Kickoff for the Residency On The Road
The "Decolonizing Food: Water, Land and Heritage" residency is a collaboration between three members of the Allianz Foundation Hubs Network. The program focuses on food-related practices and topics, questioning conventional food practices and exchanging knowledge. Get to know the participants here.
The Residency.
The program focuses on food-related practices and topics, questioning conventional food practices and exploring as well as exchanging new agricultural and culinary knowledge. It also focuses on the practical skills needed to cultivate food and collect or disseminate seeds, research relating to livestock and the economics of alimentation, and the hegemony of industrialised practices in food production and distribution worldwide. There are no limitations for disciplines to involve. Topics can range from the preservation of biodiversity, urban agriculture, cultivation of local native and non-native varieties, or the mismanagement of water reserves to the possibility of creating distribution networks and fostering economic viability through alternative practices.
Timeline.
There are two specific phases: the Generative Phase brings together nine artists, thinkers, researchers, activists, chefs, farmers, anthropologists, designers and other cultural practitioners to spend one week in each of the three participating cities. Each hub will select three residents from their wider region. The travel period will be between April and June 2023. During this period the residents will meet the local scenes and convene for artist-led workshops, performances, artist talks and screenings, networking sessions, music events, meetings with activists, thematic tours, cooking sessions, and more.
The Production Phase will follow in the autumn of 2023. All residents are invited, without obligation, to submit a proposal for a project involving at least two of the visited Hubs. The proposal will be evaluated, and if supported, stipends will be made available to realize the project with a dedicated production budget. Curatorial and production support will be given in all stages to accompany the project's development by the hub and local partners selected together.
The Residents
Fondazione Studio Rizoma, Italy
Adrien Buyukodabas - Designer
Highlighted by a diploma from the École nationale supérieure des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, Adriens studies in Object Design was punctuated by a stopover in Mexico and preceded by two years of multidisciplinary training in arts and design in Lyon. Following the encounters, he deploys since 2019 his projects between France and Italy; seeking to inscribe his work in the territory of Sicily alongside the Palermitan design structure MarginalStudio. This path through multiple context leads him to conceive his work as an activity at the meeting point of plural approaches: artistic and anthropological, historical and scientific… as much concerned with forms as with exchanges and narratives as with expertise. More information.
Autostrada Biennale, Kosovo
Fllanza Bytyçi - Chef and Researcher
Fllanza Bytyçi is a culinary entrepreneur and founder of the innovative restaurant concept, Korë. With a background in culinary arts from Albania and food technology from Kosovo, she has a deep passion for gastronomy and an appreciation for the power of food. Fllanza believes that cooking is not just about creating delicious dishes, but also about communication, experience, and embracing the diverse flavors and cultures of the world. Through her cooking, she aims to create unique and unforgettable culinary experiences that bring people together.
Postane Instanbul - Turkey
Aylin Çankaya - Activist and Researcher
Aylin Çankaya was born in 1989 in Antakya, Turkey. Her master’s thesis problematized space through the state of being an island (islandness), which cannot be considered a city or a rural area, and argued that the pre-acceptance of the urban-rural dichotomy is no longer valid. She is currently working on her Ph.D. thesis entitled Back-to-the-Land Movements at The Periphery of Istanbul: The Expanding Commoning Networks based on Accessing Fair Food in NTUA (National Technical University of Athens). She has been a member of various food communities in the city and has participated in several studies and advocacy groups concerning women and LGBTQ+ rights.
Fondazione Studio Rizoma, Italy
Piero Cosentino - Researcher and Farmer
Piero Cosentino has a degree in history and philosophy with a specialist training in philosophy of language and aesthetics. He has been working in the social and educational fields with a focus on migrations, then he took part in publishing and independent theater productions. He was active in movements for the commons and for food sovereignty.
For six years he was a farmer in the center of Sicily. His project is called Convegno di Marte, from the name of the place: it is inspired by the principle of agroecology and the ethics of permaculture: caring for the earth, caring for people, and sharing resources. More information.
Postane Istanbul, Turkey
Sinem Dişli - Artist
Sinem Dişli was born in Urfa, Turkey. Driven by environmental issues in Mesopotamia and around the Euphrates River, her practice challenges the colonial framework of prevalent archaeological and geological approaches and comments on the materiality of nature and its relation to various cultural practices. In 2008, she was awarded a scholarship to attend the School of Visual Arts in New York and participated in visual arts programs at ICP and The Cooper Union.
Postane Istanbul, Turkey
Ümit Hamlacıbaşı - Chef and Researcher
Dr. Ümit Hamlacıbaşı is a sensory anthropologist, food culture researcher, and culinary consultant who specializes in Mediterranean and Anatolian cuisine. After obtaining her degree in tourism management, she worked for international companies before embarking on a new adventure. Her work provides a insight into the sensory landscape of the Grand Bazaar and its role in shaping the city's skill-scape.
Autostrada Biennale, Kosovo
Jeton Jagxhiu - Researcher
Jeton Jagxhiu was born in 1972 in Prizren, Kosovo. He studied Graphics in Zagreb before returning to Kosovo and opening his own company, Grafika. Throughout his career, Jagxhiu has established himself as a skilled graphic designer with a passion for exploring the cultural identity of his hometown.
In recent years, he has focused his attention on researching the food culture and unique identity of the city of Prizren and how they contribute to the local cultural identity. Jeton's work is a testament to his passion for preserving and celebrating the rich history and heritage of his community.
Fondazione Studio Rizoma, Italy
Genny Petrotta - Artist
Genny Petrotta is an Italian artist who lives and works in Palermo. Her artistic practice, guided by poetry and through video installation, seeks the sublimation of a wide range of interests and influences, from anthropological and philosophical to historical. Since 2016 she has been part of Il Pavone, an artistic collective with which she has exhibited in festivals and exhibition spaces including Manifesta12 Collateral, Spazio Y Rome, Adiacenze Bologna, Festival Effetto48, Cassata Drone Palermo, Festival Main off Palermo. Since 2017 he has been working with the artistic duo MASBEDO as assistant director and also covering other roles. More information.
Autostrada Biennale, Kosovo
Dion Zeqiri - Artist
Dion Zeqiri is a Kosovo-born artist and designer who studied Interior Design at the University of Arts in Pristina. He explores different mediums, including installations, sculpture, video recording, and found objects, to communicate emergency effects on the human body and metaphysics. Dion's art merges subjective aspects with objects he finds, using memory between objects to develop his practice on different media. He emphasizes subjective interpretation and meaningful communication in his art.
The Allianz Foundation Hubs
The "Decolonizing Food: Water, Land and Heritage" residency program is a unique collaboration between the three cultural institutions in the Allianz Foundation Hubs Network. Allianz Foundation Hubs are regional platforms from civil society, climate action and arts & culture. They form a European network working on solutions for the pressing societal questions of our times. To meet these challenges, new ways of exchange, cooperation and a shared vision are needed. The participating institutions are:
Our Hub in Prizren, Kosovo
Autostrada Biennale
Autostrada Biennale functions on two speeds: Autostrada Biennale, the International Contemporary Art exhibition and Autostrada Hangar, the education, production and exhibition space in the former military base now ITP Prizren.
Our Hub in Istanbul, Turkey
Postane Istanbul
Postane is an Istanbul-based urban hub serving individuals and organizations whose work focuses on creating social and environmental impact, aiming to build a more just city, region, and planet.
Our Hub in Palermo, Italy
Fondazione Studio Rizoma
Fondazione Studio Rizoma is a transnational hub advancing an independent cultural and social program with a focus on the city of Palermo.
