Roots
and Rhizomes
1.
The Timetable
Roots and Rhizomes is the title of the project that was
conceived in the beginning of 1999. It was incepted in accordance
with the guidelines set forth in Research and Education
Programme of SCCA Network. During the initial, articulating
stages of Roots and Rhizomes, as if everything were revolving
around the interpretation of the requirements enlisted in
the Programme. The very first reaction was that there is
a need for an analysis, a developmental projection and proposals
for a value model that would improve relations between the
processes of higher education in art history and the career
of the practicing art historian of today. Further on, all
of these demands were subject to subsequent restriction
- in terms of regional, cultural and political particularities
pertaining to the so-called societies in transition from
Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe.
On January 27. 1999, the project Roots and Rhizomes was
submitted for evaluation and approval. Its originators and
coordinators to become, were Bojan Ivanov, art historian
from Skopje, and Branislav Sarkanjac Ph.D., philosopher,
also from Skopje. The project was processed by the staff
at the Macedonian SCCA office in Skopje, while the manager
of the project was Melentie Pandilovski, the director of
SCCA, Skopje.
By the end of March 1999, the events of wider consequences
for Macedonia, as well as for the region, threatened to
alter the schedule, the very nature, and even the feasibility
of Roots and Rhizomes. Yet, there was a firm, and a bit
foolish determination to pursuit with the project, so that,
by mid-April 1999, the open competition for young attendees/participants
in Roots and Rhizomes was published in several Macedonian
newspapers of national circulation. It took two attempts
with the open competition in order to receive sufficient
number of applications - something that would be uncommon
in other, less disturbed or, one would say, less disturbing
circumstances.
The competition was open to all citizens of Rep. of Macedonia
who comply with either of the following two conditions:
high school pupils closing their final year in 1998/99,
or graduate students of art history under age of 27. There
were special application forms prepared, and a requirement
for documents confirming the status of the candidates.
Applications were reviewed by the four-member committee
composed of: Mr. Melentie Pandilovski, director of the SCCA,
Skopje; Mr. Bojan Ivanov and Mr. Branislav Sarkanjac, the
coordinators of the project; Ms. Aspazija Hadziste, member
of the Programme committee at OSI, Skopje, and director
of the TEMPUS programme.
On June 4. 1999, twenty candidates were informed about the
acceptance of their applications (Mr. Borce Minovski, Ms.
Marija Milcin, Mr. Novica Nakov, Ms. Ivana Jarcevska, Ms.
Jana Pejoska, Ms. Vesna Kondeva, Ms. Nada Peseva, Ms. Kristina
Miljanovska, Ms. Bojana Janeva, Ms. Maja Cankulovska, Ms.
Ivanka Apostolova, Ms. Biljana Tanurovska, Mr. Hristijan
Panev, Mr. Nikola Pisarev, all from Skopje. Ms. Gabriela
Sukuroska, and Ms. Natasa Jarik, both from Prilep. Mr. Boris
Kamcev from Negotino, and Ms. Elena Spasovska, Ms. Julijana
Tasevska, and Ms. Magdalena Spasovska, all three from Kumanovo).
A first, introductory meeting with the participants of Roots
and Rhizomes was arranged for June 18. 1999.
Meanwhile, the SCCA staff transformed the CIX gallery into
a reading room, and prepared a small, yet essential library
on the topics to be discussed. A photocopying machine, a
video system and an Internet connection were part of the
set-up. There were e-mail addresses provided on the OSI
server for the participants of Roots and Rhizomes. The director
of MoCA, Skopje, Mr. Zoran Petrovski kindly offered the
museum's premises and additional assistance to Roots and
Rhizomes.
The first part of the project was accomplished in the period
between June 7. and 14. 1999. The evolving was as follows:
Wednesday
07.07.1999
morning
session in the Museum of Contemporary Art, Skopje
10:00-11:15 lecture "On E. H. Gombrich" (Bojan
Ivanov)
11:15-12:30 coffee-break and discussion
12:30-13:45 lecture "On J. Beys" (Zoran Petrovski)
evening session in CIX Gallery
18:00-19:00 social hour, library, Internet ...
