Open Call for Helen of Sparta eResidency

Helen, the mythical queen of Sparta, falls in love with the enemy and causes a merciless war. The Helen of Sparta eResidency aims at inspiring eight artists/writers/performers to develop their own updated version of the ancient Greek myth.

The intensive four-day program addresses issues, such as misogyny, abuse, manipulation, fake news, armed conflict. The eResidency program ambitions to introduce artists into the tradition of Greek art and culture, with a strong focus on narrative, Greek mythology, jewelry art, textile art, dress culture, women's history, performance, and design.

Duration
4 days.
The eResidency starts on Thursday morning and ends on Sunday afternoon.

eResidency Dates + Application Deadlines

• 26 - 29 Nov  >>  Deadline: 15 Nov.
• 3 - 6 Dec >>  Deadline: 22 Nov.
• 10 - 13 Dec  >>  Deadline: 29 Nov.
• 7 - 10 Jan 2021 >>  Deadline: 22 Dec.
• 21 - 24 Jan 2021 >>  Deadline: 10 Jan 2021.

The story behind the concept
The idea of the eResidency program reflects the tradition of 18th and 19th-century travelers in Greece whose impressions greatly influenced artists and intellectuals back home. A famous example, the archaeologist and founder of the discipline of art history, Johann Joachim Winckelmann, never visited Greece but developed his approach based on travelers' accounts. German poets Goethe and Hölderlin found inspiration in Greek antiquity, although they had never visited the country. The rediscovery of "Greek aesthetics" in art, architecture, and fashion, and the revival of democracy in the age of Enlightenment was more a product of imagination than of physical presence.

Schedules and Options
Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the intensive eResidency takes place exclusively online; it consists of teleconference meetings, customized exercises, and individual advice. The tightly scheduled program consists of lectures, slideshows and videos, visual notes, group meetings, and personal coaching.

eResidents have the option to participate in the online show and/or the gallery show organized and curated by ZLR Betriebsimperium during SCHMUCK/Munich Jewelry Week_March 2021. eResidents of the Helen Programm also have the option to attend a physical Artist-In-Residence in Greece (Athens or Arcadia/Peloponnes) in Summer/Fall 2021 or Winter 2021/22. The eResidents' work will be presented in a special online event and in a special section of SM*CK Magazine for Independent Artists (March 2021 #Munich issue).

Goals and Promotions
Developing a narrative and a storyboard, a performance concept, and a choreography or an action script for an easy-to-do-it-yourself video is the feasible outcome of the workshop. Participants develop the concept, write the script, shoot and cut their video, even without prior knowledge or experience. Participants' videos will be published online and shared via social media.
Text and images will be published in SMCK Magazine.
A live streaming presentation of participants' work will also be scheduled instead of the usual (physical) exhibition opening.

Hours
From Greek mythology to narrative: 4 hours.
From Greek crafts (textile, jewelry, ceramics) to contemporary design: 2 hours.
Objects as performance inspiration: 1 hour.
Performance:  8 hours.
Video scenario: 3 hours.
Basic video techniques: 2 hours.
Individual coaching: 2 x 30 minutes per artist.
Homework required: 3 hours per day.
Total (workshops/coaching): 21 hours. Each session is one hour maximum with intermissions in between.

References
Helen's Dress online flipbook.
Helen's Dress participans' videos.
Article on KLIMT02, Helen's Dress E-Residency On Mythology, Embroidery, Performance And Gender.

Disciplines and topics
Visual artists, textile artists, jewellery artists and designers, fashion designers, writers, performers, dancers, choreographers. Daily workshops on mythology, history of culture, performance, Greek crafts, Greek traditional dress, Greek jewellery, narrative, and performance guide artists to prepare their own story, performance, and objects.

Accommodation / Studio / Workspace
Artist's home/studio. A good internet connection (teleconference, live streaming) is necessary.

Participation fee and support
350 €, paid by each participant.
We give letters of support to selected artists who wish to apply for funding. We do not provide funding.

Number of participants
Minimum 4 to maximum 8 artists.

Expectations towards the artist
Participants are asked to deliver a performance video and photo material of their work plus a short text profile (150 words). Text and pictures will be published in SM*CK Magazine.