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Topic: Press, additional, 24/05/2006 - 4/6/2006

Articles in English posted in the old M6-forum in addition to Alfred’s ”archive”.


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From Cyprus Mail web edition 24 May 2006 (?)

”Post-wall Europe and making sense of Manifesta 6”
By Lauren O’Hara

ON A WALL in the old town of Nicosia, close to The Powerhouse, a new street sign has appeared, small, blue, barely noticeable. It says Manifesta 6. In the dusty heat, the road was empty save for a few alley cats. I wondered how many people on the island would know what Manifesta meant or would even care. This small sign seemed to me a symbol, it could pass unnoticed. Getting the message of Manifesta across may be the greatest challenge to face this biennial contemporary art project. Sitting over lunch with its International Director, Hedwig Fijen, it started finally to make sense to me. Artists and curators are not always the best advocates of their work. They are often so self-absorbed with ideas, live so surrounded by people who share their language, that they forget how to communicate those ideas to common folk.
So it had been for me with the lectures I had attended about Manifesta. It seemed woolly and wishy washy and without a clear agenda, for something that would cost hundreds of thousands of pounds. When I would ask, "Well, what exactly is it all about?" I would be told, "Ah, that is the whole point, it is not about anything, that is what we are going to find out."
Fine, but on an invaded island, one that is still living with occupation, it is understandable to be suspicious of strangers bearing gifts. Being sensitive to that is part of the integrity of the artist and the organisation. It is part of the purpose of Manifesta to help unite peoples, to use art in all its myriad forms to build bridges and break barriers, but to do that they must be able to reassure the communities that they work with that those gifts they bear will be constructive, not destructive. Much is spoken about the integrity of the artist, referring of course to freedom of expression. The integrity of the artist to explore and act in any way he wishes. But there is another integrity, the one which is aware of impact and influence; that is sensitive to surroundings and that is fundamentally honest.
This Manifesta is based on the theme of education. Perhaps, more than ever we should expect explanation, for surely the key to any education is communication. To understand.
For the first time, over a coffee, when I listened to Hedwig, I understood what benefits might come to Cyprus from hosting such an event. The artists drawn from all over the globe are looking to use their work as collaboration, to run workshops and "schools" to share their expertise. To work bi-communally, bi-globally. To create with, rather than create for.
This is exciting. This makes sense. The outcomes, they hope, will be lasting. Projects are still being finalised with artists, but some include helping young people learn how to make their own music stations, or delve into history and create multimedia narratives. To use music and film and computers to explore the new horizons of contemporary art.
To set no limits on artistic expression and to make doors open literally, by saying, "Come in and join us". All their workshops are free. So far, I think, they have failed to get this message across. I hope it is not too late, that they can succeed in September in filling Nicosia with places for us to discover new ways of viewing the world, of interpreting history, of narrating our stories and lives. Locality cannot but have an influence on the projects of the artists working here. It is, after all, the last divided capital. I now understand that there is a desire that the artists in residence will
transcend politics and leave the island richer for their input, leave practical skills and work that can continue long after they have gone.
Their presence intends to extend beyond this city, to place Cyprus on the world art stage, and attract global attention. That small blue sign on the wall was the start of a journey for me. A journey to discover what it is all about. Making sense of Manifesta 6 has not been easy, they have not always made their message clear, made us feel included. So do not beware of strangers bearing gifts, welcome them. But before a gift is unwrapped, along with expectation, there is often that moment of anxiety.
Copyright © Cyprus Mail 2006


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Subject: "Bicommunal" - read the mayor's statements in may 2005!
Posted: 29 May 2006 21:51:26
From: ?

”Nicosia in the cultural limelight”
By John Leonidou (archive article - Wednesday, May 11, 2005)

