THE MISSION OF 'CONTRA DIBIDOM'

Slovenian artists in Belgrade

AIM, Belgrade, April 5, 1995

Belgrade audience which came last Monday to the Bitef theatre, was shocked: from a bathtub full of melted chocolate, a nude fashion model emerged, walked down the track illuminated by reflectors while the sweet dark mass oozed down her body. And then she began spattering the chocolate around the audience.

The fashion model was that night actually wearing the "creation" of a Slovenian artist, Leonora Mark, one of the participants of "Contra Dibidon", a return visit of artists from Ljubljana to Belgrade. Artists from Belgrade were in a similar visit in the capital of Slovenia in September last year, when their "mission" was called "Dibidon". Both manifestations were organized through the agency of the Soros Fund Yugoslavia and "Open Society" Institute of Slovenia.

The Slovenians arrived in Belgrade on the last day of March, in a "contingent" which amounted to about fifty people. They stayed for six days and during that time presented a part of what was happening on the alternative Slovenian scene.

Theatre in the Street

"Contra Dibidon" began with the opening ceremony of an exhibition in the redecorated cinema "Reks". The exhibition presented the alternative group called "Strip kor", photographer Frenk Fidler, Centre of Alternative Culture in Ljubljana, Miran Presic with his masks, Dusan Sustarcic with his scultures and Rok Siberer with musical video spots.

Although the event was practically not advertised, citizens of Belgrade arrived in large numbers, obviously interested in communication with the guests from Slovenia. These people from Ljubljana sold the cartoon magazine called "Stripburger", played CD of the musical band called "2.2.2.7" with a morbid title "No brains, no tumours", and handed out postcard - graffitoes of the "Strip kor". It was merry, and the fact that the guests were treated free drinks contributed to the pleasant atmosphere.

The following day, an exhibition of the architect Jurij Krpan titled "Metaphysics of the City" was opened, and an exhibition of photographs by Mija Fras, Sinisa Lopojda and Igor Andjelic. There was a theatre performance called "Kuci Sibajuci" and a dancing performance "Potohodniki".

The Slovenians then went out into the street and established a direct contact with the people in Belgrade. The group "Autodafe" and its first man, Matjaz Pikalo, downtown Belgrade, in the beginning of Knez Mihajlova street gave a kind of a popular theatre performance accompanied by tin trumpets, an accordian, an exotic instrument known in these parts as the "drndafon", and with the help of an enormous tin loudspeaker. At first, some fifty puzzled passers-by watched suspiciously the mottled three-man band, but when Pikalo stood next to the advertisement which reads "Keep in touch" and said - this is a very good message, we must really keep in touch - tension disappeared.

Nevertheless, the most crowded event was the already mentioned fashion show of Leonora Mark. Bitef theatre was packed, and about a hundred interested citizens remained outside. Those present could see fashion creations made of sugar cotton, small balls for decorating cakes, marzipan flowers, coconut flour, melted chocolate - all that deposited directly on the naked skin of the fashion models.

On the last day of their stay, a meeting of editors of Belgrade and Ljubljana reviews for culture was convened, Juri Krpan gave a lecture titled "Investigation of Limits of Urbanism", and there was a concert called "Evening of New Music". The program was planned to be more comprehensive, but some of the events were cancelled, mainly due to problems in transportation between Belgrade and Ljubljana.

Six-Month Long Preparations

The greatest problem in organizing "Contra Dibidon" was transportation. This was certified by the coordinator for arts and culture of the Soros Centre for Modern Arts in Belgrade, Svetlana Djukic.

• Preparations for the arrival of the Slovenian group lasted six months, and it was difficult to coordinate the schedules of the artists. There were no political problems, nor was there any procrastinations about issuing of visas - Svetlana Djukic says. - The aim of our action was not only to present the artistic life of Ljubljana to Belgrade, but to establish cooperation among the artists, which should continue without intercession of the Soros fund of the two states.

Although the interest for communication between Ljubljana and Belgrade exists, we heard from Slovenian artists that there had been a lot of doubt among their colleagues whether they should come to the capital of the state which was at war, with which there were no established official relations. A certain number of people agreed to come at first, then changed their minds and decided not to come in the midst of preparations for the visit.

A dancer and choreographer, Ms. Suzana Koncut, who could be seen by citizens of Belgrade in the performance "Potohodnik", however, had no doubts what so ever.

• These are the situations when this type of communication is necessary, it is inevitable and unavoidable. If the system changes, people cannot change completely. If we do not communicate, it will be easy for the false images to take root, which is already the case: you think that Slovenians are conceited, full of money, and the Slovenians believe that all the Serbs support the policy pursued by this state. I do not think this is true and that is why I came to see for myself what it is like, Suzana Koncut says.

She adds that she has recently heard about a slogan about the "national substance" of Slovenians launched in Slovenia.

• I think that this is very dangerous, because if you begin talking about a national substance, you are not too far from Hitler. I have Slovenian origin, I do things that are recognized as works of Slovenian culture, but I will never say - I am a Slovenian, a Slovenian, a Slovenian and different from the others. Culture, language, these things are important, but it is more important that you are open to all the people, she believes.

Openness was in fact the idea which started the whole project. In the foreward for the catalogue which accompanied "Contra Dibidon", Vuk Cosic, the initiator of the manifestation says: "Certain modern methods of research, among which one should mention common sense, show that another form of communication is possible. This new school of thought is imposing itself at numerous internet - debate groups, and it gradually acquires firm outlines. The conclusion all included thinkers share is - the dialogue is interactive. Modest festivals Dibidon BG-LJ and Contra Dibidon LJ-BG are attempts to show faith in this idea".

Vesna Radivojevic