Can polyvocality live within the covers? What gets kept, and what gets crossed out in the making of decentralized archives? Through the previous questions, we aim to open up a dialogue around access to knowledge, infrastructures of everyday experiences trans(re)lated through ‘spoken word’, and the role of collaboration in artistic publishing practices.

— Decentralized Archives, Collaboration as Artistic & Publishing Practice, Ioannis Andronikidis and Jelena Prljević, HEKLER (New York, Užice)

Može li polivokalnost živeti između korica? Šta se čuva, a šta precrtava u stvaranju decentralizovanih arhiva? Kroz prethodna pitanja, cilj nam je da otvorimo dijalog oko pristupa znanju, infrastrukturi svakodnevnih iskustava prenetih kroz „izgovorenu reč“ i ulozi saradnje u umetničkim izdavačkim praksama.

— Decentralizovane arhive, saradnja kao umetničko-izdavačka praksa, Joanis Andronikidis i Jelena Prljević, HEKLER (Njujork, Užice)

In September of 2022, Hekler exhibited publications at the Athens Art Books Fair and took part in the Public Program, where Jelena Prljević and Ioannis Andronikidis gave a performance talk titled Decentralized Archives streamed by the Fade Radio. Through our talk, we aimed to open up a dialogue around access to knowledge, trans(re)lation, and collaboration in artistic publishing practices and share our work along with our newest publication, “Infrastructures of Care”, with the Athenian audience and so many dedicated artists, collectives, and publishers from all across the world.

We were able to trade our works and receive amazing contributions to the HEKLER Library in village Ljubanje, Serbia from countries such as Egypt (Esmat Publishes), Greece (The Athens Zine Bibliotheque, FRMK Magazine, a glimpse of – Dimitra Ioannou, Caterina Stamou, MPTARIA, futura), North Macedonia (Private Print), Albania (Pararoja, Olson Lamaj), UK (Morley House, Bookspeckham), Mexico (MAGMA), Turkey (NEON).

Our participation at the Fair and part of the publication printing costs were generously supported by Studio 6 Collective (SRB) Grant as an extension of Jelena Prljević’s participation in the project Gender equality creates cultural diversity, and the series of seminars that were focused on empowering and professional development of women artists, curators and cultural workers, organized by the Association Independent Cultural Scene Serbia (NKSS).

Much gratitude to Caterina Stamou and Panagiotis Vretos for the incredible hosting and support, and our brilliant hosts and organizers who held space for collective study, imagination, and worked towards informing presented publications (all available online): Nataša Prljević, Farideh Sakhaeifar, Jelena Prljević, Joshua Nierodzinski, Dena Al-Adeeb, Rashmi Viswanathan, Mandana Mansouri, Poupeh Missaghi, Eryka Dellenbach, Bojana Videkanić, Sonja Blum, Yunuen Rhi, Francis Estrada, Ramyar Vala, Palestinian Feminist Collective, Shimrit Lee, Hawa Allan, Sanja Vasić, Jovana Đajić, Nadežda Kirćanski, Milica Grbić.

U septembru 2022. godine, Hekler je izlagao publikacije na Atinskom sajmu umetničkih knjiga i učestvovao u javnom programu za koji su Jelena Prljević i Joanis Andronikidis održali predavanje performans pod nazivom Decentralizovani arhivi koje je emitovao Fade Radio. Kroz naše izlaganje, imali smo za cilj da otvorimo dijalog koji se tiče pristupa znanju, prevođenja i saradnji u umetničkim izdavačkim praksama, podelimo naš rad i najnoviju publikaciju, „Infrastrukture brige“, sa atinskom publikom, posvećenim umetnicima, kolektivima i izdavačima iz celog sveta.

Bili smo u mogućnosti da razmenimo svoje radove i dobijemo neverovatne priloge HEKLER biblioteci u selu Ljubanje u Srbiji iz zemalja kao što su Egipat (Esmat Publishes), Grčka (The Athens Zine Bibliotheque, FRMK Magazine, a glimpse of – Dimitra Ioannou, Caterina Stamou, MPTARIA, futura), Severna Makedonija (Private Print), Albanija (Pararoja, Olson Lamaj), UK (Morley House, Bookspeckham), Meksiko (MAGMA), Turska (NEON).

Naše učešće na Sajmu i deo troškova štampanja publikacija velikodušno je podržao Studio 6 Collective (SRB) kao produžetak učešća Jelene Prljević u projektu Rodna ravnopravnost stvara kulturnu raznolikost, a niz seminara usmerenih ka osnaživanju i stručnom usavršavanju umetnica, kustosa i kulturnih radnika, u organizaciji udruženja Nezavisna kulturna scena Srbije (NKSS).

Jako smo zahvalni Caterini Stamou i Panagiotisu Vretosu na neverovatnom gostoprimstvu i podršci, i našim sjajnim organizatorkama i saradnicima/cama koji su oformili prostor za kolektivno učenje i izmaštavanje time doprinoseći izloženim HEKLER publikacijama (sve dostupne online): Nataša Prljević, Farideh Sakhaeifar, Jelena Prljević, Joshua Nierodzinski, Dena Al-Adeeb, Rashmi Viswanathan, Mandana Mansouri, Poupeh Missaghi, Eryka Dellenbach, Bojana Videkanić, Sonja Blum, Yunuen Rhi, Francis Estrada, Ramyar Vala, Palestinian Feminist Collective, Shimrit Lee, Hawa Allan, Sanja Vasić, Jovana Đajić, Nadežda Kirćanski, Milica Grbić.

