What is Fifty-Fifty Group

22.03.2006 Vien station
FIFTY FIFTY OSTBLOCK
Fifty-fifty is a profit-oriented group. Ondrej Brody (CZ) and Viktor Freso (SK) are the founders and the only members of the group. Ondrej Brody and Viktor Freso have a long history of mutual collaboration. The group functions on a very simple base. Each member has the goal to create as many possibilities to exhibit and present the work and personality of the other member. This has to be reciprocal. The perfect balance of possibilities is the only condition of its existence. A month ago, we met with a Belgian curator and he told us that Eastern Europeans artists just want the same money and fame as their colleagues in the west. It is hard to talk about stereotypes without personifying one. We can speak only about our own personal experiences that have been reassuring our own stereotypes. Both members of fifty-fifty group are currently artist in residence in Vienna, receiving very convenient scholarships, studio, accommodation costs and other benefits. Fifty-fifty group wants to profit as much as possible from this situation, although we have to ask a question. What is our aim in the context of this presentation? We have to repeat that the context of the “Artists in Residence” program is very convenient. Nevertheless, we had a strange feeling about this “convenient” situation. It contains a small contradiction. We receive all these benefits and the people inviting us tell us that they are not expecting anything from us (?). Even if we want to realize a final presentation is only our decision. Nobody is expecting anything. This situation seems a bit “underestimating” but on the other hand extremely generous.

The text has been so far too abstract so lets describe the project more specifically. The strategy we are presenting is making a VISUAL RESULT out of our BASIC NEEDS. What are our BASIC NEEDS in the context of this presentation? The context of the presentation space defines our approach on how to present ourselves. Sometimes when we are lacking challenge of the context, we deliberately can’t find any content in our work and everything that is left is the budget. We have a budget of 300 Euros for “materials”. We plan to spend it all. The idea is to spend the money on whatever we need for our artistic activities. We will explore different shopping centers in Vienna looking for the right choice that will meet our needs at the moment.

The final installation will consist of a text explaining the project and an installation of the acquired items within the Wien Station space. The result will be very symbolical but in our opinion, an effective way how to question our situation as artists in residence and the relativity of our values as artists in general.

Reaction on “Artist in residence” program – should be not taken as critique, but as a cue to cogitations.

I think that program “Artist in residence” in this form is more purposeless than useful – for the artists and also for the organizer. I’m trying to say that besides the fact that the artist can live in the center of Vienna and spend the money he gets, his residence has no impact on local art scene or on his own professional growth – as it should have.

First I don’t understand, why the artist has no prepared program at all - he’s totally dependent on his own efforts and fighting power {this could be a huge problem for someone}. Second thing I don’t get is why the artists don’t have any provided presentation at the end of their residence. I personally know three artist, who were here trough this program and weren’t able to provide their presentation although they tried. Institution as MQ21 cannot have problem to organize one mutual exhibition in two months. I think that Vienna scene is losing a chance to see very interesting works because artist who come to Artist in residence program are usually the best of the best. The exhibition could be also mutual, because it’s more interesting to see more authors at one exhibition. Also the propagation could be provided, while foreign artist does not know the citizens therefore he cannot invite them to the exhibition. My own experience with exhibition is very irritating because my posters I tried to stick around MQ21 were snatched away.

I think there’s also lack of communication between Artist in residence and other similar programs – it would be interesting, because there are more people from all over the world in this residential programs in Vienna at the same time. I would also welcome some communication with theoreticians; some meetings or discussions would be great. The artist gets only some general bulletin about MQ21, which is good only as a souvenir, because it doesn’t contain any information about other exhibitions and galleries. I think that’s important because when I finally found out these information, the residence was over.

Technical background

I really don’t understand, why there’s no wireless internet in institution as MQ21. There’s no basic equipment as PC, monitor, or a printer – which is really a small investment compared to investment in the interior – as hi-tech architecture and a dish washer.  The artist has no place for his work, because he has a beautiful apartment, in which is every spot punished with 500 EUR penalty. I would be happy with much less luxurious room with a little place to paint. To compare – Kulturkontakt, which is program similar to this one, gives to the artist not only apartment, but also a studio equipped with wireless internet, small budget for his work realization, PC and printer, TV etc. The residence is logically ended with an exhibition. TV or radio might be seen as some unnecessary luxury, but I would like to recommend to competent people to try to live for two months in white empty room with one bed, big table and lots of useless huge wardrobes. But maybe it’s a nice change in our consumption-oriented life.

Questions

What is this program supposed to bring to Vienna art scene and to the artist?

if this should be a program useful for art scene and for the artist, than definitely not in this form. I am very happy that I got this chance and I used it to the highest level, but only as a result of my own diligence and arrogance.

I think that very few artists are rude enough to speak about these topics openly and I really mean it as constructive critique. The program is missing only few things to be just as perfect as my protectors and helpers Elisabeth and Theresa.

Viktor Frešo

28.02.2006 Open studio
Dienstag, 28. Februar 06, 19h / Tuesday, Feb. 28th, 7pm

the first exhibition of art group Fifty-fifty.

Authors are presenting their first music CD named THE BEST OF FIFTY - FIFTY, recorded in Vienna early in 2006, object named The selfish DJ and the work “Coca-cola light”. Authors are inspired by their residence in Vienna. By an interesting accident they both had an opportunity to live in Vienna for few months at the same time – Viktor Freso in Museumsquartier and Ondrej Brody trough Kulturkontakt. It’s a very interesting connection of both institutions. The concept of this exhibition came from real experience and situations. Both authors are experienced in working with different media and that’s why it’s impossible to subsume their work into one specific type of medium. It’s always an extract of the best what both authors define as their inspiration in certain spatio-temporal extent.

10.02.2006 Fifty- Fifty presentations Monochrome Museumsquartier 21