NICOSIA will be in the spotlight of world culture in the autumn of next year,
as it hosts Manifesta 6, the European Biennial of Contemporary Art,
considered to be one of the most important artistic events worldwide.
First staged in Rotterdam almost a decade ago, Manifesta has now grown into
an acclaimed event, which offers a platform for emerging artists.
According to the organisers, “the city of Nicosia will serve as a microcosm
for critical reinterpretation of the complex colonial and post-colonial
history of Europe as played out within this broader territory of
contingency.”
Manifesta adds that reaching the Eastern Mediterranean was imperative towards
broadening their horizons.
“Manifesta 6 in Nicosia, and the region, intends to serve as an indicator of
change; challenging Manifesta as a biennial to change its specific format and
create more intensive and binding relationships with local and regional
producers and artistic community. Manifesta 6, which aims to set itself in
this bi-communal context, will not attempt to mediate over 30 years of
complex Cypriot polemical and political conditions, despite the fact that
Nicosia is a divided city as highlighted by the physical presence of the
United Nations troops at the so-called Green Line.”
Nicosia Mayor Michalakis Zambelas was particularly upbeat about the occasion,
adding that he wished to thanks all those who helped place Nicosia in the
cultural spotlight of the world.
“The fact that I am here smiling and enjoying myself means that Nicosia is
about to host one of the most important and fascinating cultural events in
the world and the biennial Manifest 6 event is rated in the top three
Contemporary Art events,” he said at the weekend. “We hope that the event
which will take place in 2006 will be bi-communal with both of the island’s
main communities taking part. In 2006 Nicosia will feel the pride of any
other European city.”

The Executive Director of Manifesta Hedwig Fijen said she felt very proud to
be in Nicosia.
“We are very delighted and honoured to be guests here in Nicosia and we are
very much looking forward to collaborating together over the next few years.
The people of Nicosia have already shown that they can work on a professional
level and therefore we are very proud to be here.”
She added that Nicosia was a good location to make new friends of the art
world.
“Nicosia, being the capital of Cyprus, plays an important role in the history
of Europe but also an important role in terms of relationships to the Middle
East and North Africa. Manifesta is the only nomadic biennial so we think
Manifesta, and especially for the international art public, is a good way to
see the rich history and heritage of Nicosia and Cyprus whilst at the same
time set up a communication with other people in the entire region.”
www.manifesta.org or www.nimac.com.cy
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Subject: "Opinion", Cyprus Mail, today
Posted: 30 May 2006 12:03:37
From: A Reader

”Politics threatening the arts”

WHEN NICOSIA was chosen as the venue for the European Biennale of
Contemporary Art Manifesta 6, the decision was hailed as a major triumph for
the island. This was a prestigious art event which would raise the capital’s
cultural profile as well as focus international attention on the division.
The division was one of the reasons the organisers selected Nicosia, as they
deemed it a politically interesting venue. They were not aware of how the
political aspect could have worked against the festival, something they are
fast finding out.
For some time now, the Manifesta curators have been rowing with the ‘Nicosia
for Art’ organisation, which represents the municipality, over finances,
contracts for artists and work permits. But the biggest sticking point is the
location for the international art school that the organisers had planned to
set up as part of the three-month project. The curators want the art school
to be located on both sides of the Green Line, an arrangement that Nicosia
for Art is not entirely happy with. Neither is the Cyprus government, which
would be footing a large part of the cost for the school.
The government does not want to finance a project that would be partly
located in the occupied part of Nicosia because it would be faced with a
barrage of criticism from the media and the political parties. A good
indication of what it could expect was a letter sent by a Greek Cypriot
artist to Simerini a few days ago. The artist considered it an outrage that
he would have to cross north and show his passport to the pseudo-policemen
(something he had refused to do so far) in order to participate in the art
school. His outrage would have been much greater if the government was paying
for the school.
Not that there was any chance of this government, with its confrontational
attitude towards the Turkish Cypriot side, would ever agree to give money for
a project covering north Nicosia. Lawyers are currently arguing over the
agreement signed for the staging of Manifesta 6 and the contractual
obligations of the two sides.
In mitigation, the government could argue that when it had applied for the
staging of the Biennale, there was no free movement, as the checkpoints were
closed, and there was no question of events being organised in north Nicosia.
But the checkpoints are now open and the Manifesta organisers are adamant about using both sides.
With both sides digging in their heels – curators have threatened to resign –
a compromise appears very remote indeed. The government, which is now calling
the shots, has two options: either it gives in to the diktats of the
organisers and brave the domestic storm or it cancels the staging of
Manifesta 6 three months before it is set to begin and becomes an
international laughing stock.
After the three-hour crisis meeting last Friday failed to resolve any of the
differences between the two sides, it would appear that the government has
already chosen the second option, which is a great shame.
Copyright © Cyprus Mail 200
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Posted: 1 June 2006 18:06:37
From: ?

