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<font style="font-size: 11pt" face="Times New Roman" size="2">Aksioma
–
Institute for Contemporary Art, Ljubljana, presents:</font><font
face="Times New Roman"> <br>
<br>
</font> <font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3"><b><span
style="background: transparent">Critical Art Ensemble &
Institute for Applied Autonomy</span></b></font> <br>
</font><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="4"><i><b><span
style="background: transparent">Seized</span></b></i></font>
<br>
</font><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="font-size: 11pt"
size="2"><i><span style="background: transparent">Solo
exhibition</span></i></font> <br>
</font><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="font-size: 11pt"
size="2"><span style="background: transparent"><a
href="http://www.aksioma.org/seized/index.html"><span
style="font-style: normal">http://www.aksioma.org/seized</span></a></span></font><br>
<br>
</font> <font style="font-size: 11pt" face="Times New Roman"
size="2"><span style="background: transparent"><font
color="#141414"><span lang="en-US"><b>Aksioma </b></span></font><font
color="#141414"><span lang="en-US"><b>|</b></span></font><font
color="#141414"><span lang="en-US"><b> Project Space</b></span></font></span></font><font
face="Times New Roman"> <br>
</font><font color="#141414" face="Times New Roman"><font
style="font-size: 11pt" size="2"><span style="background:
transparent">Komenskega 18, Ljubljana</span></font></font><font
face="Times New Roman"> <br>
</font><font style="font-size: 11pt" face="Times New Roman" size="2"><span
style="background: transparent">13 - 29 June 2012</span></font><font
face="Times New Roman"> <br>
<br>
</font> <font face="Times New Roman"><font style="font-size: 11pt"
size="2"><b><span style="background: transparent">Artist's
presentation and exhibition opening: </span></b><span
style="font-weight: normal"><span style="background:
transparent">Wednesday, 13 June 2012 at 8 pm</span></span></font>
<br>
</font><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="font-size: 11pt"
size="2"><b><span style="background: transparent"><font
color="#000000">Screening of the movie </font><font
color="#000000"><i>Strange Culture:</i></font><font
color="#000000"><span style="font-style: normal"> </span></font></span></b><font
color="#000000"><span style="font-style: normal"><span
style="font-weight: normal"><span style="background:
transparent">Wednesday, 27 June 2012 at 9 pm</span></span></span></font></font>
<br>
<br>
</font> <font color="#ff0000" face="Times New Roman"><font
style="font-size: 11pt" size="2"><b><span style="background:
transparent"><i>True Crime</i>: Open Call for Submissions </span></b><span
style="font-weight: normal"><span style="background:
transparent">lasting for the entire duration of the show </span></span><span
style="background: transparent"><i><span style="font-weight:
normal">Seized</span></i><span style="font-weight: normal">.</span></span></font></font><font
face="Times New Roman"> <br>
</font> <font color="#ff0000" face="Times New Roman"><font
style="font-size: 11pt" size="2"><span style="background:
transparent">Anyone can contribute to the exhibition <i>Seized</i>
by becoming part of the <i>True Crime </i>installation.</span></font></font><font
face="Times New Roman"> <br>
</font> <font face="Times New Roman"><font style="font-size: 11pt"
size="2"><font color="#ff0000"><span style="background:
transparent">Read the full instruction: </span></font><a
href="http://www.aksioma.org/pdf/True_Crime_eng.pdf">http://www.aksioma.org/pdf/True_Crime_eng.pdf</a></font>
<br>
</font> <font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman"><font
style="font-size: 11pt" size="2"><b><span style="background:
transparent"><span style="text-decoration: none"><span
lang="en-GB"><br>
<br>
Images available for free download</span></span>:</span></b><span
style="font-weight: normal"><span style="background:
transparent"> </span></span></font></font><font face="Times
