IRWIN – NSK Passport Office, New York

Print Studio, in Conjunction with the Exhibition Print/Out
Museum of Modern Art
The Lewis B. and Dorothy Cullman Education and Research Building Lobby
4 West 54th Street Entrance,
New York, NY 10019

Wednesday, February 1, 2012, 12:00–4:00 PM
Thursday, February 2, 2012, 12:00–4:00 PM
Friday, February 3, 2012, 12:00–4:00 PM

Originally founded by a collective of artists, musicians, and philosophers, the NSK State in Time came into being in 1992 shortly after Slovenia’s independence from the Yugoslav Federation. Its declaration of existence was accompanied by the issuing of passports at various temporary embassies, which operated alongside NSK exhibitions and events. Led by the Slovenian artists’ collective IRWIN, Print Studio will host the NSK Passport Office, New York for three days and issue a limited number of passports. A concurrent series of presentations, discussions, screenings and a culminating NSK State Citizens’ Rendezvous offers a forum to engage the public with ideas central to the NSK State and what it means to be a citizen of this non-territorial entity. For more information about the program schedule and updates, please visit MoMA.org/learn .

A limited number of passports will be printed during IRWIN’s NSK Passport Office, New York.

Admission to the NSK Passport Office New York is free. Passports will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis. Open to all ages. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Print Studio Inauguration & NSK State Citizens’ Rendezvous

Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012, 6:00-9:00 PM

Print Studio’s opening program begins with an NSK State Citizens’ Rendezvous, featuring presentations by:

- Miran Mohar, founding member of Slovenian art collective IRWIN.
- Gediminas Gasparavicius, Charles Lewis, and Conor McGrady, NSKNY Organizing Committee members.

After the presentations, Ana Janevski, Associate Curator of Performance, MoMA, moderates a discussion and Q&A. A reception follows, and participants are invited to engage in Print Studio’s activities: apply for citizenship at IRWIN’s NSK Passport Office, New York; view works of NSK Citizen generated Folk Art; make a print using visual resources found in the Reanimation Library: Mid-Manhattan Branch; or respond to a re-imagined task from the ongoing Collective Task project adapted for Print Studio.

Admission to the NSK State Citizens’ Rendezvous is free, but tickets are required and can be reserved online .

Organized in conjunction with the exhibition Print/Out , Print Studio is an interactive space that explores the evolution of artistic practices relating to the medium of print.

To mark the publication of the book on the First NSK Citizens’ Congress, a series of events will be held in Britain, Germany and Slovenia with further dates to be announced. Join the editor and contributors to discuss the issues raised in the book and the ongoing development of the NSK State.

Confirmed Dates:

• 25.10 – London @ The Horse Hospital, 19.30
  Alexei Monroe, Avi Pitchon, Alexander Nym
• 28.10. – Leipzig @ Galerie KUB, 20.00
  Avi Pitchon, Alexander Nym
• 29. & 30.10. – Nuremberg @ Galerie Armer Teufel
  Avi Pitchon, Alexander Nym
• 31.10. – Munich @ Galerie traversée, 19.00
  Avi Pitchon, Alexander Nym
• 3.11. – Ljubljana @ Galerija ŠKUC, 19.00
  Alexei Monroe, Haris Hararis (Followed at 20.00 by the opening of the NSK Folk Art exhibition)
• 4.11. – Berlin @ Ballhaus Naunynstrasse, 21.30
  Alexei Monroe, Avi Pitchon (DJs: Codex Europa, Avi Pitchon)

Ordering information and a downloadable preview of the book can be found at  Ploettner’s website. There is a 10% discount for NSK Citizens on production of a valid passport number.

The Nuremberg events take place in the framework of a special exhibition by local NSK Citizens and activists and selected NSK Folk Art works will also be displayed at the Berlin event which will be followed by a party.

Screenings of rare NSK footage and progress report on NSK state.
Presentation by Alexander Nym (NSK state Lipsk | Germany)
“PANORAMA OF THE STATE MACHINE”

Tuesday, june 28th from 18:30 at xero, kline & coma
258 Hackney Road
London E2 7SJ
Reservation only! Send a notice to: info@xero-kline-coma.com

Program:

