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 Art and solidarity. perspectives of self-organization of art workers
18.10.2011, Tuesday, at 18.30. IDHR Center (Institute for Democracy and Human Rights), Aygedzor 4/1, Yerevan. In the framework of its “Labour. Artist as a worker. Artist’s Role in the Society” project, Utopiana presents:
Art workers, as all other workers, face exploitation, non-favorable working conditions and environment, violations of their human rights. On the other hand, creative and art work has its peculiarities in the sense of labour relations, considering that (a) in most of the cases artists are self-employed, (b) art workers aren’t often involved in wide-scale production with a large number of employees, etc. more...
What are the needs and opportunities for self-organization of art workers in Armenia? How can art workers be better protected, work in solidarity, gain more power, attract additional resources and ensure their continuous creative development?
Arpine Galfayan is a civic activist, in the field of democracy and human rights. Her educational background is International Relations, specialized in International Law. Her professional experience is in the field of electoral processes and project management in local and international organizations. Her activist experience is with the Institute for Democracy and Human Rights NGO, Armenia (she chairs the organization since 2009), as well as with different social movements in Armenia.
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 “Like That. Polyvinyl acetate” project.
27.07.2011-27.08.2011. Curators` Vahagn Ghukasyan (Gyumri, GCAC) and Arman Grigoryan (Yerevan, AICA). The Project will take place in the house-studio of Armine and Harutyun Kalents (18 H Kalents str. Yerevan), second floor.
What kind of icons, image forms and artistic ideas do the grandchildren of those who were building the Future classless society create in the conditions of class society restoration of the Past?
"Like That. Polyvinyl acetate" project is a unique attempt to initiate a discussion on specific issues of the contemporary art in Armenia within the museum area (house-studio of Armenian modernism classics Harutyun and Armine Kanlents). The goal of the project is to get yet young, beginner artists and art critics involved in the critical discourse of art. Within the framework of the project an exhibition, presenting works done in various media by young artists from Gyumri and Yerevan, as well as presentations and discussions of the works of the artists interested in using new ways in art will be organized.
27.07.2011. at 15:00 oppening. at 16:00-19:00 Series of lectures, discussion
Lilit Sargsyan ”Reformative SocialRealism during "the Thaw”
Mane Petoyan “Design of Armenian pictorial style in the 60ies”
Karine Gusarenko “International Gyumri Biennale within the context of Armenian contempoarary art”
Arman Grigoryan “David Kareyan’s New Locality and trends of painting development”
The dislocations characteristic of the "great transformations" and "great crises" that have become the overriding present of our daily lives make it difficult to understand how to organize and analyze the dichotomous dispositives of labor and capital or economy and politics. The fact of the matter is that what man himself has produced dominates him. In other words, his libido is wholly invested in work. What can we learn by examining these questions as they appear in the world of "non-commercial" art? Although art, by its nature, is not a profit-seeking activity, it nevertheless constitutes part of the market, even if its principle commodity value resides precisely in the fact that it is not commercial. This circumstance imposes constraints on the artist's freedom of expression, but also offers, perhaps, the critical attitude or ratio required to transgress it. Questions of critical attitude aside, what is art's place in society and who, in the final analysis, is the artist? The artist's work or, more often, creation is considered to be non-alienated labor, that is, subjectivity, a self-producing phenomenon. "Ordinary" work, on the other hand, is considered to be a means of earning a livelihood, the condition for survival. When we say "mechanism of self-assurance," are we not talking about art, albeit indirectly? How far can art accompany the individual in the activity of producing herself as an exceptional subject who cannot be reduced to the norms applicable to work, that is, to the one function that determines the individual's place in society? Is it possible to discover and think, by means of art or artistic practice, the general emancipation of a society based on wage-labor? Under the title provided by the Armenian saying "Bread and Cheese, Eat and Work," we wish to elaborate a long-term project in which research, colloquia, and advanced individual scholarship will be focused on interrogating the concept of Work. Relevant issues include Art's place in society; aesthetic and socio-economic/political values; Work and gender issues; Work and Utopias of stable development, and so on. The list of overarching themes will be extended in accordance with the suggestions of project participants. This approach to the question will help us understand the mechanisms that sustain the Imaginary of any society whatsoever. The central task is an in-depth examination, with the field of art serving a platform, of the concept of work. Those interested in participating in the project or in submitting suggestions are invited to apply before June 10, 2010 to the project director, Anna Barseghian
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 City in Use
discussions, presentations, art exhibitions, actions, april 26-30, 2011: Curator: Eva Khachatryan
Coordinator: Gor Yengoyan; website
Since the 1st of March 2008, judging by the political and social situation in Armenia, we could notice the emergency of public consciousness which in fact became obvious. Parallel to political demonstrations there is a public resistance on the social and cultural levels as well. These social-cultural changes brought the necessity to organize public events.
 UNE VOIX AU ‘SANS VOIX’ (Giving a Voice to The Silnet)
In collaboration with the French embassy in Armenia, KASA Association, and with the participation of the Emile Gourd Foundation
Possessing never-ending energy, ravaging humor and a historical pertinence that continues to affirm itself each day since 1969, Carole Roussopoulos de Kalbermatten, whether alone or in a group, has never ceased to reinvent essay forms and visual analyses, in order to document the struggles of feminists, homosexuals, workers and anti-imperialists. Her considerable body of work covers 40 years of struggle, 40 years of combats won thanks to intelligence and political savoir-faire, victorious on legislative terrain, but never on the changing terrain of mentalities and behaviors.
 CONTEST
In 2010 Utopiana had announced a multimedia contest within the framework of its “Mother-Daughter triangle” project. Only literary works were presented for participation. You can read these works and vote for the one you like on our website and on the Facebook page (the texts are in Armenian).
The works are open for discussion. Feedback and comments of the readers will have an important impact on the final results of the contest.
Thank you and enjoy your reading…
 UTOPIAN ENCOUNTERS Round the Labour topic
25.09-26.09.2010
Director Marian Handwerker «Andre Gordz» documentary film screening (1990, 28min)(french).
Meeting discussion with sociologist, philosopher Maurizio Lazzaratto (french).
Artist Angela Melitopulous and sociologist, philosopher Maurizio Lazzaratto «Assablages» Film screening (62min) (french).
Angela Melitopulous, The Language of Things (2006, 33min), screening of a video project.(french).
 MIKHAIL KARIKIS
12.09.2010
Utopiana in collaboration with British Council and European Cultural Foundation presents meeting/presentation with performance artist musician Mikhail Karikis.
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