Photo Credit: Ioannis Andronikidis and Jelena Prljević

Athens Art Book Fair is an artist-run initiative aiming to bring together and showcase artist publications produced in Greece as well as to create a link with publishing-based artistic practices (print, online and else) internationally.

Fade Radio is a hybrid platform that experiments with diverse music approaches expressed through DJ sets, live performances, podcasts, and art-related projects. Aiming to build a community-oriented network, it operates as a core that aspires to support independent artists and creatives. By broadcasting online, Fade wishes to collect and interconnect a variety of sound forms, and explore the possibilities of the radio as a medium. BASED IN ATHENS, GR. Fade Radio is an independent initiative and it is listener supported. www.fade.radio

Jelena Prljević (Užice) is an artist from Serbia whose practice explores the field of drawing, moving image, and installation. Her work suggests an understanding of fear and the healing process necessary to overcome both internal and external unrest.She participated in many national and international group exhibitions, film festivals, and collaborative projects. In 2018, in NYC, along with artists Nataša Prljević and Joshua Nierodzinski she co-founded HEKLER platform and transnational collective that focuses on examination of hospitality and conflict. Website: www.jelenaprljevic.com

Yiannis Andronikidis is an art historian, writer, and translator currently based in Greece. After studying History, Archaeology, and History of Art at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, he completed his MA thesis Documented subjectivities, artistic autonomy, and the social register: critical analysis of Forensic Architecture’s vision at the Edinburgh College of Art. Parallel to his studies, he developed a keen interest in the (expanded) fields of photography, film, and writing, all of which he has been intertwining in his practice. He recently initiated an ongoing research project, Translation as (an) Archival Process, while writing, translating, and editing pieces around contemporary art, film, and literature. Website: https://yiannisandronikidis.com/

HEKLER is an artist-run platform and transnational community of artists, cultural workers and activists that foster critical and experimental examination of hospitality and conflict. They merge artistic, pedagogical, publishing and organizing strategies centering liberatory potential of collaborative and collective work.

Foto kredit: Janis Andronikidis i Jelena Prljević

Atinski sajam umetničkih knjiga je umetnička inicijativa koja ima za cilj da okupi i prikaže umetničke publikacije proizvedene u Grčkoj, kao i da stvori vezu sa umetničkim praksama zasnovanim na izdavaštvu (štampanim, onlajn i drugim) na međunarodnom nivou.

Fade Radio je hibridna platforma koja eksperimentiše sa različitim muzičkim pristupima izraženim kroz DJ setove, nastupe uživo, podkaste i projekte vezane za umetnost. Sa ciljem da izgradi mrežu koja se fokusira na zajednicu, funkcioniše kao jezgro koje teži da podrži nezavisne umetnike i kreativce. Emitovanjem onlajn, Fade želi da prikupi i poveže različite zvučne forme i istraži mogućnosti radija kao medija. SA SEDIŠTEM U ATINI, GR. Fade Radio je nezavisna inicijativa i ima podršku slušalaca. www.fade.radio

Jelena Prljević (Užice) je umetnica iz Srbije čija praksa istražuje oblast crteža, pokretne slike i instalacije. Njen rad sugeriše razumevanje straha i procesa isceljenja neophodnog za prevazilaženje unutrašnjih i spoljašnjih nemira. Učestvovala je na mnogim nacionalnim i međunarodnim grupnim izložbama, filmskim festivalima i saradničkim projektima. U Njujorku, 2018. godine, zajedno sa umetnicima Natašom Prljević i Džošuom Nierodzinskim, suosnivala je platformu HEKLER i transnacionalni kolektiv koji se fokusira na ispitivanje gostoprimstva i konflikta. Veb sajt: www.jelenaprljevic.com

Janis Andronikidis je istoričar umetnosti, pisac i prevodilac koji trenutno živi u Grčkoj. Nakon studija istorije, arheologije i istorije umetnosti na Aristotel univerzitetu u Solunu, završio je svoj magistarski rad Dokumentovane subjektivnosti, umetnička autonomija i društveni registar: kritičku analizu vizije Forenzičke arhitekture na Edinburškom koledžu umetnosti. Paralelno sa studijama, razvio je veliko interesovanje za (proširene) oblasti fotografije, filma i pisanja, koje je preplitao u svojoj praksi. Nedavno je pokrenuo istraživački projekat, Prevođenje kao arhivski proces, pored kog piše, prevodi i uređuje dela o savremenoj umetnosti, filmu i književnosti. Veb sajt: https://yiannisandronikidis.com/

HEKLER je umetnička platforma i transnacionalna zajednica umetnika/ca, kulturnih radnika/ca i aktivista/kinja koji neguju kritičko i eksperimentalno ispitivanje gostoprimstva i sukoba. Ona spaja umetničke, pedagoške, izdavačke i organizacione strategije usredsređene na oslobodilački potencijal zajedničkog i kolektivnog rada.