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URBAN JEALOUSY

Playlist

1. Gözel Radio - Kıskanıyorum
2. Kost J Picunda - Schlesi Ambulance
3. Klimek - in Katamon
4. Arash Khosronejad - G Street Drama
5. FatMoon - Bagdad Dub
6. Martin Shamoon Pour - New World Full of Jealousy
7. Nasir Al Mazam - ToBeOrNotToBe
8. Bethanien NewYorck - Mieten Stop
9. Sena Çevik - Ağac Tree
10. D2GG - Radio Guitar
11. Bijan Moosavi - Shahr-e Siah
12. Ballgard - Ghahere
13. Gudubik - Draadspanner
14. Paul Devens - Treppenhaut
15. Nicolas Wiese [-hyph-] - Realness Notorious Big
16. Utku Tavil - The Person You Have Called Can Not Be Reached At The Moment
17. K.O.F.Y - Slow ( Live on Tehran Roaming Biennial in Belgrade )

http://herbstradio.org/plan/sendung/8736.html#Radio_Spezial-G_zelradio-_11

interview 10.06.2008 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnGklBRd_RQ ………………………………………………………………….

International Roaming Biennial of Tehran, curated and organized by Amirali Ghasemi and Serhat Koksal, chose Istanbul as its first station.The idea of this independent, low-budget exhibition started out both as a critique of the situation in Tehran, and of the international "biennialization" and '' gentrification '' process.

Featured works by artists from different countries from all around the world, selected from an open submission call, which has had an overwhelming response.Berlin is it's 2nd station, Belgrade is it's 3th station .

Urban Jealousy Roaming Biennial of Tehran interview / Bant Magazine MAY 2008

Serhat Köksal and Amirali Ghasemi, two artists being frustrated about globalised, institutional (and therefore), shallow Biennials have decided to launch their own roaming, independent biennial named “Biennial Tehran”. First stop will be Karaköy Hafriyat in Istanbul, with contributions from various artists from all around the world, between May 30- 06 July. We asked them, about the name “Biennial Tehran”despite the different Biennial location, Karaköy-Istanbul and about the motives behind the concept “Urban Jealousy”.

How did everything start, what was the initial Idea and how did you meet Amirali?

S.K. – I first visited Tehran 12 years ago. Afterwards I made the musical score for a documentary named “Tehran 1380” which had been shown on Iran and some European TV channels. I already knew some people from the Tehran art scene. I first met Amirali about 3 years ago. Before that we had heard about eachother until he came to Istanbul for an exhibiton where I first saw his posters and stickers, which I thought was somehow similar to my works. In 2006 he invited met o his exhibition “Deeper depressions” which I contributed with a video. The year after, he invited me again for another Project which was related with Tehran and Berlin. I joined thisevent with an audio-visual performance called “NO Goethe, NO Hafız NO Bridge NO Biennial”. Since that time, the idea of a collaboration was brewing in our heads. He gave me some works of Iranian artists. They were very successful but I did not have the aim to exhibit any works of modern new Iranian artists anywhere. Indeed, I did not want this to happen because that Idea reminded me of previously organized European exhibitons with inadequate concepts of Istanbul, with Turkish artists as contributors.

We tried to define a concept about our common problems in order to start a collaboration. One day, when I was in Tehran I heard some ıranian artists, sitting next to me and chatting. One of them said “Maybe we should feel lucky that we do not have an International Biennial” and everybody laughed at this joke. At that very moment it flashed in my mind and said to Amirali: ” I found it! Our topic will be a Tehran Biennial and the first stage will be in Istanbul under the name Biennial Tehran”. Further, I found the concept “Jealousy”. Amirali finished it by adding “urban” and wrote a very nice article about the exhibiton. We planned no limitation of contributions from Iranian artists only. Because good works do not have a nationality.

The concept of this Exhibiton is defined as “Urban Jealouise”. What were the reasons of focusing on it? S.K. - Actually the concept was titled in English, however, the word “Jealousy” has another meaning in French which is window shade. We identified this “jealouise” with the situation of Iranian artists as described in Amirali’s presentation article: “ A jalousie is some kind of a shade; through which you have a view to the outside, but you can’t see anything inside when you look from the outside.”

Another mission of this exhibiton is to stay dissident against these global&corporate biennials which, somehow restrict themselves and their contributing artists. What would you say about this perspective?

S.K. – For a pretty long time, I’ve been performing in many countries about the relation between Global Energy pipelines and the compelling “Cultural Dialogue” attempts, the involvement of global capitalism in building bridges, branding cities and major art events. And naturally it is normal that these events which are voluntarily participating, tend to be more sterile and the same. Since beginnig of the millenium, I have been performing some Works with partially humorous content about this “Curators Hegemony” and Biennialism. I even wrote some articles about this subject for some magazines. So yes; one of the major questions we are asking is, “Why are these Biennials are organized onyl by Ministries of Culture, big Art Foundations and modern Holding companies?”. Another purpose is to question the status differences in the Art scene. Do people with limited skills not have the right to launch a Biennial? But the main purpose will be the attitude of the contributors and the places to be exhibited.

Amirali, you are a co-founder of the independent Art Gallery “Parkingallery” in Tehran. We intend to talk to you about this in details in future issues, until then, could you introduce Parkingallery in in a few words?

A.G. – Parkingallery has been esatablished in 1998 as an independent design sudio, Project event and art gallery. In 2002, we launched our online gallery and until today, we have been organizing exhibitons, panels and events. We also are in contact with various rock groups. Our main ambition is to concentrate on new medias, designs and photography and support young and promising artists by these exhibitons.

Frankly speaking, we do not have any idea about the Iranian Art scene. Of course, one major reason is this sheet of fear spred over us by the Western World. Can you talk about this briefly?

A.G. – The Tehran Art scene consists of different Island, actually. And they are not communicating with eachother, so much. It looks as if they were in some kind of competition. Metaphorically, we consider ourselves some kind of a boat! There are some internationally known young Iranian artists; however, unfortunately most of them are creating Works according to the demands of the market: either cheap and shallow political art-work or lush, exotic shit…

And indeed; the propaganda machine is working regular as usual, and blocks any information unless it is based on a political topic or against any typical persona. Means, despite that we have received applications even from countries which I had never heard of, we do not expect any miracle or any change with this Biennial. This Bieannial is more about travel, speaking, reshaping estates, exploring new frontiers and curiosity. The concepts or aims of corporate Biennials are too”old”, “slow” and “serious” to desire and gain. We only borrowed the format of a Biennial and chose moving instead of stuck in one geographical territory.

There was a sentence in one of the answers which had not been published in Bant Magazine:

S.K. – For example, last year 3 different opening ceremonies have been held in Istanbul Biennial. At the first one, very