How to develop honest reciprocity? That was the implicit main question during the Cairo Residency Symposium in March 2009. Three days 86 representatives of the artist-in-residence sector from the Middle East, Africa and Europe gathered in the Townhouse Gallery in Downtown Cairo. The symposium was organized by Townhouse Gallery and the Netherlands Foundation for Visual Art, Design & Architecture
Trans Artists was happy to participate. Erik Hagoort reports his impressions of the main topics and highlights. Photos of the symposium are by Kaldasian Arts Photography.
Pursuit of Reciprocity
Reciprocity can easily turn into a slogan, covering up differences and limiting its meaning to an exchange of the same. During the symposium however there was a true pursuit of reciprocity, trying to acknowledge differences in relations.
No obligations: no commitment?
'Residencies tied to exhibitions and production' raise questions about the reasons for demanding tangible results: commitment, money, networking?
Pressure Cooker versus Roaming About
One of the group sessions on the second day of the symposium was about the theme Short-term Residencies: Cultural tourist or resident artist? A clear distinction appeared between those who valued the pressure cooker intensity of short-term residencies and those who praised the possibility of long-term residencies to dwell and roam about, to let experiences sink in.
A more extensive report by the organization can be found on the website Cairo Residency Symposium