NSK New York and MomentaArt are pleased to present NSK Rendez-Vous New York. Founded in 1992 by Slovene arts collective Neue Slowenische Kunst (NSK), the NSK State in Time emerged at a time when a radical rethinking of the nation state was necessary. As events in the 1980’s accelerated towards the collapse of socialism in Eastern Europe and the disintegration of Yugoslavia in war, the NSK collective (comprised of the groups Laibach, IRWIN, Noordung, New Collectivism and The Department of Pure and Applied Philosophy), emerged as a multi-faceted entity that reprocessed nationalist, socialist and fascist iconography and the language of the early twentieth century avant-gardes. Taking the idea of the state as a Duchampian Readymade, NSK virtually seceded from newly independent Slovenia in 1992 to become a ‘virtual’ state, existing in time and without borders – a utopian social sculpture embodying a symbolic transcendence of the nationalism engulfing the region. Shortly after its founding, the state began to issue passports and open temporary embassies in a number of locations, including Moscow, Sarajevo, Berlin, Ghent, Glasgow and Dublin. In October 2010 citizens gathered at the first NSK Citizens’ Congress in Berlin to discuss the proliferation of the complex and often provocative ideas represented by this transnational entity, which describes itself as ‘the first global state of the universe’. Presented by congress delegates and facilitators, the NSK Rendez-Vous New York provides an overview of the NSK State in Time and an opportunity for discussion on recent NSK initiatives.

Contact: nsk.newyork@gmail.com

Directions to MomentaArt: Take the L Train to the Morgan stop in Bushwick. Exit at Bogart Street. The gallery is opposite the subway entrance.

NSK RENDEZ-VOUS LONDON

26 FEB 2011, THE HORSE HOSPITAL Colonnade, Bloomsbury WC1N 1JD

PANEL DISCUSSION, INFORMATION STALL FOLLOWED BY A SHORT PERFORMANCE AND FREE SCREENING

DOORS: 7:30PM £3

SCREENING: 9:15, FREE ENTRANCE

Following the first NSK State Congress that took place in Berlin in October, you are cordially invited to a public report and debate of the congress’ outcomes revolving around three documents produced by the 30 delegates in its duration – FINDINGS, INNOVATIONS, and the renegade ATOMIC DECLARATION OF DEPENDENCE. The future of the NSK State will be discussed in light of the above. The discussion will be followed by a short performance.

Panel discussion

Chair: Congressman Avi Pitchon

Congressmen Alex Fitch & Stevphen Shukaitis,

Congress organiser and author of “Interrogation Machine: Laibach and NSK”, Alexei Monroe.

Performance

Anat Ben-David & Avi Pitchon performing ‘Twilight of the Barbarians’. originally written for and performed at the Berlin Congress

Free Screening

Predictions Of Fire (Dir. Michael Benson, 90 mins. US 1996)

A visceral documentary focusing on the Slovenian collective art movement known as NSK (‘Neue Slowenische Kunst’) and its varied branches: ‘Laibach’, ‘Irwin’, and ‘Red Pilot’. Also features interpretations by Slavoj Zizek

In 1992, following the independence of Slovenia, the artistic collective known as “Neue Slowenische Kunst”, or NSK, founded the “NSK State in Time.” The creation of this virtual non-territorial state was a response to the ambivalent status of the nation state and to supposedly fixed ideas of territory, ethnic group and borders. The initiative was supported by other Slovene artists and theorists and appeared as a utopian concept free of territorial preconditions. The State does not identify itself with other real or actually existing states and has now grown into a collective (art-) work with approximately ten thousand members.

NSK’s art is complex and its creation of new (post)national symbols is easily misinterpreted. Debates around the nation state and patriotism shape the artwork of this distinctive group, which is composed of the uncompromising group Laibach, known primarily for its musical activities plus the innovative fine arts collective IRWIN and various other groups working in different media.

NSK RENDEZ-VOUS LYON #1

“Art is Fanaticism that demands Diplomacy”

Tuesday, the 25th of January 2011 – 7.00pm > 11.00pm

Conferences – Debates – Projections – Music
Retrogarde – New Slovene Art – Industrial Music

With exceptional participation of Alexei Monroe (PhD), Non-alignates Cultural theorist, and author of Interrogation Machine – Laibach and NSK (2005, MIT Press), Founder of de I.C.R.N (Industrial Cultural Research Network)

“Interrogation Machine – The State of New Slovene Art”
19h30 : lecture and questions/answers in English, followed by meeting/signing with the author)

20h45 : projection of Michael Benson’s Predictions of Fire movie (1996, Original soundrack, including English subtitles)

Musical surrounding ambient and industrial lead by Convulsions Sonores

IRWIN – Novi Kolektivizem – Laibach – Cosmokinetic Cabinet Noordung – Department of Pure and Applied Philosophy – Peter Mlakar – Slavoj Žižek

www.nskstate.com

Venue: Lieu : Café de la Cloche
4 rue de la Charité
69002 LYON
France
Tél. +33 4 78 37 44 54
www.cafe-de-la-cloche.org

After a successful Congress in Berlin, the NSK State in Time has reached a new step and is now to be widespread around the world. Citizens organize themselves and, as a result of the Findings of the Congress, decide to set some hotspots where and when citizens, activists, fans, artists, etc. can meet each other in a café or any interesting venue and make discover the NSK State in Time to newcomers.

