[-empyre-] what is to be done? (educatIon): introducing Chris Molinski and Illiyana Nedkova

[Christina McPhee <christina112@earthlink.net>]

dear list,


it's my pleasure to introduce to you two curators who've been  
extraordinary in their new approaches to education and art in the  
public space, Illiyana Nedkova (SCT) and Chris Molinski (US).

Described as 'a curator of taste and critical discernment', Iliyana   
is a Sofia-born Edinburgh-based curator, producer and critic of  
contemporary art and design. Currently, Creative Director New Media  
at Horsecross, Perth where she is responsible for curating the  
Threshold artspace, Scotland's first dedicated gallery for digital  
public art. A founding Co-Director of ARC: Art Research Communication  
(with Chris Byrne), a curatorial practice working nationally and  
internationally with artists, exhibitions, art fairs, editions and  
critical context. Latest ARC Projects include the international  
symposium of curating new media Art Place Technology, Liverpool and a  
series of limited editions by artists Susan Collins, Alla Georgieva,  
Pravdoliub Ivanov, Ivan Moudov and Dan Perjovschi.

  Over twenty new Horsecross commissions by artists from 11  
different countries have been premiered at Threshold artspace since  
September 2005. New shows are continuously produced and exhibited as  
part of the evolving Threshold collection of artists’ films, video,  
digital photography, visual poetry, interactive titles, sound toys,  
Internet art and computer games.  The Threshold artspace features  
nine unique spaces available for artists’ interventions including an  
interactive entrance box; a ‘canvas’ of 22 screens dominating the  
foyer; a playground with flexible screens and interactivity; a trail  
of sound boxes embedded in the floor; a surprise audiovisual treat  
tucked away in public toilets; copper-clad roof of the concert hall  
for an added visual delight. Threshold artspace unique locations are  
linked together by an ‘intelligent’ control system and open source  
software which allows artworks to be displayed and experienced up to  
14 hours a day throughout the year.


I first met Illi at the Cybersonica Festival at the ICA in London in  
2002.



Chris directs The Art Gallery of Knoxville, a  community space  
devoted to discussions of new and emerging art in Knoxville,  
Tennessee.   Recent exhibitions have involved collaborations with   
the Center for Urban Pedagogy, Max Neuhaus, and the exhibition  
"Distribution Religion" with Critical Artware, People Powered, and  
Temporary Services. http://www.theartgalleryofknoxville.com/

I've been intrigued in Chris's work ever since he 'appropriated' an  
entire month of the -empyre- list discussion into a printed book as  
an art 'object' for an exhibition/project last year called "Building  
an Archive".  -empyre- was shown with On Kawara, Felix Gonsalez- 
Torres, and Sean MIcka.

Like Illiyana, Chris has been developing what I might call, after  
Edward Soja, ' a third space' for critical art practice in the public  
sphere.   By creatively remixing the lessons of the situationists  
with the ethos of
a new regenerative 'commons'.


Please welcome Chris and Illi to -empyre-  soft-skinned space.


cm