History

Australian band Dirty Three, as well as their front man Warren Ellis; French band Ez3kiel, and Croatian band Darko Rundek & his Cargo Orchestra (to name just a few) have all chosen the facilities to write, record and perform their music. Numerous visual, video and performing artists, writers, photographers, and designers have also been drawn to this unique creative space. The venue even hosted a birthday party for the esteemed French philosopher Alain Badiou, with the help of his colleague Jacques Rancière.

Ablon is close to Paris’ city centre, yet still completely isolated.It has a history as a birthplace for exquisite art and a thoroughly welcoming ambience. Its stone walls create an amazing acoustic. And, handily, there are no neighbors to complain about noise!

Clear and Present Danger

For the last two decades, the French branch of SKROZ, a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit under French law, has been leasing the building from the French Rail Network (RFF). In the last X years, maintenance costs have grown so high that SKROZ can no longer both care for the venue and offer it to artists at affordable fees.

Unless we can swiftly make l’ancienne gare marchande self-sustainable (and by “swiftly,” we mean within the next two months), the venue will be either torn down or converted into commercial storage. Yet another valuable and historic arts space will be lost.

Future

We are now seeking vital support to not only preserve the Gare d’Ablon, but to turn it into a residency venue that will enable artists from all over the world to have a space in Paris, the arts capital of Europe, that can be used for both work and cultural events.

In order to achieve that, we need to renovate and refurbish the space.  It has to be made habitable as well as fun to work in. The necessary permits must be applied for and obtained.  Most importantly, we hope to build a network of supporters that will enable us to acquire the building from its current owner.

With your help, Ablon’s currently single 100m² large and 8m high atelier, with separate kitchen and bathroom, would turn into a two-tiered double bedroom residency with a 100m² of co-working space, sound studio and a garden to match.

All improvements will be done to the highest environmental standards, and the mezzanine will be built exclusively out of re-usable wooden blocks in to create both warm & functional environments, as well as keep the unique acoustics of the space.

Every three months, there will be an open call for applications, with successful applicants being offered a residency in Ablon, with lengths varying from a week to a month.

The residents would then be able to live and work in Ablon, just a 15 minutes RER C ride away from Place Saint Michel in Paris. The atelier is a delightful environment for workshops, presentations, meetings and social gatherings.

Furthermore, we will create a communication platform and a newsletter for the Art Residency Station @ Ablon alumni, so our past and future tenants can share both their work and plans, creatingnew partnerships on their own.

Not All Contributions Need to be $!

We are excited and thankful that you’ve read this far. We are immensely grateful if you chose to donate to our vision. If you can’t, we’re very grateful for your interest – and we ask you to please help us get the word out!

Please like us on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/theskroz

Please follow us on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/betaskroz

Please follow us on Instagram:

http://instagram.com/skroz

Pass the word along about our Indiegogo campaign using its share tools!

And, Thank You.

after ‘ Book of Orgasms’ by  Nin Andrews

authors  & directors: Nora Krstulović & Vedran Peternel

performers: Ines Cokarić, Ivica Gunjača, Zvonko Hrabar, Sanja Mataga, Vedran Peternel, Adriana Šnajder, Šime Zanze
composer: Vedran Peternel
set-designer: SKROZ
light designer: Saša Fistrić
sound designer: Vedran Peternel
visuals by: Klasja Habjan & Zita Nakić
producer: Nora Krstulović
production assistant: Stjepo Mihaica

song ‘ ‘Budi žena’ by Damir Avdić is performed within the show with kind permission of the author

produced by:  SKROZ & Studio Kubus in partnership with Scena Travno

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SHOW by Julio Frangen

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VISUALS

REHEARSALS @ SCENA TRAVNO

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REHEARSALS @ STUDIO KUBUS

«Sometimes we are absolutely ready. Always at the wrong time, but sometimes it could be the right time. We look at each other and we know. Time to take off our clothes. »

Nora Krstulović & Vedran Peternel, or  SKROZ, a duo that in 2011 created @BetaSkroz, the first performance ever that took place simultaneously on social networks (Instagram, Twitter & SoundCloud) and live onstage, and then, last summer,  established Maštodrom, a whole new theatre program for children and young people, return once again to an adult audience.

Their new project entitled ‘Forest, timber, hardly, quite’ was adapted from ‘Book of Orgasms’, an underground cult classic by Nin Andrews, a book that critics claim to be a unique blend of the influences of Swift, Borges and – Buñuel.

Just two weeks after the opening night of @BetaSkroz, in which Twitter, Instagram & SoundCloud,  were on equal foot with speech, movement or music, this unique project gets one if its print versions.

Show, in which performers take part with both their physical and digital identities, premiered on September 18th in front of live on-line audience as well the one at a secret location inZagreb,Croatia.

DataPorn is a collection of its documentation in tweets, instagrams, photos, texts and – stats.

Photos, timelines, data and – more data.

You can download your own free copy of  DataPorn vol.1 (5.02Mb) here.