New Roman"><font color="#000000"> </font><br>
</font> <font color="#f50000" face="Times New Roman"><font
style="font-size: 11pt" size="2"><span style="background:
transparent"><a href="http://www.aksioma.org/press/seized.zip"><font
color="#000000"><span style="font-weight: normal">http://www.aksioma.org/press/seized.zip</span></font></a></span></font></font><font
face="Times New Roman"> <br>
<br>
----- </font><font face="Times New Roman"><br>
</font> <font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3"><b><span
style="background: transparent">Critical Art Ensemble &
Institute for Applied Autonomy</span></b></font> <br>
</font><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="4"><i><b><span
style="background: transparent">Seized</span></b></i></font>
<br>
<br>
</font> <font face="Times New Roman"><font style="font-size: 11pt"
size="2">The
theme of the <i>Seized</i> exhibition started as a shocking
personal experience in the paranoid US political climate. In
spring 2004, the FBI raided the home of art professor and CAE
member Steve Kurtz. What followed was a four-year legal case
that was finally dropped in 2008 due to all evidence of any
crime being “insufficient on its face”.</font> <br>
<br>
</font> <font face="Times New Roman"><font style="font-size: 11pt"
size="2">The
reason for the FBI raid is telling… Steve’s wife Hope died
entirely unexpectedly because of an undiagnosed heart defect.
Police who responded to Kurtz’s 911 call for help noticed a
benign-looking chemistry laboratory in the house and informed
the FBI, who considered “preparations for an upcoming show” to
be a lame excuse. During the three-day raid, the authorities not
only confiscated Kurtz’s computers, archives, artworks and a set
of books he was using for research on his upcoming book project,
but also his wife’s corpse. Steve himself was interrogated for
22 hours with the aim of charging him with “bioterrorism” and
even murder.</font> <br>
<br>
</font> <font face="Times New Roman"><font style="font-size: 11pt"
size="2">In
the installation <i>Body of Evidence</i>, CAE and IAA turn the
perpetrator-victim relationship of this horrifying personal
experience upside-down. In the same manner in which the FBI
stole their artistic material, the artists confiscated pizza
boxes, Gatorade bottles, hazmat suits and biological sample
bags, as well as written notes and a single cigar butt that were
left behind by the FBI at the scene of the crime – Steve Kurtz’s
lawn. </font> <br>
<br>
</font> <font face="Times New Roman"><font style="font-size: 11pt"
size="2">The
display of the notes and papers that the federal agents wrote
during the raid resembles a subversive strategy of
counter-appropriation, as the artists use the objects the FBI
left behind as “evidence” of their own investigation, and with
that act, the power structure is subverted. As the actions and
rationale of the FBI and the Department of Justice are
questioned, a rare window into the anatomy of a “bio-terror”
investigation opens up...</font> <br>
<br>
</font> <font face="Times New Roman"><font style="font-size: 11pt"
size="2">As
we can read in the catalogue of the <i>Seized </i>exhibition:<br>
<br>
“The project as an art exhibition raises questions about
artistic freedom of expression and governmental repression,
reflects about the interdependency between politics and
business, and presents artistic strategies that try to undercut
this. America, the country of freedom, was the setting for the
events which underlie this exhibition. It shows that it is not
self-evident for artists, even in a democracy, to criticize the
structures of power and to publicly take a firm stand.</font> <br>
<br>
</font> <font face="Times New Roman"><font style="font-size: 11pt"
size="2"><font color="#000000">Besides the complex installation
</font><font color="#000000"><i>Body of Evidence</i></font><font
color="#000000">, the exhibition </font><font color="#000000"><i>Seized</i></font><font
color="#000000"> also documents material for works and
