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Global
Fusion -
World Art as Universal Art
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Global
Fusion 2002 Curators Maggie McCormick & Claudia Maria-Luenig Coordination in Vienna with Karin Zimmer Global Fusion- World Art as Universal Art Karin Zimmer Bundeskanzleramt Vienna Since the 80's of the 20th century an overcoming of all borders through technical media communication has caused a strong migration movement encompassing ever more regions of our global village - the world. Applied to the international art discourse our relationship to foreign cultures has changed dramatically. The western view which in our ascertainment until recently - historically One sided and geographically single minded - had a universal value, has changed like our understanding of art has changed. The significance and our perception of "non-western" art production has increased enormously, now more than ever the originally existing structure of a centre and periphery is replaced through the global net. Out of this global network forty-four artists from Europe, Asia and Australia have gathered together in an exhibition titled Global Fusion that will be shown in the art space Palais Porcia in Vienna. Under Global Fusion we can perceive an universal art, a world art that mixes, connects, an art that combines local and global identities, it acts globally and localises itself now here in Vienna. This exhibition regard as it's subject matter the chances and risks of a cultural globalisation and with it an increased hybridisation. Questions of tolerance and the ability to deal with conflicts in an open multicultural society are posed, a formulation in which cultural and educational policies demand to find answers and solutions. |
Global
Fusion Maggie McCormick & Claudia-Maria Luenig The concept of Global Fusion came about though a collaboration between Australian born Maggie McCormick and German born, Claudia-Maria Luenig. When they met in Australia much of their thinking was in tune including a new style of curating and exhibiting that utilises the urban space of the city itself, as an integral part of both the process and the public outcomes. As artists and curators they both work across art mediums with a strong interest in global connections between artists and spaces. Maggie and Claudia are founding members of urbanart, an artist group which takes a catalyst role in initiating innovative approaches to contemporary arts practice, the public audience and the urban environment by creating opportunities for art dialogue. City spaces such as tram stops, shop windows, multi storey buildings and walls, subways, arcades and streets have been used. International urbanart projects curated by Maggie McCormick and Claudia-Maria Luenig include Kultural Kommuting 1998, which brought together artists in Berlin and Melbourne, with public installation outcomes in both cities, and @ global city 2000, which created a temporary global city of ideas with contributions from 54 cities. In 2002 urbanart goes to Vienna for Global Fusion. All reflect urbanart's interest in art cutting across visual/design/text installation and visual/text/spoken word performance. Global Fusion brings together forty four artists from Europe, Australia and Asia. A fusion is formed between urban localities - Vienna, Austria, located at the edge of Eastern Europe and Melbourne, Australia, located close to the periphery of Asia. The artists assess art that combines, 'fuses' and connects individual and global aspects of identity. It takes place in Vienna, where the artists have the opportunity to explore urban identity and analyse the complexities of the spatial urban context, by responding site specifically to the given spaces or by incorporating an urban position into the visual analysis. The participation of eight artists from Eastern Europe provides an expansion, opening and integration towards culturally and geographically placed art practices. It offers an engagement into a shared subject matter that can and will be a platform for further engagement and participation positioned in an intense global dialogue. |
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Vienna's
geographical closeness to the eastern part of Europe will pose as an invitation
to embrace an art engagement and production that has at times been positioned
as non-centred. Individual signatures and perceptions fuse within a fast
developing globalisation. Melbourne and Vienna are cities positioned on the borders of reality and perception, geography and cultural identity. These cities experience a changing sense of cultural identity through an ever changing fusion of ideas as a result of their location. Melbourne is Australia's second largest city. It is a city with a reputation for support of contemporary art and is home to many Australians whose family roots lie in Asia. The artists selected reflect this link in their life and their art. The cities of Vienna and Melbourne have much in common, despite a very different history that has created these two urban spaces. Both have a conventional outward appearance with some architectural marrying of the old and new, and an arts under belly that continually chips away at traditional edges. The locations chosen for Global Fusion physically reflect tradition and modernity. Kunstraum Palais Porcia, originally built in the 16th century is located in the old city of Vienna, and wienstation, a working and communication space set up by artists in a reclaimed railway underpass on the Gürtel, which forms the borderline between inner and outer Vienna. |
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Over
the last decade Melbourne has spawned numerous artist run venues and public
art spaces that reflect the independent spirit of the contemporary arts
movement. Debate and critical dialogue on urban issues has been and is
now, an essential part of the art scene in Melbourne. This is reflected
in the numerous exhibitions and public projects that utilise the city
space itself. urbanart is one of these artist groups. In Vienna this can
be seen in artist initiated projects such as wienstation that encourage
networks and collaborations responding to the reflective transience of
this glass urban space, with workshops, discussions and music an integral
part of the experience. Global Fusion
contributes to this dialogue. Global Fusion begins with artists traveling to Vienna, from across the world, their artwork integrated into their luggage and their collection of words and images on route. It is the journey between and in urban space and the journeys that will follow from new connections made and new ideas collected, which create an ever changing fusion of contemporary art thinking. |
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Global
Fusion 2002 Curators Maggie McCormick & Claudia-Maria Luenig Coordination in Vienna with Karin Zimmer Curator of the Federal Artotheque, Federal Chancellery, Department of the Arts, Austria |
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