talk, lecture:

NEGAR HAKIM
<< Contemporary Architecture from Isfahan >>

Thursday, June 27th, 2019, 7 pm
philomena+, Heinestraße 40, 1020 Vienna

This lecture by Negar Hakim takes place within the ongoing exhibition How is life? Chetori? چطوری؟ (until July 6, 2019). She will talk about contemporary architecture from Iran, especially from Esfahan.
Negar Hakim, born in Isfahan, is editor-in-chief of the architecture magazine Memar and co-editor of other art and architecture magazines in the Middle East. She is co-founder of philomena+ and teaches at various universities on the subject of Modern Architecture in Islamic Countries. In 2018 she published the volume Contemporary Iranian Architects 1, New Space: Movement and Experience. The book provides an overview of architecture bureaus seeking new solutions. This is a special undertaking in a society that has religious authorities influencing issues such as the design of ‚open kitchens‘ and  ‚garden swimming pools‘.
To round off the evening, there will be a picnic with Iranian snacks in the philomena+ front garden, which currently features the hammock installation The Right to Laziness by Oscar Cueto and Alaa Abu Asad’s #1 Assembly. 

 

 

 

public art:

Garden Opening 2019 

Alaa Abu Asad and Oscar Cueto

Wednesday, June 05, 2019 
6 pm: #1 The Assembly | Story telling by Alaa Abu Asad 
special guests: Oscar Cueto (artist), Barbara Knickmann (botanical garden, university Vienna), Michael Kozelek (head of department of tree nursery in the Augarten), Brigitte Neubacher (gardener of wild plants, Strombad Kritzendorf)

7 pm:  Inauguration of the installation „The Right To Be Lazy“ by Oscar Cueto, 05/06/ – 31/07/2019

7:30  pm lazy food and vegetal drinks

Alaa Abu Asad (born in 1989 in Nazareth and AiR with KulturKontakt Austria) invites people to look at what doesn’t pretend to be yet another controlled little ‘garden’ on the sidewalk in front of philomena+, where wild and invasive/exotic plants will be put and can grow as they wish. 
Through these plants, notions around the history of their migration and later consequences on their environment will be addressed. And as people continually move, together with their plants, they are also invited to bring their own plant and tell its story.
This event is organized in cooperation with KulturKontakt Austria and the Federal Chancellery of Austria.

Oscar Cueto (born in 1976 in Mexico-City, lives and works in Vienna) creates with five red hammocks a resting and relaxation zone on the wide pavement in front of the philomena+ project space. With the title he refers to Paul Lafargue, who draws attention to „The Right to be Lazy“ in a workaholic, industrialized society. The star-shaped arrangement around a light pole and the red colour of the installation refers to the flower to which Oscar Cueto has dedicated a two-year research project.  The intervention is part of the Agenda 21 Action Programme Grätzloase.

 

 

 

ongoing exhibition:

How is life?  Chetori?  چطوری؟

Ramesch Daha,  Fariba Farghadani, Ali Akbar Farzadi, Minoo Iranpour Mobarakeh, Mahroo Movahedi, 

curated by Sibylle Omlin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibition Period: 17/05 – 06/07/2019
Opening hours: Thu & Fri 3 – 7pm, Sat 11am – 3pm
Venue: philomena+, Heinestraße 40/7, 1020 Vienna

The exhibition How is life? Chetori? چطوری؟ aims to explore the area of ​​conflict between artists living in Iran and emigrating from Iran. Based on the selected artists from Iran, an art scene, mainly from Isfahan, will be presented. We will ask about the working condition for artists, important topics and which artistic narrations they need. Isfahan – Iran’s third largest city with about 2 million inhabitants – has a small art scene, an art school and a museum of contemporary art. In addition, an active gallery scene endeavors to provide better remuneration and exchange among the artists.
Ali Akbar Farzadi and Fariba Farghadani paint everyday scenes and symbols – the act of taking off the shoes in front of the house or the red cult car, the Méhari. In her poetic short films, Minoo Iranpour Mobarakeh describes the not always easy encounter between man and woman and, above all, reflects on the position of women in Iranian society. Mahroo Movahedi, born in Isfahan, lives in Switzerland, is researching in a long-term project on the Zayanderud, the river running through Isfahan, which is dry every two or three months due to diversions and congestion projects. Ramesch Daha, who emigrated to Vienna with her family, knows Iran as part of her family history. She does large-scale artistic research projects on historical and current events in Tehran.

An additional program will accompany the exhibition: 
Thursday,  06/06/2019, 7 pm Reading: Nava Ebrahimi, author from Graz with Iranian roots, reads from her book, „Sechzehn Wörter“ (2017), in which she presents a narrative of 16 terms that play a role in Iranian everyday life.
Thursday,  27/06/2019, 7 pm  Expert Talk: Art historian and co-founder of philomena+ Negar Hakim talks about contemporary architecture and buildings in her birthplace Isfahan. Picnic with Iranian food in the front garden of philomena+.