108 - 27|08|09

http://tica-albania.org/TICAB/

T.I.C.A.B – Tirana International Contemporary Art Biannual is the biggest international art event of Albania that aims at using contemporary art as a tool to analyse our contemporary condition and constitute a critical voice in the social discourse.
The next edition of T.I.C.A.B is scheduled to be held in September – October 2009. The working title of the event is: “The Symbolic Efficiency of the Frame”, while the exhibition is planned to take place in Hotel DAJTI. This is a once upon a time the most grandiose hotel of Albania, built by fascist Italy in the late 30ies. For many years during our communist past, it was the only place where foreigners were brought, but no Albanians were allowed inside. Now it lies looted and vandalized in the middle of the city, waiting to be transformed, probably into the ministry of Foreign Affairs in the future. Building on the successful experience of its previous editions, T.I.C.A.B will continue its consecutive openings’ structure, built through different episodes, corresponding to the number of invited curators. In an attempt to critically respond to the wild urban and architecture development of the city, this year’s edition aims at expanding beyond the field of visual arts, into the domain of architecture and processes of urbanization.

MAP OFFICE is presenting “Rural Masses: 6 stories of day dreaming” in Episode 2, opening 25th of September, curated by STEALTH.unlimited (Ana Dzokic and Marc Neelen, Rotterdam/Belgrade).
Organizers of a great number of projects that deal with the complexity and inconsistency of the contemporary city such as Wild City (Belgrade), Urban Catalyst (Amsterdam), Challenging the Conservative Brain (Kunstverein Munich), Cut for Purpose (Museum Boijmans van Beuningen, Rotterdam), Lost Highway Expedition (Western Balkans). Curators of the Dutch Pavilion in the last Venice Architecture Biennial, 2008.

SEE “Rural Masses” IN WORKS, p.3-6