Lyon, France, is opening this brand new wave called “NSK Rendez-Vous”, including, but not limited : conferences, movies, mixes, concerts, exhibition, happenings, performances, theater plays related to NSK and/or its embedded collective. We expect that other cities all around the world will welcome such this event, on a regular basis.

Congress delegates outside Haus Der Kulturen Der Welt, 21st October 2010

NSK members outside Haus Der Kulturen Der Welt, 21st October 2010

NSK members congratulate a delegate at the closing ceremony, 23rd October 2010

On Saturday evening there was a tense, dramatic, fascinating and finally celebratory closing ceremony at which the delegates’ conclusions were announced. These are the main points. There is a supporting document and a third opposing document was also read. Following the debate delegates and facilitators were presented with a commemorative object and were congratulated by members of Laibach, IRWIN, Novi Kolektivizem and Noordung.

Laibach member responding to the final declaration, 23rd October 2010

Active discussions continue amongst the delegates and individual responses will appear on times.nskstate.com. There were some really interesting ideas and discussions and as one delegate said for such a varied group of people to produce a defined result in three days was impressive. Many of the delegates were extremely conscientious, motivated and perceptive and it was a pleasure to meet them. The results are being assessed and we will comment in more detail shortly, for now here is the final statement agreed to by a majority of delegates:

FINDINGS

The NSK State is a universal state in time, not a state of territory.
Whether it remains in potential form or manifests itself in actual form depends on the actions and beliefs of those who are or wish to be its citizens.
The NSK State in Time is consistent with and evolves from the founding principles and strategies of Neue Slowenische Kunst.
The NSK State in Time becomes manifest when the following exist:

I. The Immanent Consistent Spirit is the all-embracing intangible essence of the NSK State in Time. In it there is everything and even nothing. Citizens of the NSK State in Time express the Immanent Consistent Spirit through artistic, political, philosophical and intellectual actions in both abstract and concrete form.

II. The NSK State in Time is ever-inspired by the infinite moment of grace of its own becoming. It is the master of all its probabilities.

III. The NSK State is manifested in time yet at the same time transcends time.

IV. Manifestations of the NSK State are temporal; they are based on initiatives and actions of its citizens and affiliates.

V. The NSK State in Time materializes through artistic, political, philosophical and intellectual actions in accordance with the basic principles and internal laws of the NSK State in Time.

VI. The individual is irrelevant. Therefore the NSK State in Time compels its citizens to work as a collective body.

VII. The role of the citizens of the NSK State in Time is to fulfill the State’s goals with fanatical and artistic devotion.

VIII. The citizens’ commitment to the State machine that organizes their activities is unwavering.

IX. Freedom of choice creates trauma; lack of freedom of choice creates trauma. The NSK State acknowledges the right not to choose.

Everything is ready for the event! Looking forward to see you all at the Haus der Kulturen der Welt.

This congress assembles selected citizens of our State for the first time, in order to discuss the state and its future. This project represents a materialisation of the previously virtual “NSK State in Time” which until now has primarily been understood as an art project. Over three days, some 30 “delegates”, commentators and observers will meet at the Haus der Kulturen der Welt to discuss the possible further development of the NSK State in Time. Accompanying these internal daytime debates there will be an evening programme open to the public including a seminar addressing the questions raised during the Congress. The first evening of the Congress will see the opening of the exhibition “NSK Folk Art“. This is art produced in the style of or referring to NSK by individuals and groups from around the world. A first selection of NSK Folk Art was recently presented by IRWIN and NSKSTATE.COM at the Taipei Biennale. The Berlin exhibition will show for the first time over 60 artworks from the NSK State in Time collection. In addition, film screenings over two evenings will present an interesting selection of extracts from the work of NSK plus related subjects. The event will close with a public party with DJs and live performers including NSK citizens.

Wonderloch-Kellerland
Biesentaler Str. 6
D-13359 Berlin

contact@wonderloch-kellerland.org

ENTRY: 5 EURO.