HACK.Fem.EAST - Women, Technology and Networks in Eastern Europe / Berlin

Exhibition, performances, meetings
10 May - 22 June 2008
Kunstraum Kreuzberg / Bethanien Berlin, Germany
Opening: 9 May, from 19.00

The exhibition project HACK.Fem.EAST seeks to present experimental and artistic practices of artists and activists working in digital networks in Eastern Europe. Main topics are media, art and hacking. Main protagonists are women or projects in which women play an important role. Aim of the project is to provide and to develop a network platform. This is achieved through five elements: the exhibition, the opening event, two days of conferences, a publication in newspaper format and a website.

Central idea is to involve women artists to develop independetely their concept in each of the 14 rooms of the Kunstraum Kreuzberg / Bethanien and be part of the network formed by the all groups and arstists/activists participating. Existing networks from 11 Eastern countries are at the heart of the project and form the basis of the exhibition. A total of 11 networks are invited to the various rooms of the Kunstraum Kreuzberg /Bethanien to introduce their work, their strategies and their aims in the form of video and computer installations, documentations and presentations. The result is a "network of networks".

A two day long conference on 10 and 11 May held at the outset of the project intends to bring the lines and networks together and discuss on women perspective in the Eastern cultural scenario. Its aim is to provide a forum for a form of politics based on radical invention - media and Internet art projects, performances, network platforms, software development, artistic coding, organisation of media festivals, etc.

More information on the exhibition are published on the NGO-supplement of taz, the Berlin daily newspaper, in an edition of 30.000 copies to coincide with the exhibition opening (9 May 2008). Another integral component of the project is the website http://www.hackfemeast.org, with an up-to-date and open presentation of the project's processes and developments, summarizing them and putting them up for discussion.

Performance, Screening and Talk

Friday May 9

19.00: Welcome of Sigrid Klebba, City Mayor for Education and Culture of Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg

19.00: Dobrodošli / Willkommen / Welcome Performance by Leila Cmajcanin (BA).

Down to Earth Performance by Jana Prepeluh (SI).

Presented by Humour Works.

20.00: Karasssuite by Ana Filip (RO/SK) and Barbara Huber (AT/SK).

21.00: From Tea Lady into a Sexfly (Electro/spokenword Performance)

Gaby Bila-Gunther (RO/DE)
22.00: Dj Spoma (HR/DE).
23.00: Lil Bustard and Freak (Performance and Dj Set), Hairstyling in electro tech house rythm (PL)

Saturday, 10 May

14.30: Introduction

15.00: Linking Balkan, Lecture Performance - Ana Hoffner ex-Prvulovic (RS/DE)

15.30: Panel on Hacktivism and Art in the Eastern Countries
Erika Katalina Pasztor (HU). Boryana Rossa, (BG)
Moderated by Diana McCarty (MX/D)

17.30: SS-XXX | Die Frau Helga - The Borghild Project Reconstruction

Janez Janša (SI).
Production: Aksioma - Institute for Contemporary Art, Ljubljana.
Co-Production:
KONTEJNER | bureau of contemporary art praxis, Zagreb.

18.30: Screening of Precarious Lives. Film from DMedia (RO), 64 min, 2008. Presentation with Andreea Carnu  (RO) and Joanne Richardson (RO/DE).

Sunday, 11 May 2008

11.00: Introduction

11.15: Under Construction
Presentation with Silvina Der-Meguerditchian (AR/DE), Eléonore de
Montesquiou (FR/EE/DE), Olga Juergenson (EE/UK).

12.00: Panel on Gender and Technology
Marina Griznic (SI), Mare Tralla (EE/UK).
Moderated by Katja Kobolt (SI)

14.30: Give to Take. Intellectual Property Agency
Presentation: Nada Prlja (MK/UK).

16.00: Panel on Activism and Accessibility of Technology
Andreea Carnu (RO), Kyd Campbell (CA), Ana Filip (RO/SK).
Moderated by Jasmina Tesanovic (RS/USA)

17.30 - Public discussion