Transvoyeur
is a cultural exchange between artists and art collectives
internationally.
Transvoyeur is a conduit between places. Moreover, it
is a recognition, foundation and support to contemporary
cultural activities manifested from what has gone before
and the references of the urban/rural fabric and people
of each place.
The resident places are each a fusion of hybridity,
cosmopolitan and conceived of multi-cultural facets
and globalised influences and ingredients. The city,
the place, semiotics of our own flesh, our own biological
residues through history founding the contemporary.
The concept originally founded by Gaynor Evelyn Sweeney
(Liverpool, England) in 2003, as an art initiative to
bring together twelve artists to promote international
discourse and exchange in the development of the contemporary
arts. Collectively forming Transvoyeur.
The first exchange from 2003 formed between Gaynor Evelyn
Sweeney and Michael Ricardo Andreev, each mediating
on groups of artists respectively in Liverpool and New
York. From the dialogue established this culminated
in an exhibition at the Liverpool Biennial 2004, reported
through various global publications and the art shown
on Channel 5, 'Liverpool Biennial', presented by Tim
Marlow, 2004.
The objectives of Transvoyeur to enable the artists
independently and collectively to realise further opportunities
from the press and media accomplished, such as London,
Berlin, Los Angeles and other art events, galleries
and curators who have taken an interest.
Management
Group: Transvoyeur UK
Gaynor
Evelyn Sweeney
UK Projects Co-ordinator |
|
George
Lund
Market and Cultural Research Manager |
|
Chris
Boyd
Digital Technology and New Media Curator/Researcher |
 |
Lucia
Andrea Sweeney
Associate Writer |
|
Andrew
Taylor
Associate Writer |
 |
History
of Art Collectives ...
An
artist collective is an initiative that is the result
of group of artists working together, usually under
their own management, towards shared aims. The aims
of an artists collective can include almost anything
that is relevant to the needs of the artist, this can
range from purchasing bulk materials, sharing equipment,
space or materials, through to following shared ideologies,
aesthetic and political views or even living and working
together as an extended family. The term collective
implies shared; ownership, risk, benefits and status,
on an equal basis within the group, as opposed to other,
more common business structures with an explicit hierarchy
of ownership such as an association or a company.
Artists
collectives have occurred throughout history, often
gathered around central resources, for instance the
ancient sculpture workshops at the marble quarries on
Milos in Greece and Carrara in Italy. Collectives featured
during both the Russian revolution when they were set
up by the state in all major communities, and the French
Revolution when the Louvre in Paris was occupied as
an artists collective.
More
traditional artist collectives tend to be smallish groups
of two to eight artists who produce work, either collaboratively
or as individuals toward exhibiting together in gallery
shows or public spaces. Often an artists collective
will maintain a collective space, for exhibiting or
as workshop or studio facilities. Some newer, more experimental
kinds of groups include intentional networks, anonymous,
connector, hidden or nested groups, and groups with
unconventional time-scales. Artist collectives may be
formed: For economic reasons, to give members volume
purchasing power and allow costs of publicity and shows
to be shared. For political reasons, to increase local
lobbying power for arts infrastructure, to gather behind
a cause or belief. For professional reasons, to develop
a higher group profile that benefits the individuals
by association, to create a hub for curators and commissioners
to more easily locate potential talent.
Artist
collectives are significant to the artists practice
in part because of the increased collective intelligence
made possible by the cross-combination of multiple creative
minds and disciplines, the cross-fertilisation of ideas
and approaches and also due to the social richness and
networking capacities involved.
