Posted on

Easternational* (noun)

/ˈiːstənˈnæʃ(ə)nəl/

  1. Mobility and cultural activity between people and organizations that operate in European and West-Asian countries, which is deterrioralized by the shivering of the iron curtain (“No, it’s not about the money. Frieze London is of little interest to me and wines in Chișinău are much better. I’m more of an Easternational Artist”).
  2. Kinship manifested by people whose histories and present identities are deeply affected by the fall of Constantinople.
  3. Easternational Philosophy: A fringe of philosophical understanding which is know for a forthright critique of phenomenons of “development and progress”. It is rooted on the framework and lived experience of collapse as a state of being (best manifested by survivors of Chernobyl disaster). As a sociological investigation it studies guild caused by desires which could not be manifested (due to collapse). (“I never even wanted to have a microwave”).

* Term coined in a discussion with Andrej Polukord during the Performing the Fringe event in Stockholm. Moldovian views to contemporary easternational condition on Pietaris (new) blog atomipuutarha.blogspot.com (Finnish).

Posted on

20190409

Participated in the first Performing the Fringe -event or un-conference in Stockholm last weekend. The research project is organized by curators Inga Lāce & Jussi Koitela and the process will continue till 2020. The project feels very similar to the Alkovi Gallery Russian-focus program and activities I’m participating in (which is convenient). We walked and talked for two days around the Hökarängen district. Our group was introduced to the area by researcher Moa Tunström and other activist/artists. We visited Kulturhuset Cyklopen, local allotment gardens which were introduced to us by Janna Holmstedt, an old (still active) graffitiwall which was introduced to us by Lina Eriksson and a horse stable where we met Svarten (horse). Activities were centered around Konsthall C, which managing director Erik Annerborn hosted us warmly. The group participating in Performing the Fringe consists of artists from the Baltic-Nordic region. I had the pleasure to meet Andrej Polukord (he also is the director of Galerie Uberall, we coined the term Easternational in a chat), Asbjørn Skou (we talked about kettlebells!), Flo Kasearu (who gave a great presentation of her house museum), Jon Benjamin Tallerås (we talked about carpentry. Tallerås shared his view that urban structures which are designed to guide our movements work because they have a “semiotic quality to them”. We could easily bypass a fence but it is intended to be read read as like a language. The fence speaks to us and says: “Don’t move from here.”) and Valentina Karga (whom I know from her work in Maunula). The group will head to Pori during the summer and my next engagement with the project will be in Vilnius.

Will Brexit break up the UK? (2019) An Other Europe Podcast. A very tight analysis of the ideological backgrounds of Brexit. Offers many useful concepts such as “structural emotion” which explains the process when politicians work to justify their feelings using rational arguments.