[echo] Marina Grzinic @ Blinzelbar 'leere Serie'

[office at claudia-reiche.net]

Blinzelbar  -  Gro=A7e Bergstra=A7e 158  -    Hamburg

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Leere Serie. Das Konzept ist Leere. Es folgt die Serie:

Donnerstag,  6.12.07  - 20:00

Marina Grzinic / Ljubljana /

Notes on the Fights for a City: Structures of Autonomies, Nodes of =20
Resistance /
Lecture with Film Presentation

Metelkova Mesto is an umbrella term for an urban area of Ljubljana =20
dedicated to the alternative cultural scene. Describing itself as an =20
'autonomous cultural centre', it occupies the former 'Fourth of July' =20=

Military Barracks at Metelkova 3 ulica (Street) in the centre of =20
Ljubljana originally commissioned by the Austro-Hungarian army in =20
1882 and completed in 1911. In 1990 the Network of Metelkova =20
(Metelkovci) was formed, consisting of 200 partner organisations led =20
by the Movement for the Culture of Peace and Non Violence and the =20
Student Cultural Centre Association to propose a new, peaceful and =20
creative use for the barracks. In 1991 the Network of Metelkova =20
formally petitioned the newly-independent Slovenian government to =20
take possession of the abandoned site. The City of Ljubljana, =20
however, decided in 1993 to demolish the buildings. Members of =20
Network for Metelkova and several supporters reacted by occupying the =20=

Metelkova site on the 10 September 1993, renaming it Metelkova Mesto =20
(Metelkova Town). Over 200 individuals rapidly established a busy =20
schedule of events and activities including exhibitions, concerts and =20=

speaking engagements. The City responded by cutting off the water and =20=

electricity supplies but still the site thrived as a centre of =20
creative, cultural and political activity. In 1994, elections =20
resulted in a change of City Government, and a rapprochement was =20
achieved between the officials and the squatters. All court =20
proceedings against the 'illegal' occupation were dropped and the =20
Metelkova Development Plan was agreed. The plan aims to revitalise =20
the ruined site with the citizens of Metelkova defining and designing =20=

their own urban, residential and artistic environment. Metelkova was =20
then re-formed as the organisation RETINA and the Metelkova =20
Development Plan Office was opened shortly afterwards. Since 1995 the =20=

space is a self-organised autonomous zone where plenty of social and =20
cultural activities take place.

ClipboardMetelkova is a collective community (led by a residents =20
forum) committed to the development of the site for the enjoyment of =20
its citizens and the general public who are welcomed to visit it. The =20=

vision of the community is that Metelkova will become a centre of =20
cultural activity, an information centre and a meeting place for =20
young people. The many examples of community architecture in the =20
space are bringing the semi-demolished buildings back to life. A =20
youth hostel Celica (with a cafe-bar and gallery space) has been =20
built in the old military prison. A gay club (Tiffany) and a lesbian =20
club (Monokel) share one of the buildings and there are artists =20
studios (some of which are also available for visiting artists) in =20
one of the other barracks. Metelkova Mesto is a member of Trans =20
Europe Halles.

Some cultural organisations based at Metelkova include: KUD Mrez=FFa, =20=

Association for Arts and Culture, Society for the Protection of =20
Atheistic Feelings (DZAC=FF), KUD Channel Zero, KAPA, Association for =20=

Cultural and Artistic Production, Gromka Club, Red Dawns =20
International Women's Festival, and DrMrr OrtoPunk Festival.=D2 See: =20
http://www.culturalprofiles.org.uk/slovenia/Units/5445.html.



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