Fileleftheros Newspaper, Thursday 1st June 2006, Page 34
"Until Tomorrow, the Great Things"
by Marina Shiza

Many things have yet to see the light of publicity regarding the organization
of the international exhibition Manifesta 6, in Nicosia. Having spoken
yesterday with a number of people from both fronts, it seems the issue is
more entangled than first meets the eye.
The financial problem faced by the organizers seems to be placing a drag on
the international organization of Manifesta, which should, in line with what
was agreed, have obtained international sponsorship. Something which it has
not accomplished yet. What has been spent to date comes from sources endorsed
by Nicosia for Art Ltd.
The second serious problem is a legal one, which some are trying to transform
into a political one. The fact that Manifesta would have a bi-communal
character was made clear from the beginning. In other words, the
participation of Turkish-Cypriots was granted and the organization of such
events in the occupied territories was also part of the goals. The
insistence, however of one of the members to operate permanently his school
for three months in a building in the occupied territory of Nicosia has
created serious problems. As such the organizing city would not be able to
ensure the free movement of participants to the school, which would operate
on a permanent basis in the occupied territories but would be funded by
Nicosia for Arts, which operates within the Republic of Cyprus.
All of these problems are to be addressed in a meeting taking place tomorrow,
Friday in Amsterdam, where all the interested parties have been called upon
to attend. This meeting will essentially judge the future of Manifesta 6.
What is troubling however, is the possibility that in order to cover the noncompliance
of the international organization of Manifesta to what was
initially agreed, the issue of the school’s functioning in the occupied
territories may be insisted upon, thus hailing the issue a political one, and
all else relegated to secondary importance.
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Posted: 1 June 2006 19:15:39
From: ?

Simerini Newspaper, Thursday 1st June 2006, Page 42
"Crisis Point for MANIFESTA 6"
by Michalis Papadopoulos

Crisis point for Manifesta 6. Tomorrow, on Friday, the representatives of
Nicosia for Art Ltd, who is responsible for the organization of the event,
and the members of Manifesta are subject to meet in order to establish
whether there is still scope for the realization of the much publicized event
in Nicosia, this coming September.
In meeting with Simerini, the Cypriot co-ordinator, Yiannis Toumazis
mentioned that the future of the Biennial will depend very much on whether
“the problems that have arisen and which divide the two sides are possible to
overcome”.
According to our well informed sources there is good intention to find a
“golden solution” on the part of the organizers, in order to avoid the
cancellation of the “largest and most important cultural event that Cyprus
has ever undertaken”, albeit that it will be undertaken on the “basis of
legality” and in line with what has already been agreed. As has been asserted
in our previous reports over the past few days, and as is also constantly
confirmed by the organizers, the issue is now clearly a legal one and is now
in the hands of the lawyers.
Comment on the issue was made yesterday by the government spokesperson, who,
in response to questions by the press, asserted that should political matters
arise regarding Manifesta, the government will officially make a statement.
However, what was made clear was that the government of the Republic of
Cyprus has absolutely no part in the organization of the event, which is
wholly under the initiative and responsibility of the Municipality of
Nicosia.
Regarding the economic facet, Mr. Lillikas mentioned that a number of
government departments or ministries may support the event financially, but
all responsibility for the organization solely belongs to the Municipality of
Nicosia. In response to questions regarding the amounts of money contributed
by sponsors, Mr. Lillikas stated that he has no information on the matter,
furthermore stating that although sponsors may pledge financial support, this
Library
is usually given after the event has taken place and not before. In this case
however, it is already known that a large part of sponsorship money has
already been put forth for the needs of the event.
The Cyprus Tourist Organization (CTO) which is one of the three sponsors for
the organization of the event also made an announcement, declaring that it
will “support the organization of this event with the amount of 100,000
Cyprus pounds, against receipt”. Simultaneously, the CTO as a sponsoring
organization stressed that it has asked to be informed by the Municipality of
Nicosia about the recent outcomes regarding the event and its organization.
Aside from the CTO’s sponsorship, The Ministry of Education and Culture has
offered the amount of 370,000 Cyprus pounds, while Nicosia for Art, the
company put forth for this project by the Municipality of Nicosia offered the
amount of 120,000 Cyprus pounds. However, it must be noted that the
contribution of the Municipality of Nicosia in ‘kind’ and ‘services’ is much
greater than that of the sponsorship, given that among other things, managers
had to be paid, as well as translations and publications of catalogues and
books. Furthermore, the financial sponsorship offered by the Municipality of
Nicosia includes the payment of a Manifesta Foundation member who was
outsourced to work in Cyprus for the needs of the organization of the event.
The sore point, that of bi-communality, which threatens to blow all these
plans to pieces, is interpreted in uncertainty and without agreement from the
partners. For the organizers, bi-communality means, in the framework of an
international ‘equal event’, which would prove the need to overcome
divisions; the participation in the School of Bienale, both of Greek-Cypriot
and of Turkish-Cypriot artists, as well as the undertaking of one day – and
only one day – events on both sides of Nicosia (which would not be obligatory
for the participants). As example the organization of the Manifesta Cofee
Break Conference, which was held both on the Greek and Turkish occupied side
of Nicosia ‘without any involvement from the authorities of the pseudo-state
or of occupied Nicosia’. In contrast, given the framework of bi-communality,
events of longer duration could not be organised, given that they require the
daily presence of participants, with daily passport checks from the pseudostate.
The base for this school, chosen by the members themselves was the
Nicosia Municipal Arts Centre (Dimotiko Kentro Tehnon), and it was never an
issue to divide the school into different departments.
The ‘cause’ for the export of ‘one of the schools’ to the occupied side of
Nicosia was one of the members, and was undertaken at the beginning of
February, and in essence sparked the disagreements. In contrast, the members
of Manifesta claim that Nicosia for Arts departed from their initial
agreements, expressing, in the process its disagreement with the existence of
a department of the school in the occupied territories.
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Posted: 2 June 2006 14:01:41
From: demetris_taliotis@yahoo.com
[Rough, quick and non-spelled checked translation by Demetris Taliotis]

