Art Camp 2023: The suit case
The two weeks of living and being creative together allowed artists from Belarus, Ukraine, Serbia, and Germany to find a common language through art. During the camp, we engaged in diverse activities, culminating in a two-day experimental exhibition showcasing the art created by participants in the preceding days.
These two weeks passed quickly and were unforgettable for everyone involved. For some participating artists, discussing or creating art is limited in their own countries due to their national backgrounds.
As part of the organization team, Kunstraum Tangente primarily provided the platform and the opportunity to discuss art in a radically open sphere. The idea during these days was that the artistic process shouldn't be limited at all. Here at Art Camp Vasenthien 2023, everything was possible; it was a playground without any rules, at least when it came to art. The theme of this year’s art camp was Freedom.
Each participant was required to bring materials for the exhibition that fit into their suitcase. That's why, in the end, a suitcase became a symbol of the exhibition and the project. What all artworks have in common is the way they were created; everything else is different, personal, and unique.
Moving, traveling from A to B, the suitcase not only contains personal belongings but is also a lifestyle and the epitome of the definition of freedom. However, after the two-week residency, each one of us also left with their own suitcase of time.
There is a saying that life is short, art is long. During these two weeks of living and working together, 27 young artists transformed from strangers to friends, from uncertainty to laughter with everyone. From the first day of arriving in the village with their luggage to the last day of saying goodbye to each other with great sadness, our Art Camp provided an opportunity to create new art and form new friendships, which will hopefully continue for a long time.