STRIKIN’: taking out of a state of peacefulness by shaking or Shock CoOperative at 59th October Salon

By loaning the art installation “In Times of Crisis, One Bites Harder” commences the work process with the members of Shock CoOperative within the 59th October Salon. Namely, at the finissage of the exhibition “ReCAPITULATION: Disobedient Objects/Subjects 1992–2022” that is taking place at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Vojvodina on 2 August 2022, part of the CCB collective, who is taking a position of an author and an organizer of this year’s 59th edition of October Salon, will take over the red carpet, the working suits, the carpet beaters and the construction for the carpet beating which will be part of this year’s exhibition. The red carpet will be set up in Cultural Centre of Belgrade very soon upon taking over the materials and as of August it will “follow” the work of the institution. This is also the announcement of the cooperation and participation of Shock CoOperative within the 59th October Salon, which in its functioning over the past decades is questioning and redraws institutional and disciplinary frames, forming new, “wild”, unconventional models of work.

Since the commencement of work of 59th October Salon, meaning 10 December last year when it was announced that Cultural Centre of Belgrade will be the author of the manifestation, this institution tried to initiate work-, research- and artistic models of work, but also to recognize the existing, relevant processes to negotiate the manifestation’s nature and the future models of work. This is indeed only part of the choice based on the professional experience of the collective itself and the insights it has, taking into consideration both the local and the international fields, though up-to-now work not only with Salon’s editions, but also with the regular programmes.

At the former building of CIP (Institute of Transportation) on 6 July this year, in collaboration with the Association of Fine Artists of Serbia’s Debate programme and the tenants of the housing estate Stjepan Filipović, there was organized a one-day exhibition on the history of the estate and the local community. After the first public event done with the intention to bring public attention at the importance of the local context in thinking about an exhibition, during the second event the focus is on questioning – which is another framework in the considerations of this year edition of the Salon.

Namely, the Cultural Centre of Belgrade has in the process of questioning the manifestation and looking for other models for its functioning and further existence invited the Shock CoOperative to take part in this process and “shake-up” the layers that often remain invisible.

For more information on the performance of the Shock CoOperative and the finissage of the exhibition “ReCAPITULATION: Disobedient Objects/Subjects 1992–2022” that is taking place at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Vojvodina follow this link.