Artist: Dardan Zhegrova
Dates: 26.09.2023 – 16.10.2023
Trying to expand the boundaries of communication between artists and different creators, Galeria 17 is transformed depending on the needs of the artists and the community. In this case, Dardan Zhegrova is invited to use the gallery space as a work space. The gallery transforms into a space that is as intimate as it is open, as personal as it is public, as experimental as it is creative, as researching as it is exhibiting. Participating artists will contribute to various environmental and social issues, through an open working, educational and awareness raising process. In addition to sharing their professional and personal experiences with each other, they will also cultivate empathy for the environment and social justice with the community. Theorists, artists, ecologists, environmental and cultural activists will join this initiative to contribute to different perspectives on environment, which pave the way to examine issues of social, cultural and environmental importance from a queer perspective. The gallery, open to the public, will serve as a lecture class, a working studio, a space for communication and reflection, a host for guest lectures, an experimentation laboratory, where as a result the participating artists will jointly build an exhibition, which also will mark the second exhibition under the theme of Queer Ecology.
Dardan Zhegorva
The whole project is structured in two phases/layers. Starting with a series of workshops where participants produce the works and directly contribute in conceptualizing the final installation. This series of the workshops aims to create a safe space where the participants create in a DIY style, a number of ‘naïve’ stick puppets that represent their self and/or persona, or the ideal version of who they want to become. The puppets are finalized during the workshop and in the end collected for the final show. This collective production of the art work becomes a shared practice that allows the participants to reach an ‘enlighten’ state of identification by reflecting inner wishes and desires by creating totems of their idealized self. At the same time the process of using materials that the participants have at home and can repurpose, brings another layer of involvement in a practical aspect of sustainability and ecology – considering that textiles are one of the biggest polluters especially the fashion industry.
Open studio / Workshop for creating puppets
The workshop is held from 11:00 to 17:00. During this schedule, the participants can take part in the hour that suits them, but it should be taken into account that in order to realize the creation of the doll, it is necessary to be present for at least 2-3 hours in the workshop.
Age of participating children: 6 to 13 years old
The workshops will be held on the following dates: September 27, 30, October 4, 7
The program of the workshop depending on the hour in which the participants take part:1.
Presentation of the workshop concept
2. Technical description of the doll creation process
3. Drawing or sketching the idea for the doll
4. Selection of materials to start creating the doll
5. Cutting and sewing basic shapes
6. Details that complete the character/identity of the doll
7. Finalizing the doll as a whole.
*Each child must be accompanied by at least one parent/guardian throughout the workshop.*Responsibility for any possible injury during the workshop will belong to the child’s parent/guardian.