Supported by the City of Melbourne, Maroondah Art Gallery, Adshel and Vicnet in Australia and the Bundekanzleramt and Wien Kultur in Austria.

Global Fusion Close Up 2005-2006 is an urbanart international dialogue between 11 pairs of photo based artists from across the globe. By focusing 'close up' on each other they are asked to translate their dialogue into collaborative and individual outcomes.


The concept grew out of Global Fusion 2002 which looked at distance - the distance between two cities - Melbourne (on the edge of Asia) and Vienna (on the edge of Eastern Europe). As the European Union expands Vienna moves to centre stage. Is the east now the west and not any more the east? And the west moves closer to the east? How does this re mapping affect how the south relates to the north?

'Close up' as a term can relate to that particular distance which is present between two equal focal points. Once we focus in, the furthest away becomes the closest. Or on the other hand the focal point closest to oneself becomes a reference for the one further away.

In other terms it talks about reducing distance and about moving closer. In this case Europe has done exactly that after the entry of 10 more countries into the European Union. Global Fusion itself has expanded on the one side, artists have stayed in contact, formed groups and formations and projects developed out of this. Now Global Fusion is expanding further, the choice of the artists has evolved from the knowledge and contacts of the curators, contacts between artists and even accidental encounters. Australia geographically far away has established a close up not only towards the Asian countries in close proximity but towards this part of the world. A professional, cultural and personal network grounded in the continuous professional exchange has brought Australia again close to Vienna, whose position inside of Europe has changed since 10 new countries from the former East of Europe have joined this year.

This new fusion between the three focal points Austria, Australia and Eastern Europe will strengthen a global networking for future projects and collaborations.


Exhibition one
Global Fusion Close Up 2005. Melbourne.
June, July, August and exhibition of collaborative posters in urbanart's public art spaces located in Melbourne city tram shelters. These collaborative works express the dialogue process between the Australian artists and their partners.

Exhibition two
Global Fusion Close Up 2005. Vienna.
24 September - 2 October 2005
at b a s e m e n t, during grundstein 05, Grundsteingasse 8/34-35, 2. Hof.
&
Global Fusion Close Up 2005. Melbourne.
15 September - 22 October 2005
at Maroondah Art Gallery, 32 Greenwood Avenue, Ringwood.

Exhibition three
Global Fusion Close Up 2006. Vienna.

12 September - 6 October 2006
Opening night - Tuesday 12 September, from 7pm
at Palais Porcia, Herrengasse 23, 1st District.
Individual and collaborative works by photo based artists - all artists above plus
Henning Eichinger (Germany) & Yvonne Kendall (Australia/Germany)
Franeyn Nogouiera (Brazil/Germany) & Janusz Kaniewski (Poland)
Idit Nathan (Israel/UK) & Elisabeth Wiessensteiner (Australia/Austria)
&
b a s e m e n t, Grundsteingasse 8/34-35, 2. Hof.
Opening night 13 September, from 7pm
Performance and video artists -
Gaby Bila Gunther (Australia/Germany)
Simone Fuchs & Martin Blum (Switzerland)
Cynthia Schwertsik (Austria) & Red White (Australia/Austria)
Michaela Kavdanska (Bulgaria) & Dilmana Iordanova (Bulgaria)
Anna Wodtcke (Munich)