performances by CAE that Steve and Hope were working on just
before the raid, such as </font><font color="#000000"><i>Free
Range Grain</i></font><font color="#000000"> (2003–2004) and
</font><font color="#000000"><i>Molecular Invasion</i></font><font
color="#000000"> (2002–2003), that were confiscated from their
home by the FBI along with various other household objects.”</font></font>
<br>
<br>
<br>
</font> <font style="font-size: 11pt" face="Times New Roman"
size="2"><font color="#000000"><b>Critical Art Ensemble (CAE)</b></font><font
color="#000000"> is a collective of five tactical media
practitioners of various specializations including computer
graphics and web design, film/video, photography, text art, book
art, and performance.</font></font><font face="Times New Roman">
</font><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman"><font
style="font-size: 11pt" size="2">Formed in 1987, CAE's focus has
been on the exploration of the intersections between art,
critical theory, technology, and political activism. The group
has exhibited and performed at diverse venues internationally
such as the Whitney Museum and The New Museum in NYC; The ICA,
London; Schirn Kunsthalle, Frankfurt and Musée d’Art Moderne de
la Ville de Paris. </font></font><font face="Times New Roman">
<br>
</font><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman"><font
style="font-size: 11pt" size="2">The collective has written 6
books, and its writings have been translated into 18 languages.</font></font><font
face="Times New Roman"> <br>
<br>
</font> <font color="#000080" face="Times New Roman"><span
lang="zxx"><font color="#000000"><font style="font-size: 11pt"
size="2"><span style="text-decoration: none"><b>The
Institute for Applied Autonomy (IAA)</b></span></font></font></span></font><font
color="#000080" face="Times New Roman"><span lang="zxx"><font
color="#000000"><font style="font-size: 11pt" size="2"><span
style="text-decoration: none"> was founded in 1998 as an
anonymous collective of engineers, designers, artists and
activists united by the cause of individual and collective
self-determination. Toward this end, the IAA has produced
numerous projects under its flagship initiative,
Contestational Robotics.
The IAA has won numerous awards
including the 2000 Prix Ars Electronica Award of
Distinction and several Prix Ars Electronica Honorable
Mentions; and a Rhizome New Media Fellowship.</span></font></font></span></font><font
face="Times New Roman"> <br>
<br>
</font> <font color="#000080" face="Times New Roman"><span
lang="zxx"><font color="#000000"><font style="font-size: 11pt"
size="2"><span style="text-decoration: none"><span
style="font-weight: normal">----------</span></span></font></font></span></font><font
face="Times New Roman"> <br>
<br>
</font> <font color="#000080" face="Times New Roman"><span
lang="zxx"><font color="#000000"><font style="font-size: 11pt"
size="2"><i><span style="text-decoration: none"><b>Strange
Culture</b></span></i></font></font></span></font><font
face="Times New Roman"> <br>
</font><font color="#000080" face="Times New Roman"><span lang="zxx"><font
color="#000000"><font style="font-size: 11pt" size="2"><span
style="font-style: normal"><span style="text-decoration:
none"><b>A film by Lynn Hershman Leeson</b></span></span></font></font></span></font><font
face="Times New Roman"> <br>
<br>
</font> <font color="#000080" face="Times New Roman"><span
lang="zxx"><font color="#000000"><font style="font-size: 11pt"
size="2"><i><span style="text-decoration: none"><span
style="font-weight: normal">Strange Culture</span></span></i></font></font></span></font><font
color="#000080" face="Times New Roman"><span lang="zxx"><font
color="#000000"><font style="font-size: 11pt" size="2"><span
style="text-decoration: none"><span style="font-weight:
normal"> documents the surreal nightmare of
internationally-acclaimed artist and professor Steve
Kurtz which began when his wife Hope died in her sleep
of heart failure. Police who responded to Kurtz's 911
call deemed Kurtz's art suspicious and called the FBI.
