During Viva La Renovations last day in Skt. Petersburg we hosted an exhibition with the art pieces created earlier during the week. Before opening the doors for the exhibition we had a last “Trash-art-workshop” with the childrens from School 631 in Skt. petersburg. The Workshop had different teambuilding elements, dancing sessions all combined with joy and smiles. The two Dance performers from Viva, Rami Mohammed and Tanja Zabell taught different dance moves and choreography.
For the art exhibition Klaus Sørensen from the Danish General Consulate participated together with Rikke Helms from the Danish cultural institution and our partners from Loft Etagi. There was an atmosphere of acknowledgement between the two organizations in the room. Furthermore Jakob Korsby(The Cultural Institute) and Ditte Steffensen(the Consulate General) where acknowledged for their participation.
Thursday at noon the performers from Viva La Renovation started a journey through the gardens of the Russian Museum, which broad impressions from pre 20th century classic and more contemporary garden installations. Throughout the trip more and more dancing and drumming children joined the group – a lively, colorful and playful caravan was established.
Meanwhile in the other end of the park two artists nicely dressed in green suits from Viva La Renovation was drawing a lot of attention as they were doing a live art show. The intention of this was to underline that environmental action also can takes place in the arts and in the creation of such.
When the caravan stopped beneath the monumental stairs of the Russian Museum it consisted of around five hundred energetic and smiling participants. Children were dancing and singing the easy applicable “Viva, viva La renovation” theme song and the elders followed smilingly in the background. With a high energy level between Viva La Renovation and its audience two dancing sessions was held. These got great support as many people participated.
To round off Christian Gade Bjerrum held a speech, directed to the many Russian children and adults that had now gathered in front of the Russian Museum.
Different journalists took part of the performance, among them where Mathilde Kimer who produced this show for Danish National Television: click here to see it.
In a joint cooperation between artists and performers from Viva La Renovation a workshop in Loft Project Etagis huge gallery space was created.
Around noon 35 pupils from an environmental school in St. Petersburg arrived in the galleryspace.
The purpose was to let the children learn about sustainability through the creation of art from recycling materials and plant a seed in their consciousness about the possibilities in recycling. Also the intention was to give the children a positive and playful experience.
Three hours later we could look back at times with smiles, joy and the creation of spectacular artpieces. In this creation we experienced the kids taking control of the process. Meanwhile the children took part of games and dances with a sustainable focus.
Viva La Renovation was welcomed in Pulkova Airport yesterday by our host from the Danish Cultural Institute Jakob Korsby. The meeting between the two organizations has long been awaited as planning started already in January. The bus trip from the airport and a round trip showed us brownish outskirts of the city, cryptic letters on cryptic signs, onion topped churches, monumental concrete condominiums, old prams on long canals, ladas, smog, beautiful people. It is all here. Viva La Renovation has landed in Russia. Loft Project Etagi is our home, our workplace and our studio. Its lo-fi industrial settings offer a perfect setting for the workshops and the exhibitions. The artists have been working all night surrounded by reused carton, tape, tools, little light and high energy in the yard of Loft Project Etagi to get ready for today. Outside the window you now hear the sound of a djimpe and yields from the performers mixed with the sound of bursting St Petersburg. In one hour 20 children in the age from 11-14 will arrive. We look forward to play with them. Photos from our first day settleling in Skt. Petersburg! // Tanya being colorful in the streets // // Rami next to Policeman checking out the streets // // The garden where we will preform the coming days // // Decoration in the streets of skt. Petersburg // // When rain hits the streets of skt. PetersBurg // // Alan the artist watching Art @ Loft E. //
Introduction
The Danish Cultural Institute in Saint Petersburg and the Consulate General of Denmark would like to raise awareness on Denmark being the host of COP15 in December. For that purpose they have invited the Danish environmental, art-group, Viva La Renovation, to make happenings, from May 26 to May 29 in St. Petersburg. This will happen in collaboration with the art gallery, Loft Project Etagi and the Russian Museum. The happenings will have green and sustainable foci, which will be expressed through art, music, performance and dance.
Background
In December 2009 Denmark is hosting The UN Climate Conference, COP15, in Copenhagen. The World’s leaders will meet and discuss how their country can contribute to the rescue of our planet. Urgent decisions and agreements must be made between nations in order to comprehend the climate challenges we are facing.
Furthermore Denmark is hosting the World Business Summit (May 24–26), where CEO’s from international cooperations will discuss how they can help solving the climate crisis.
We, the politicians of the world have responsibility to reach
a truly global climate change agreement in Copenhagen in
December 2009. But it is the business society that can deliver
the tools to turn our vision into reality. Business can provide
the clever solutions to make it possible to live in a both modern
and sustainable society” Connie Hedegaard – Minister of Climate and Energy, Denmark
Loft Project Etagi
… is a multifunctional space that consolidates under one roof: contemporary art galleries, show rooms, a Hostel, the LoftWineBar and the one and only vegetarian restaurant in Russia www.loftprojectetagi.ru
The Russian Museum
… is a unique depository of artistic treasures, a famous restoration centre, an authoritative of academic research. For the second time The Russian Museum is hosting ”The Imperial Gardens of Russia, ll International Festival”.
(Viva La Renovation will be joining this event on the 28th of May). www.igardens.ru www.rusmuseum.ru
Outcomes Viva La Renovation strongly believes in the saying: ”Act local, think global!”
The collaboration between Project Loft Etagi, The Russian Museum, The Danish Cultural Institute, The General Consulate and Viva La Renovation will impact on both local and interational levels .
The impact on the audiences and participants of the various events will also take place on local and international levels and hopefully it will contribute to the social environments of St. Petersburg.
The artists will benefit from broadening their networks, gain inspiration and creativity.
With this project Viva La Renovation wishes to generate a greater awareness about the climate change and point out, that this is a serious matter that involves all of us.
Viva La Renovation is the making of getting ready for the first International preformace! -this will happen in Saint Petersburg in Russia! On this site you will be able to see pictures and follow our work!
feel free to comment and make your remarks! spread the word or just plant a tree…
Less trash and more music! -spread love and peace! see you in Russia!
// Tanya being colorful in the streets // 
// Decoration in the streets of skt. Petersburg // 
// When rain hits the streets of skt. PetersBurg // 
// Alan the artist watching Art @ Loft E. //