”The Manifesta has been cancelled”
Unsigned Article from Phileleftheros front page, web/pdf edition, 2nd June 2006
(http://www.phileleftheros.com/main/main … ;id=412795)

The M6, one of the grandest inernational cultural events, due in September in
Nicosia, is being cancelled. According to verified information the repeated
attempts of NFA to resolve the disagreements between IFM and M6 curatorial
team have reached a dead end.
As we [Philelefheros] published yesterday NFA invited in writing IFM and the
curators to a mediation meeting aiming to bridge the differences and avoid
crisis. In view of that NFA representatives have already travled to
Amsterdam. However both the curators (who have declined any calls for a
mediation meeting) and IFM did not agree to the scheduled for today(Friday 2
June 2006) meeting.
The basic disagreement between the NFA, the IFM and the curators, stems out
from the persistence of the curatorial team in going ahead with their plan to
have part of the M6 School in the occupied territories, disregarding any
legal difficulties and infringing specific rights NFA has been granted
contractually.
We are aware that with the above mentioned dead-end now a fact NFA has last
night canceled its contracts with both the IFM and all three curators - Mai
Abu el Dahab, Anton Vidokle and Florian Waldvogel- due to the unilateral acts
from al the above which infringed and tresspassed what had been collectively
agreed. This was done in an attempt by NFA to avoid having M6 taking place
under a non-agreed upon, illegal status. NFA will be exercising its legal
rights and will be claiming compensation through Dutch and Cypriot courts.
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Posted: 2 June 2006 16:58:07
From: Demetris Taliotis
[Rough, quick and non-spelled checked translation by Demetris Taliotis]

"What we were going to do... (In order not to forget)"
Article by Chrystalla Hadjidemetriou
In Phileleftheros, 2nd June 2006, p.2

