Yearbook of the Independent Performing Arts Scene in Serbia - TkH

tion and heteronormativization in the Serbian society, its homophobia andproblems with capitalism. This ironic comedy-cabaret works in the fieldof dangerous battles for cultural hegemony – setting on stage marginalizedqueer, gay, and lesbian bodies, and inducing effects of displacement of fixedidentities. The origins of this performance relate to the traditional hostingof the Queer Festival in Belgrade, the annual target for new animosities andviolent reactions from the nationalist and fascist-leaning groups in Serbia.Feminist artivist performance works its way through the battlefield forequal opportunities women’s rights and critique of the patriarchal values ofthe Serbian society. In the street performance Ne mogu da odem, zato što…(I can not leave because…) (2008) touring ten Serbian cities during the16 Days of Activism Against Violence Against Women Campaign, the activistgroup Žene na delu engaged with ideologies of the Serbian patriarchalsociety confronted with gender violence as its daily experience. Thisperformance featured activists who resumed roles of victims of rape andother forms of violence – claiming that there is a way out of this ominouscircle. Scripts used in this campaign were adopted from statements ofthe victims of gender violence that the activists maintained contacts with.Environmental artivist performance deals with the issues of pollution andother violations of environmental balance. Through public actions andperformances, environmental activism is practiced by the PBP – Porodicabistrih potoka (The Clear Streams Family), environmental commune basedon Mount Rudnik. Through its para-ritual performances, this group advocatesthe ideas of return to and harmony with the ‘nature’, as a mode ofconfrontation with the world of mass communication, alienation, and urbanviolence. Beside their urban events, on the Rudnik mountain the communeannually hosts a performance art festival called Šumes.It is possible to address some of the activist practices in the contemporaryculture employing the term cultural-artistic actionism. Actionism impliesartistic interventions in public spaces, pursuing critique and, ultimately,changes within normative social or cultural systems. Led Art collective 23 ,known for their actionist engagement throughout the 90s, in 2008 hostedthe action Iz pepela muzej (From Ash to Museum) as a tribute to theirproject IkonoMAHIJA ili Torpedom u Led (IconoMACHY or Torpedo the Ice)(Belgrade, 1998). Referring to the 90s’ situation Led Art responded to thecurrent cultural issues and cultural policies. During the campaign Iz pepelamuzej 76 art pieces were burnt, works by local artists previously recordedand archived – their ashes later to be scattered over the Novi Sad sculpturepark and foundations of the Contemporary Art Museum. Famous provo-23 http://www.ledart.org.yu