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Offspace SOSCASTOA / Ottogracht 2, Ghent
https://www.facebook.com/pages/SOSCASTOA-/255290811220132
http://soscastoa.tumblr.com

SOSCASTOA, founded in 2011, experiments with the different ratios in the triangular relationship between artist, curator and the public. They create space for young, upcoming artists, provide a research platform for curators and propose an openness leading to an accessible programming. Based in the old city library in Ghent as their temporary space, they transform the empty building into a vibrant meetingpoint where both workspace and exhibitionspace are combined.

The exhibition on 31th of august was the result of an artist-in-residence program during the summer months july and august 2012. Eight upcoming artists could chose a workspace in the former city library. The artists were inspired by the mystique of the space and were involved in the evolution of each others work. Work and presentation came together with free public acces during the two months of the residency. In that way the space became an arena for exhibition combined with public dialogue. The point was to experiment with the influence of the audience in the process of an idea/work, rather than to present a finished artwork. And what happens when the artist is also the curator ?

Besides the finissage they made ISSUE#2, a publication with eight reflections of eight ‘visitors’ (artists or critics). These visitors were asked to make a visual or textual reflection on the work of one of the exhibiting artists. They hardly got any information, just like the main visitor, and in that sence made an unprejudiced interpretation of the presented work. The visitor, who reads the publication, compares his/her interpretation with the one in the publication, agrees or rejects what is offered.