Within hours the artist was detained as a suspected
"bioterrorist" as dozens of federal agents in Hazmat
suits sifted through his work and impounded his
computers, manuscripts, books, his cat, and even his
wife's body.</span></span></font></font></span></font><font
face="Times New Roman"> <br>
<br>
</font> <font color="#000080" face="Times New Roman"><span
lang="zxx"><font color="#000000"><font style="font-size: 11pt"
size="2"><span style="text-decoration: none"><span
style="font-weight: normal">The film premiered January
19, 2007 at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival was also
shown in the 2007 Berlin Film Festival. </span></span></font></font></span></font><font
face="Times New Roman"> <br>
<br>
</font> <font color="#000080" face="Times New Roman"><span
lang="zxx"><font color="#000000"><font style="font-size: 11pt"
size="2"><span style="text-decoration: none"><span
style="font-weight: normal">Directed by Lynn Hershman
Leeson</span></span></font></font></span></font><font
face="Times New Roman"> <br>
</font><font color="#000080" face="Times New Roman"><span lang="zxx"><font
color="#000000"><font style="font-size: 11pt" size="2"><span
style="text-decoration: none"><span style="font-weight:
normal">Starring: Tilda Swinton, Thomas Jay Ryan, Peter
Coyote, Josh Kornbluth </span></span></font></font></span></font><font
face="Times New Roman"> <br>
</font><font color="#000080" face="Times New Roman"><span lang="zxx"><font
color="#000000"><font style="font-size: 11pt" size="2"><span
style="text-decoration: none"><span style="font-weight:
normal">Music by The Residents </span></span></font></font></span></font><font
face="Times New Roman"> <br>
</font><font color="#000080" face="Times New Roman"><span lang="zxx"><font
color="#000000"><font style="font-size: 11pt" size="2"><span
style="text-decoration: none"><span style="font-weight:
normal">Running time: 75 min.</span></span></font></font></span></font><font
face="Times New Roman"> <br>
</font><font color="#000080" face="Times New Roman"><span lang="zxx"><font
color="#000000"><font style="font-size: 11pt" size="2"><span
style="text-decoration: none"><span style="font-weight:
normal">Language: English</span></span></font></font></span></font><font
face="Times New Roman"> <br>
<br>
</font> <font color="#000080" face="Times New Roman"><span
lang="zxx"><font color="#000000"><font style="font-size: 11pt"
size="2"><span style="text-decoration: none"><b>Lynn
Hershmann Leeson</b></span></font></font></span></font><font
color="#000080" face="Times New Roman"><span lang="zxx"><font
color="#000000"><font style="font-size: 11pt" size="2"><span
style="text-decoration: none"><span style="font-weight:
normal"> is a filmmaker and new media artist who has
been awarded the Siemens-Medienkunstpreis award from the
ZKM, Karlsruhe, as well as the Golden Nica Prize at the
1999 Ars Electronica.</span></span></font></font></span></font><font
face="Times New Roman"> <br>
<br>
</font> <font color="#000080" face="Times New Roman"><span
lang="zxx"><font color="#000000"><font style="font-size: 11pt"
size="2"><span style="text-decoration: none"><span
style="font-weight: normal">----------</span></span></font></font></span></font><font
face="Times New Roman"> <br>
</font> <font style="font-size: 11pt" face="Times New Roman"
size="2"><b>Catalogue
available at the gallery:</b></font><font face="Times New Roman">
<br>
</font><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3"><font
color="#1a1a1a"><i><span style="font-weight: normal">SEIZED.
