ZONA ARCHIVE
07.03.2024 - 07.04.2024

Artists: Alexandru Antik, József Bartha, Sándor Bartha, Ștefan Bertalan, Rudolf Bone, Geta Brătescu, Nenad Dančuo, Oskar Dawicki, Biljana Klarić Klara & Nataša Teofilović, Suzana Fântânariu, Ion Grigorescu, Karen Kipphoff, André Stitt & Roddy Hunter, Dan Perjovschi, Lia Perjovschi, Eugenia Pop, Ütö Gusztáv & Kónya Réka, Artur Tajber, Sorin Vreme


March 7
Book launch Zona Festival - 18.00
Participants: Anca Oroveanu, Ileana Pintilie, Magda Radu
Opening - 19.00

March 9
Performance Manuel Pelmuș in collaboration with Anton Skaaning Thomsen - 19.00

The Zona Festival, held between 1993-2002 în Timișoara, marks a peak moment in Romania's performance festival scene, alongside the AnnArt Festival near Lake Sfânta Ana and Periferic Festival in Iași (later transformed into the Periferic Biennial). The Zona Festival, conceived and organized by curator and art historian Ileana Pintilie, gained momentum during the years of freedom following the political regime change in 1989. It also revealed the disillusionments brought by the new democracy forming in a social and political space marked by numerous conflicts and a rapid reconfiguration of the categories of winners and losers in the early days of "transition." Despite often relying on a deficient infrastructure, the festival energetically mobilized artists from diverse generations, activating various unconventional spaces (including public spaces). The Zona Festival made Timișoara a dynamic center of contemporary art, gaining recognition beyond Romania's borders.

ZONA Archive presents some of the components of the ZONA & program, which was produced by the Center for Projects Timișoara in 2023 in the framework of „Neverending Timisoara 2023”, an event which marked the symbolic closing of the European Capital of Culture year. Curated by Corina Oprea and Magda Radu, alongside Ileana Pintilie, ZONA & provided a rich representation of the Zona Festival archive – videos, documents, photographs, artworks – highlighting each edition individually. The Zona Festival publication, edited by Ileana Pintilie and PUNCH will also be launched on this occasion, in the presence of the editor and other guests who will speak about the legacy of Zona, about the festival’s context and the performative languages it fostered. Manuel Pelmuș, in collaboration with Anton Skaaning Thomsen, will reprise the performance conceived for ZONA &, activating its memory by referencing the archive of installations and performances related to Pământul [The Earth] (1992) and Zona 1 (1993).

Images: left – Gusztáv Ütö / Kónya Réká, Gri, Zona 1, 1993, photo by: Stelian Acea; right – Manuel Pelmuș in collaboration with Anton Skaaning Thomsen, performance within ZONA &, MX – Muzeul „Corneliu Mikloși”, Timișoara, 2023, photo: Petre Falll



Special thanks: Galeria Plan B, The Institute of the Present, Alin Rotariu

In partnership with the Center for Projects Timișoara and PUNCH

Sponsor: Corcova Roy & Dâmboviceanu