19:00-20:00 consultations with the coordinators
20:00-21:00 individual work
Thursday
08.07.1999
morning
session in the Museum of Contemporary Art, Skopje
10:00-11:15 lecture "Axiomatic system " (Ana Dimiskovska)
11:15-12:30 coffee break and discussion
evening session in CIX Gallery
18:00-19:00 social hour, library, Internet ...
19:00-20:00 consultations with the coordinators
20:00-21:00 individual work
Friday
09.07.1999
morning
session in CIX Gallery
10:00-11:00 social hour, library, Internet ...
11:00-12:00 consultations with the coordinators
12:00-14:00 individual work
Saturday
10.07.1999
morning
session in OSI (later transferred to CIX Gallery)
10:00-11:00 lecture "Marxism, psychoanalysis, existentialism,
functionalism, structuralism ... (Ferid Muhik)
Sunday
11.07.1999
the day-off
Monday
12.07.1999
10:00-15:00 picnic
Tuesday
13.07.1999
morning
session in CIX Gallery
10:00-11:00 social hour, library, Internet ...
11:00-12:00 consultations with the coordinators
12:00-14:00 individual work
evening session in CIX Gallery
18:00-19:00 social hour, library, Internet ...
19:00-20:00 consultations with the coordinators
20:00-21:00 individual work
Wednesday
14.07.1999
morning
session in CIX Gallery
10:00-12:00 seminar papers and summer reading chores
Previous Programme was very intensive in many respects.
The lecturers were, by the rule, present at the evening
sessions, participating the discussions and enjoying very
much the stimulating company of their younger colleagues.
Only one change occurred in this part of Roots and Rhizomes:
since professor Muhik was not available to deliver the topic
in person, the Internet teleconferencing connection was
used. Actually, he delivered his lecture from Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia. The picture of him was beamed on a screen, while
he was watching the audience on his computer monitor. The
communication was impeccable, so that no aspect of the lecture
was impaired.
The autumn sequel of Roots and Rhizomes took place in the
period between September 17. and 22.1999. The structure
of work was as follows:
Friday
17.09.1999
morning
session in the Museum of Contemporary Art, Skopje
10:00-11:15 lecture "The Art today, seen through museum's
window" (Sonja Abadzieva)
11:15-12:00 discussion
12:00-13:00 video-projection
evening session in CIX Gallery
18:00-20:00 consultations with the coordinators
20:00-21:00 individual work
Saturday
18.09.1999
morning
session in the Museum of Contemporary Art, Skopje
10:00-11:15 lecture "On G. W. F. Hegel" (Branislav
Sarkanjac)
11:15-12:00 discussion
evening session in CIX Gallery
18:00-20:00 consultations with the coordinators
20:00-21:00 individual work
Sunday
09:00-17:00 picnic
Monday
20.09.1999
morning session in the Museum of Contemporary Art, Skopje
10:00-11:15 lecture "On J.-F. Lyotar" (Nebojsa
Vilik)
11:15-12:00 discussion
evening session in CIX Gallery
18:00-20:00 consultations with the coordinators
20:00-21:00 individual work
Tuesday
21.09.1999
morning
session in the Museum of Contemporary Art, Skopje
10:00-11:15 lecture "On Art and Post-Colonial Critic(que)"
(Thomas McEvilley)
11:15-12:00 discussion
evening session in CIX Gallery
18:00-20:00 consultations with the coordinators
20:00-21:00 individual work
Wednesday
22.09.1999
morning session in the Museum of Contemporary Art, Skopje
10:00-11:15 lecture "Hegel vs. Danto" (Ivan Dzeparoski)
11:15-12:00 discussion
evening session in CIX Gallery
18:00-20:00 consultations with the coordinators
20:00-21:00 concluding meeting
This part of the project gradually gained the momentum,
which is still helping the final efforts in accomplishing
Roots and Rhizomes: the book, the video, and the CD ROM.
These elements of the project are a priority during the
last three months of this year. The book will contain the
texts related to the nine lectures (not the actual lectures).
The CD ROM will contain video, photo and text documents
concerning Roots and Rhizomes. The video aims to illustrate
the atmosphere, to show the participants and to render,
in its basic features, the idea of Roots and Rhizomes.
II.
The People
Lecturers:
