#BLACKOUTBASEL

[xprmntl urban sub-culture]

 

PROGRAM BACKGROUND

 

PRO HELVETIA - SWISS ARTS COUNCIL, THE CULTURAL AGENCY OF SWITZERLAND; AUSSTELLUNGSRAUM KLINGENTAL, AN ARTS SPACE FUNDED BY THE CITY OF BASEL AND RUN BY SWISS ARTISTS; ATELIER MONDIAL, ONE OF THE PRIME RESIDENCY STUDIOS IN BASEL HAVE JOINED FORCES IN A 4-YEAR (2013-16) PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM TO INVITE ONE FOREIGN CURATOR FROM CHINA (2013), POLAND (2014), INDIA (2015) AND SOUTH AFRICA (2016) TO EXPOSE THEM TO SWISS ARTS AND CULTURE AND PRODUCE A NEW PROJECT IN RESIDENCY. 

 

SHAZEB ARIF S., WAS SELECTED AS THE INDIAN CURATOR IN THIS PROGRAM FOR A 5-MONTH RESIDENCY IN BASEL (MAY - SEPT 2015). HIS ARTISTIC PROPOSAL WAS TO PRODUCE THE SWISS EDITION OF THE BLACKOUT FESTIVAL, AN ANNUAL EXPERIMENTAL URBAN CELEBRATION THAT HE STARTED IN BOMBAY WITH SOME OF HIS CLOSE FRIENDS FROM THE  LOCAL EXPERIMENTAL CREATIVE COMMUNITY. 

THE DATE: 21-12-2012. 

THE REASON: CELEBRATING THE END OF THE MAYAN CALENDAR or DOOMSDAY 

 

THE HISTORY OF THE BLACKOUT FESTIVAL

 

 

THE INSIGHT 

ART IS IN GALLERIES. 

CULTURE IS IN THE STREETS. 

 

THE INQUIRY 

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU SWAP THE URBAN DEFINITIONS ART AND CULTURE?

 

THE INTERVENTION 

AN INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL AT THE INTERSECTION OF CUTTING-EDGE EXPRESSION AND ACTIVE SUB-CULTURE ERASING THE LINE BETWEEN THE GALLERY AND THE PUBLIC SPACE, THE ARTIST AND THE AUDIENCE. 

 

PROJECT PROPOSAL - #BLACKOUTBASEL

 

A SECRET CELEBRATION THAT REFLECTS THE CITY OF BASEL BY RESEARCHING ITS SUB-CULTURAL FABRIC AND PRESENTING IT AS EXPERIMENTAL EXHIBITIONS AND EXPERIENCES BACK TO THE CITY. WITH AN UNCONVENTIONAL FORMAT OF AN URBAN FESTIVAL WITHIN A MORPHING EXHIBITION, 

 

WE DEVELOPED AN ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL MEETING POINT FOR SOME OF THE FINEST CUTTING-EDGE GLOBAL ARTISTS AND PROJECTS ACROSS DISCIPLINES TO ESTABLISH A UNIQUE, EXPERIENTIAL AND EDUCATIONAL FREE-FOR-ALL PUBLIC FESTIVAL FOR BASEL, SWITZERLAND. 

 

#BLACKOUTBASEL WAS ENVISIONED AS AN EXPERIENTIAL ATMOSPHERE, A LIVE LAB, ENGINEERED BY ARTISTS AND CURATORS TO BUILD A BRIDGE TO THE AUDIENCE LIKE NEVER BEFORE TO CREATE NEW FRIENDSHIPS, GENUINE SHARING AND TRUE INSPIRATION FOR ONE AND ALL. WITH NO BOUNDARIES WHETHER WITH ARTISTIC PRACTICES, SUBJECTS OR CONTEXTS, BLACKOUTBASEL WAS A SIMULATION OF LIFE, A COMMON PLACE, A COMMONWEALTH FOR HUMAN EXPERIENCES THAT WE WILL NEVER FORGET. 

 

THE CURATORIAL VISION

 

TO BUILD AN INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY OF EXPERIMENTAL ARTISTS AND APPRECIATORS  WHO WILL CONTINUE TO ENGAGE, SHARE AND COLLABORATE INTIMATELY WITH EACH OTHER EXPANDING THE ORIGINAL NETWORK, OVER THE YEARS IN BASEL.

 

THE BLACKOUT WILL FUNCTION AS A WHOLESOME CULTURE MACHINE, FUSING EVERYTHING URBAN IN UNCONVENTIONAL FORMATS TO INVENT AND DEVELOP ORIGINAL IDEAS AND UNIQUE EXPERIENCES. 

 

NEW ON-GOING PROJECTS WILL BE DEVELOPED IN COLLABORATION WITH SWISS ARTISTS, STUDENTS, INSTITUTIONS AND BUSINESSES THAT CAN BE PRESENTED AT #BLACKOUTBASEL.