ECF Routes

Image by Judah Morford via Flickr

Yesterday Patrice and me went to Brussels, to the Routes Award.

In times where cultural dogmas lead to harmful segregation it is vital to show the work of artists who have a talent to reach an audience and who speak to the imagination.

This year’s laureates were Šejla Kamerić and Kutluğ Ataman. Excellent choices in my book. Both expanded my perceptions of “reality”.

Šejla Kamerić

Šejla Kamerić is from Bosnia and Herzegovina, a young Balkan artist who shows us how war shapes her but does not define her. I speak in present tense on purpose, for this lady dreams through time in non-linear fashions. Her work is amazing. Have a look.

Kutluğ Ataman

Kutluğ Ataman is a Turkish filmmaker and contemporary artist. He lives in Istanbul and London. He specializes in, but is not limited to moving image, sound, photography and performance. And none of what I write will do. Go see for yourself.

Making connections

I really really believe that neither fundamental science nor healthcare nor art should ever become “for profit”. For profit tends to kick in already open doors, as a service to an “existing market”. We would be dreaming in circles, always seeing the same plots in a model and technology driven world, never discovering more about what it means to be human, and repeating societal mistakes over and over, never seeing different more natural and harmonious futures.

But fundamental scientists, caretakers and artists do need to be able to pay their bills, and not be dependent on “charity” or “welfare”. Those keep self-fulfilling prophesies in place. And awards are recognition, not charity. We need more ways to pay these Very Important People for the work they do.

Thank you ECF …

… for an event well organised. I had a great time, and find myself opening new and challenging doors.

Related Articles

• ““PATIALA HOUSE REPRESENTS ME AS A PERSON; VERY STRONG-MINDED, RESPECTFUL AND LOVING†. — AKSHAY KUMAR” and related posts (naachgaana.com)
• Causes of World War I (socyberty.com)
• Editorial: Arts fund will nourish community’s soul (knoxnews.com)
• The Evolution Will Be Socialized (rushkoff.com)
• Kutlug Ataman, Istanbul Modern, review (telegraph.co.uk)
• Turkish Artist Comes Full Circle With Retrospective (nytimes.com)
• The Bosnian Crisis 1908 (socyberty.com)
• Balkan Countries Pin Hopes on More Science (news.sciencemag.org)

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