Tuesday, September 8th, 7 PM
Since 2015 Matei Bejenaru has been developing the project “Songs for a better future”. These experimental choral performances are produced in various cultural and political contexts, a result of the collaboration of Matei, a musician and a choir.
The project examines our vision upon the future from a humanistic perspective, every vision being connected to a certain political and cultural context researched by Matei. In every of those studied locations (Bucharest, London, Vancouver, Innsbruck) he gave specific indications to a musician for writing choir songs, which were subsequently presented as public performances. Video documentations of these were used to build a multi-channel video installation.
BIO
Matei Bejenaru (born 1963) is an artist and the founder of the Periferic Biennial in Iasi, Romania. Established in 1997 as a performance festival, Periferic transformed into an international artist-run contemporary art biennial, defined as a platform for discussions on the historical, socio-political and cultural contexts of the city. With a group of artists and philosophers from Iasi, he founded the Vector Association in 2001, a contemporary art institution that supported the local emerging art scene to become locally and internationally visible.
In his recent artistic projects of documentary photography, video and public performances he examines the way globalization affects post-communist life, focusing on the change of mentality and lifestyle.
He is teaching photography and video at “George Enescu” Arts University in Iasi.
Matei Bejenaru collaborates with Andreiana Mihail Gallery in Bucharest.