Eneka Fernández is a coordinator of the Creative Library at the International Centre for Contemporary Art Tabakalera in San Sebastián, a founder of the Fanzinart platform and an art historian. In June and July, the resident from San Sebastián is introduced to Wrocław-based independent publishers and self-publishing artists. She also participates in a series of meetings focusing on identifying problems and providing possible solutions in the field of self-publishing.
Fernández has talked about the local photography scene with Maciej Bujko from the TIFF Center, and about the idea of releasing an issue of “Cegła” magazine dedicated to Basques with Karol Pęcherz from the Tymoteusz Karpowicz Foundation and the Tajne Komplety bookstore. She has also met Magdalena Kreis – a cultural organiser and editor of “Zin Ołbin”, Dominika Łabądź at her multimedia graphic design studio Dzikie Przyjemności, as well as Magda Brumirska-Zielińska from the Wrocławski Program Wydawniczy, and Dawid Bargenda and Krzysztof Solarewicz from the Ośrodek Postaw Twórczych.
Meeting with the residential artist
The talks with local artists that took place in June and July will be summed up during the meeting People, places, stories that will take place on Saturday, 9th July at 7 p.m. at TIFF Center. Fernández will speak about her collection of photo books, zines and other original publications, and present the most interesting examples – not only from Spain. One of the books she will discuss is a series of photographs by Jonás Bela, depicting El Palentino, a legendary bar in Madrid, and its regulars. What the positions in her collection have in common is the very dimension of the stories they tell, often personal and moving, as they refer to people, places, journeys and objects. At the meeting, the Basque artist will also present the authors of publications, places and initiatives shaping the local self-publishing scene that she discovered in the course of her residency in Wrocław.
Self-publishing lab
Eneka Fernández’s residential visit to Wrocław is organised withing the framework of the AIR Wro programme. In 2019, part of its summer edition is dedicated to the phenomenon of self-publishing. Along with two other artists – Raisa Álava and Irène Mélix – the Basque resident will explore Wrocław’s independent circles and initiatives active in this field.
The Basques have been invited to Wrocław for another year in a row. In previous years, thanks to the cooperation between the Culture Zone Wrocław (formerly the ECoC Wrocław 2016 Office) and the Etxepare Basque Institute, twelve artists have already been hosted as part of the AIR Wro programme. Basque artists Eneka Fernández and Raisa Álava were selected for the first time not on the basis of an open call for applications, but the recommendations prepared jointly by both institutions.