The Minister of Education clarified that for the time being there will be no
changes as far as the school uniform is concerned, putting an end to all
those discussions and debates that kept as alert throughout the past academic
year. Summer holidays are here too, which means that any discussion around
this subject would have been terminated anyway. We can carry talking about it
in September.
It's not like we especially care about police speed cameras but the
possibility of (a) change was a subject of discussion all of us wasted time
and energy. We had everything planned, everything thought out but a problem
with the printing the images captured by these cameras came up. So for now,
those cameras just stand there unused. We will think about it a bit more, we
will talk about it a bit more, we don't have to find ourselves running out of
things to talk about, do we?
The cost of buying medication was going to come down. As an act it was one of
the greatest social gestures on behalf of the present government. We were not
able to grasp if the actual prices came down, because they keep fluctuating
up and down so you never really know what has happened.It is a fact though
that half of all commercially available medication have disappeared from the
market.
We were going to have a fully functional, state of the art, luxurious, new
hospital - ok enough! This has turned into a joke.
We were going to find a solution to the drought problem. It rained. Thus we
found a solution, and the minister was praised for that. When it stopped
raining again we were alll collectively asked to 'save water' by controlling
its flow down our toilets and out of our taps.
We were gong to have a new Municipal Theatre building in Nicosia. We
commissioned an architectural contest to find the best design. We were going
to get a new building to house the Parliament. And we were going to build a
new Town Hall for the capital...and... and..... Oh, what we have it's just
fine.
A new word entered our life sometime last year: manifesta. Everyone in and
around the art world was talking devout concentration about it and all those
who were listening pretended they were in awe too, in order not to be seen as
ignorant. In the end this thing past even before it came to be. Financial
reasons, political reasons, disagreements....

What is it in the end with us and we always get stuck halfway, in the midle
of the road?
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Posted: 4 June 2006 17:31:24
From Demetris Taliotis
[Rough, quick and non-spelled checked translation by Demetris Taliotis]

”On Art and Social Dumbing Grounds”
By Anna Marangou
From Politis, 4 June 2006, web edition
http://www.politisnews.com/cgibin/hweb? … les&-p

I have been paying attention to what has been taking place within our
island's art scenes and I am sad. I am sad because nobody residing in those
top floors has understood the power of art, nobody comprehended how soothing
the exchange of ideas and feelings is, nobody understood that art offers a
mental and emotional catharsis, it allows for a way leading into Dream
Avenues, avenues badly needed.
I am no Pythia. I am an individual who for the past 30 years has struggled to
make this message clear, which hand in hand with education, can alter the
vile and miserable scenery our cities offer. I have been closely following
the life of the one and only vanguard Municipal Arts Centre of this island -
and I am able to make out the political manipulations and tricks being played
in the background. Those cold, stiff English have a saying: small politics.
And this is what has been taking part on both sides of the Nicosia green
line. The truth is that they are tiny and loaded with complexes and we are
insecure hypocrites. We have been offered an opportunity to communicate, a
chance to look up and away from our navel, a possibility to come down from
the pillar of Symeon Stylitis where we have been comfortably sitting all this
time, begging for the international security to come and protect us. As if we
are in danger up there - a place we, on our own accord choose to reside! Last
Wednesday night at Fotodos Gallery, in the historical centre of Nicosia, Alex
Eftyvoulou pointed out how Nicosia has turned out to be, in the words of
another Old Nicosia veteran, the social dumbing ground of the Middle East. A
number those young Nicosia sociologists got offended. Yet these words are
today this land's true position. It is to this social dumbing ground, To the
walled, old part of Nicosia, To this most valuable historical part of our
country, Manifesta, under the spell of an epiphany, decided to come. Nicosia
won this event. Contracts were signed. Starting in September, Nicosia would
have filled up with all those weirdos, those artists, who for three months
were going to inhabit and live throughout the whole
of Nicosia! Not in the way we do - we on the south, they on the north. They,
these artists, a third entity, were going to inhabit Nicosia as a a unified,
historical Mediterranean city, at the threshold of political, social and
moral turmoil. Manifesta does not choose naive, touristy places. It chooses
to challenge, to provoke. We new that when we were signing the contracts.
Such a choice is risky, a tough yet brave choice for those who can understand
Library
the value of art and appreciate its truth content. The outcome of this whole
project was also a risk. Artists are unpredictable, they follow their gutfeelings,
their emotions, and as far as the foreign guest-artists are
concerned here was the added risk of them not being able to comprehend and
subjectively value the situation, the outcome of our convoluted and multivocal
history. And what did we do about all that? Instead of grabbing the
bull by its horns and through historically accepted truths, shape a path for
Manifesta to follow, we took those well known paths and side streets of fake
dilemmas: How much are you going to get? How much are we going to get? Why
yours is more than ours? Why you first and not us? - !!!!!. A large clod of
dust to cover up both sides' insecurities. All those who have been involved
with bi-communal matters have came face to face with these same issues
thousands of times. There is only one solution: honest dialogue. We have been
well taught by our politicians to play and hide behind words when no excuse
is possible. We have been well taught in not telling the truth. And this
applies to this present situation.
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