Films by Krsto Papić and Miroslav Mikuljan at Ajnhajtclub exhibition in Vienna
On Tuesday, July 6th, the Ajnhajtclub (Unity Club) exhibition opened in the frei_raum Q21 exhibition space in Vienna’s MuseumsQuartier. The exhibition marks Austria’s 50th anniversary of the contract with the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, which allowed for legal and voluntary migration of labor, and was the beginning of the Gastarbeiter (guest-worker) phenomenon.
The exhibition was created by artist and curator Bogomir Doringer, and will include the screening of films by two Croatian film directors: Specijalni vlakovi (Special Trains) by Krsto Papić (1971, Zagreb Film), and Putnici Eldorado Expressa (Travelers of the Eldorado Express) (1970) and Jesenice-Stuttgart etc... (1972) by Miroslav Mikuljan, both produced by Kinoklub Zagreb.
The exhibition explores the history of guest-workers within the context of workers social clubs, which were not only a place for nurturing or developing cultural identity or instilling a feeling of belonging, but also served as a vent for nostalgia towards the old homeland. Furthermore, the exhibition displays a colorful panorama of the Gastarbeiter phenomenon, from 3D avatars, through modern folklore and interactive performances to contemporary interventions, and focuses on the screening of Marta Popivoda’s film study on Yugoslavija: How Ideology Moved Our Collective Body, as well as gathers the works from artists from all parts of the former republic.
Entry to the exhibition, which runs until September 5th, is free.