleon, one of the first private and independent radio stations in all of ex Yugoslavia countries Tuzla

International Portrait Gallery Ismet Mujezinovic in Tuzla

Normal arhitektura in Sarajevo

Carpenter

Filmaker

City Angels Tuzla