Critical Art Ensemble & Institute for Applied
Autonomy.</span></i></font><font color="#1a1a1a"><span
style="font-style: normal"><span style="font-weight: normal">
Berlin 2009</span></span></font></font> <br>
</font> <font color="#1a1a1a" face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">Regine
Rapp und Christian de Lutz für <a
href="http://www.artlaboratory-berlin.org/">Art Laboratory
Berlin</a> (Hrsg.): </font></font><font face="Times New
Roman"> <br>
</font> <font color="#1a1a1a" face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">44
p., color, text in English and German</font></font><font
face="Times New Roman"> </font><font face="Times New Roman"><br>
</font> <font color="#1a1a1a" face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">9,00
EUR (Special price at Aksioma: 5,00 EUR)</font></font><font
face="Times New Roman"> <br>
</font> <font color="#000080" face="Times New Roman"><span
lang="zxx"><font color="#000000"><font style="font-size: 11pt"
size="2"><span style="text-decoration: none"><span
style="font-weight: normal">----------</span></span></font></font></span></font><font
face="Times New Roman"> </font><br>
<font face="Times New Roman"><br>
</font> <font style="font-size: 11pt" face="Times New Roman"
size="2"><span lang="en-GB"><b>Production: </b></span><span
lang="en-GB">Aksioma – Institute for Contemporary Art,
Ljubljana, 2012</span></font><font face="Times New Roman"> <br>
</font><font color="#000080" face="Times New Roman"><span lang="zxx"><u><a
href="http://www.aksioma.org/"><font style="font-size: 11pt"
size="2"><span lang="en-GB">www.aksioma.org</span></font></a></u></span></font><font
style="font-size: 11pt" face="Times New Roman" size="2"><span
lang="en-GB"> </span></font><font face="Times New Roman"> <br>
<br>
</font> <font style="font-size: 11pt" face="Times New Roman"
size="2">Artistic
Director: Janez Janša</font><font face="Times New Roman"> <br>
</font><font style="font-size: 11pt" face="Times New Roman" size="2">Executive
Producer:
Marcela Okretič</font><font face="Times New Roman"> <br>
</font><font style="font-size: 11pt" face="Times New Roman" size="2">Assistant
Production:
Sonja Grdina</font><font face="Times New Roman"> <br>
</font><font style="font-size: 11pt" face="Times New Roman" size="2">Public
Relations:
Mojca Zupanič</font><font face="Times New Roman"> <br>
</font><font style="font-size: 11pt" face="Times New Roman" size="2">Technical
Supervisor:
Valter Udovičić</font><font face="Times New Roman"> <br>
<br>
</font> <font style="font-size: 11pt" face="Times New Roman"
size="2"><b><span style="background: transparent">Thanks: </span></b><span
style="font-weight: normal"><span style="background:
transparent">Art Laboratory Berlin</span></span></font><font
face="Times New Roman"> <br>
<br>
</font> <font style="font-size: 11pt" face="Times New Roman"
size="2"><i><b>The
programme of Aksioma Institute is supported by the Ministry of
Education, Science, Culture and Sport of the Republic of
Slovenia and the Municipality of Ljubljana.</b></i></font><font
face="Times New Roman"> <br>
</font><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman"><font
style="font-size: 11pt" size="2"><i><span style="background:
transparent">Sponsor: Datacenter d.o.o.</span></i></font></font><font
face="Times New Roman"> <br>
<br>
<br>
</font> <font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman"><font
style="font-size: 11pt" size="2"><b>Contact:</b></font></font><font
face="Times New Roman"> <br>
</font><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman"><font
style="font-size: 11pt" size="2"><span lang="en-GB">Marcela
Okretič, 041 250 830, </span></font></font><font
color="#000080" face="Times New Roman"><span lang="zxx"><u><a
href="mailto:aksioma4@siol.net"><font style="font-size:
11pt" size="2"><span lang="en-GB">aksioma4@siol.net</span></font></a></u></span></font><font
face="Times New Roman"> <br>
</font><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman"><font
style="font-size: 11pt" size="2"><b>Aksioma | Institute for
Contemporary Art, Ljubljana</b></font></font><font face="Times
New Roman"> <br>
</font><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman"><font
style="font-size: 11pt" size="2">Neubergerjeva 25, SI-1000
Ljubljana, Slovenia</font></font><font face="Times New Roman"> <br>
</font><font color="#000081" face="Times New Roman"><font
style="font-size: 11pt" size="2"><font color="#000080"><span
lang="zxx"><u><a href="http://www.aksioma.org/"><span
lang="en-GB">www.aksioma.org</span></a></u></span></font></font></font><font
face="Times New Roman"> </font>
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