belgrade talk

Anda Rottenberg: Regarding the exhibition (Continental Breakfast), I wanted to make the larger explication because there are many misunderstandings here. But, well, Albert Heta wanted to do something very similar on a public building, putting the plate with a notion of the official, sort of emblems, of the independent Republic of Kosova in the middle of the City of Belgrade , not in the gallery. And the story is that I asked a question, because I was invited by the city, so I had to put the question: is the public space available for this type of art? Whenever you do an exhibition you ask the permission of the proprietors of the space, whether it is possible to do that and I heard the answer that it is not possible. Because you know, if it is in the gallery, it is an art piece and it has this kind of clear artistic identity. If it would be put outside, it's outside, so kind of outside also of my skills; it's a public space. So, I had to get a clear permission to put this art piece in a public space and I didn't get it. I mean, the city didn't want to have it, and I sort of understand the city because it was not [sic] in the city, it was not any more an artistic statement but it was a political statement. And I don't want to interfere into the very hectic and very complex history between Kosova and Belgrade , because I don't feel like to be able to judge this. Is this ok as an answer? No, it wasn't the censorship.

 

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