Often, we traverse the city without truly experiencing it, without conscious awareness. Beyond being a physical space or an administrative unit, the city is a multitude of things to which we forge emotional connections, things we attach ourselves to, often without realizing it.

In a process of creative destruction, starting from photographs of places dear to us, the Emotional Urban Reconstructions workshop is an invitation to inhabit, a way to experience spaces we live in every day in a different light. It's a chance to realize the key elements that make them irreplaceable for each of us, the elements without which we would suffer if they were destroyed.

Alongside this conceptual and narrative exploration, we will together delve into two sides of the same coin: the constructive experience (in our case, taking the form of a photographic lab where we construct images optically and chemically from light) and the destructive one. In the latter, we will reassemble what we see through a photo-chemical process called mordancage – a hybrid technique where the silver photographic emulsion is separated from the paper support, allowing us to mechanically reconstruct the photographic image and, by extension, the perception and image we hold of the city.

*** This workshop is open to all young individuals interested in environmental activism, regardless of their background. Participation is free and registration-based.

ALL SPOTS FOR THIS WORKSHOP HAVE BEEN FILLED.

PROGRAM

Day 1

11 AM ~ Meet at Timișoara Seismic Observatory (59 Glad Street, Timișoara)
11 AM - 11:30 AM ~ Guided tour of the observatory
11:30 AM - 1 PM ~ Project presentation, participant and artist introductions, and start of the workshop – Theoretical presentations
1 PM - 2 PM ~ Lunch break
2 PM - 5 PM ~ Practical workshop (tea, coffee, and snacks)
5 PM ~ Workshop conclusion, open discussions, and farewell

Day 2

11 AM ~ Meet at Timișoara Seismic Observatory
10 AM - 1 PM ~ Continuation of the workshop
1 PM - 2 PM ~ Lunch break
2 PM - 4 PM ~ Workshop conclusion, open discussions, and farewell

Sabina Suru is a multimedia artist with a diverse creative background. She is a co-founder of several cultural NGOs, including Marginal, Qolony, and Allkimik. Sabina Suru also spearheads VAGon - In(ter)disciplined Space, an artist-run initiative under the umbrella of Malmaison Studios. Her artistic practice spans various mediums, including silver-based, alternative, and experimental photography, as well as holography. She also engages with video and installation art, all while seamlessly integrating scientific elements and concepts from fields such as chemistry, physics, and optics. Sabina's work delves into complex themes, addressing issues like identity transformation influenced by technology, objectification, and externalized memory. She collaborates extensively with transdisciplinary teams, which can include visual artists, choreographers, performers, scientists, and programmers. Her recent projects encompass an exciting array of topics, ranging from holography and contemporary dance to artificial intelligence and generative video installations. She also explores post-digital perspectives in photography and video, showcasing her innovative and boundary-pushing approach to art.

Andrei Tudose is a multimedia artist and cultural manager, co-founder of VAGon - in(inter)disciplined space and Marginal Cultural Association. With a background in marketing research, sociology and visual studies, his artistic practice relies on a transdisciplinary approach, at the border between art, social sciences and technology, challenging the public to take a participative stance. His projects address issues related to digital identity, surveillance, artificial intelligence and the relationship between man and space, in collaboration with practitioners from various fields, such as scientific research, technology, video and sound design.