Between Agora and Scaffold: Political Potential of Public Space

Thursday, 21 May 2015, 19:00
Visual Culture Research Center (44 Hlybochytska Street (1st floor), Kyiv)

Visual Culture Research Center and Political Critique invite you to the lecture and presentation of work Gemonian Scaffold by Alix Gallet and Mourad El-Garouge (Ateliers Populaires de Paris), which will take place on Thursday, 21 May, at 19:00.

During their lecture Alix Gallet and Mourad El-Garouge will tell about their work Geminian Scaffold, presented at the international exhibition “Some Say You Can Find Happiness There” at Visual Culture Research Center, and its historical contextualization.

The Gemonian Scaffold is a structure designed for the public space and inspired by French revolutionary carpenter Sieur Gérard. The title of this work refers to notorious Scalae Gemoniae – Gemonian stairs from the times of Roman Empire, which was used for public executions and demonstration of bodies. Another important analogy between the title of this object and its function is the similarity between words “scaffold” and “scaffoldings”. Gemonian Scaffold is conceived as a temporary agora made of standard elements of scaffoldings, which serve as a supporting structure at construction sites.

The Gemonian Scaffold is meant to facilitate public debates and gatherings of all kinds and in any context, depending on community needs. While addressing questions of political nature of public space, the Gemonian Scaffold remains a functional structure to be used by society.

Alix Gallet is member of Ateliers Populaires de Paris. She studied media design at the Design Academy of Eindhoven and fashion at the ESAA Duperré in Paris. Her synergistic approach is close to fiction design and research trends. Gallet’s most recent projects include issues as varied as biometric identification, behavioral packing unit online and gamification interactions.

Mourad El-Garouge is member of Ateliers Populaires de Paris. Since 2012, he has been project manager at the Palais des Congrès de Montreuil, where he coordinates the contemporary art fair “Les Hivernales”. In 2014, he created Artefiz, an independent publishing house, as well as cultural promotion association, “L ‘Art est vivant”.

Ateliers Populaires de Paris (APP) is a cooperative office operating in construction and design. It was created in Paris in October 2014 by five professionals active in the fields of architecture, cultural research, urban planning, education, and communication. APP offers services for territorial studies, art research, development of architectural projects and media design.

Presentation will take place at Visual Culture Research Center within the frameworks of the exhibition “Some Say You Can Find Happiness There” and “Exploitation of the Imaginary” project, which lasts from May 20 until June 15, 2015.

Admission is free

The project is supported by Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung

Supported by ERSTE Stiftung and Charles Stewart Mott Foundation

Media partners:

Visual Culture Research Center (VCRC) was founded in 2008 as a platform for collaboration between academic, artistic, and activist communities. VCRC is an independent initiative, which is engaged in publishing and artistic activities, scientific research, organization of public lectures, discussions, and conferences. In 2015 Visual Culture Research Center received the European Cultural Foundation’s Princess Margriet Award.

Visual Culture Research Center (44 Hlybochytska Street (1st floor), Kyiv)

Contacts:

+38096 4929600 (Nataliya Neshevets)
www.facebook.com/vcrc.org.ua
vcrc@vcrc.org.ua