It seems the crisis is escalating. Chris > From: <[log in to unmask]> > Date: 23 June 2006 5:12:32 PM > To: <[log in to unmask]> > Subject: Press release no. 2: Manifesta > > Press Release no 2 > Amsterdam, 23 June 2006 > > For immediate Release: > > Manifesta 6 curators now individually attacked by Nicosia officials > > Dear colleagues and friends, > > International Foundation Manifesta (IFM) is deeply saddened by the > recent cancellation of Manifesta 6 by local officials in Nicosia, > Cyprus. We are also outraged by this blatant lack of respect for the > work of the more than 100 young artists and writers from all parts of > the world who were selected by the curators to take part in this > amazing project. International Foundation Manifesta categorically > rejects all attempts to censor or misuse culture to serve a specific > political agenda, and calls on cultural producers and institutions to > protest at this gross violation of freedom of expression and > political persecution of cultural producers. > > By definition, Manifesta, the European Biennial for Contemporary Art, > is a roving exhibition that seeks to create venues for art in European > countries that will lend their own, site-specific qualities to the > project, changing it each time it moves. The goal of Manifesta is, > every two years, to explore the conditions of cultural production in a > different, and, therefore, challenging place, as well as to create a > new venue, where local artists and intellectuals can participate in a > shared European artistic discourse. Precisely for this reason, after a > long period of research and development both by the International > Foundation Manifesta and its Cypriot partners, Manifesta 6 came to be > located in Nicosia, Cyprus. > > Nicosia is a city divided into Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot > sectors, separated by the Green Line - a demilitarised zone maintained > by the UN. It was impossible to move from one sector of the city to > the other until a number of crossing points were opened in > 2003. Manifesta 6 in Nicosia and the surrounding region was intended > to serve as an index of change through the development of sustainable > relationships with the local and regional communities. At the time > when planning was still in its early stages, the International > Foundation Manifesta drew up contracts with the host organisation, > Nicosia for Art Ltd. (NFA) - a special legal entity set up by > representatives of the Municipality of Nicosia and the Cypriot > Ministry of Culture and Education to administer Manifesta 6 - > determining the scope of their responsibility to Manifesta 6, and > defining their role as the facilitators of the project in Nicosia, who > would provide the core organisation and assist the curators with the > choice of venues, on both sides of the Green Line. Since the North > Turkish Republic of Cyprus and its government are not recognised under > international law, the Cypriot parties entrusted with organising > Manifesta 6 were drawn from the Greek-Cypriot authorities, though > every effort was made at the time to ensure that the IFM’s partners > would be willing, and able, to collaborate fully with their neighbours > to the North and enable Manifesta 6 to take place in both communities. > > Sadly, now it is the very specifics of the Nicosia location, which > drew Manifesta 6 to Nicosia, that have been cited as a principal > reason for its cancellation. Despite the early and explicit intention > of all parties to hold the exhibition on both sides of the Green Line, > in both the Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot sectors, the local > authorities in Nicosia have abruptly terminated the contracts of all > three curators, Mai Abu ElDahab, Anton Vidokle and Florian Waldvogel, > and taken legal action against both the International Foundation > Manifesta and each of the curators individually, for sticking to their > intention to hold a part of the project on the Turkish-Cypriot side of > the city. Moreover, this legal action is aimed at preventing any part > of the project from being realised in any form, anywhere, at any > future date – thereby, effectively aiming to eradicate all the work > carried out on this project by all its numerous participants over the > last 18 months. For these reasons, the IFM maintains that Nicosia for > Art is in flagrant breach of its contractual obligations. > > The International Foundation Manifesta, as a non-profit organisation, > is entirely dependent on outside funding and has no resources of its > own. For this reason, it is in the process of setting up a legal > defence fund, to protect both itself and the curators from the > litigation of Nicosia for Art. Manifesta welcomes any and all support > in this time of crisis, and appreciates the efforts that have already > been made on its behalf. > All enquiries or offers of support should, please, be directed to: > > International Foundation Manifesta > Amsterdam, the Netherlands > e-mail: [log in to unmask] > Tel: +31 (0)20 672 1435 > > Please also note that a discussion of issues and opinions pertaining > to Manifesta 6 can now take place at the International Foundation > Manifesta’s website at: http://www.manifesta.org/forum/