Elena Veljanovska (b. 1979, Skopje) is a freelance curator and cultural manager. Since 2003 she is actively working in the cultural sector on national and international projects. In 2006 graduates at the Art History and archaeology Faculty in Skopje, Macedonia. Her first working experience is in the Cultural Center Tocka, Skopje (2003- 2006), then in 2006 she has founded Line I+M, platform for new media art and technology which she directs until 2010. In 2009 she was a guest-curator in Stedefreund gallery in Berlin and a co-curator of the Macedonian Pavilion at the 53 International Art exhibition in Venice. In 2010-11 works as part of the team behind SEAFAIR – Electronic arts festival ’10th and ‘11th edition, in Skopje. Between 2012 – 2014 she was actively involved in the creation of the Association of the Independent cultural scene JADRO, in 2014, she was the Art director of the first edition of Paratissima, the first art fair in Skopje. Since 2012, she is a executive director of the Association of citizens Kontrapunkt, Skopje. In 2014 she moves to Berlin, continuing to initiate and produce projects in Macedonia and the Balkan region, and specifically being focused on the latest project by Kontrapunkt, CRIC Festival for critical culture, taking place in autumn in Skopje. Currently she works and lives in Berlin, Germany.
Curatorial work (selection)
12.2016, "Archives of violence", Chifte Hammam-National Galelry of Macedonia, Skopje, Macedonia
03.2015, “Observations: Light”, Abbaye aux Dammes, Caen, France
06.2014, Paratissima Skopje main Exhibition, “Connections”, Youth Cultural Center, Skopje, Macedonia
10.2011, “Soft borders” exhibition, part of the 4th meeting of Upgrade! International, UNESP – Campus São Paulo, Brazil
06.2011, “Public | Private, taking space ---> making space”, 4 day public art project with: public interventions, workshops, lectures, Skopje
2010, “Creative cities, artistic towns and artistic villages”, travelling exhibition in Prishtina, Sarajevo, Amsterdam and Skopje.
07.2009, "The World Within" - exhibition, screenings and discussion - Stedefreund, Berlin, Germany
06.2009, “My Sunshine” by Nikola Uzunovski, Macedonian pavilion at the 53rd International art exhibition, Venice, Italy
06.2006, "Citism", exhibition, press to exit project space, Skopje, Macedonia and Mobile Studios project by Public Art Lab, Sofia, Bulgaria
Projects (selection)
2016 - 2017, KRIK Festival for critical culture
2015 - 2017, "Aesthetic education Expanded"
2012 – 2014, "Aesthetic Education Expanded: Artistic Experimentation And Political Culture In The Age Of Networks"
2011, “Re-locate”, travelling workshops in Plovdiv, Athens, Skopje, Prizren and Prishtina.
2011, Film making workshop 'Who is afraid of the Big, Bad Crisis', in Tirana, Skopje and Athens.
2010 - 2012, ‘Time Inventor’s cabinet’
2010, Workshop “New geographies” by Michelle Teran
2007 - 2009, Upgrade! Skopje, monthly new media events and meetings as part of the Upgrade! International network meetings
2008, 'Chain reaction', 3rd meeting of the Upgrade! International network, Skopje.
2007 - 2009, 'Consumer vs. User', new media workshops program
Publishing (selection)
2016, “Macedonian ‘Antiquisation’ and German ‘Critical reconstruction’: Two cultures of the past”, Nationless, Institute of social sciences and humanities, Skopje
2016, “Dry river”, Elena Veljanovska, exhibition by Ivan Ivanovski, Prima Center, Berlin
2016, “Carbon Memories”, Elena Veljanovska, published for the exhibition catalogue “Carbon memories”, Kristina Pulejkova, Museum of Contemporary Art, Skopje
2015, “Observations: Light”, Newspaper Spring 2015, Zak | Branicka gallery, Berlin
2015, “Observations: Light”, exhibition catalogue, Abbeye Aux Dammes, Caen, France
2015, “The Invisible glue of the independent cultural scene”, published in the exhibition catalogue ‘Balkon zum Balkan’, curated by Ksenija Čočkova, Staatliche Kunsthalle Baden-Baden
2014, “About a stone”, exhibition catalogue “About a stone” by Fleur Helluin, Osten Galerija, Skopje
2013, “The Festival as a Microphysics of Power” (Foucault)”, Biljana Tanurovska - Kjulavkovski, Elena Veljanovska and Ivana Vaseva, published in: Parallel Slalom, A lexicon of non-aligned poetics, ed. Bojana Cvejic, Goran Sergej Pristas, Walking Theory – TkH, Belgrade and CDU- Centre for Drama Arts, Zagreb, p. 354
2011, “Re-locate”, exhibition catalogue, Apartment project, Istanbul
2009, “My Sunshine- The work of Nikola Uzunovski”, Golemoto staklo, art magazine of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Skopje
Teaching / Training
06.2014, Co- trainer with Mira Gacina, 2 day workshop “Creating an artistic portfolio”, Mobile Gallery, Skopje, Macedonia
06.2013, Co-trainer with Menno Weijs: 7 day training course for young cultural managers “Underground voices”, Eersel, The Netherlands
2011 and 2010, Course leader, “Painterly in New Media Art”, “VOA - Contemporary Art E-learning program”, Germany-Mexico
05.2007, 2- day workshop “Street art”, Konstruktor festival for urban arts, Skopje
05.2006, Lecture, “Emerging globalization, case: Skopje”, Part of the HTMLLes export 2 festival, Sofia, Bulgaria
*Full CV on request
Curatorial work (selection)
12.2016, "Archives of violence", Chifte Hammam-National Galelry of Macedonia, Skopje, Macedonia
03.2015, “Observations: Light”, Abbaye aux Dammes, Caen, France
06.2014, Paratissima Skopje main Exhibition, “Connections”, Youth Cultural Center, Skopje, Macedonia
10.2011, “Soft borders” exhibition, part of the 4th meeting of Upgrade! International, UNESP – Campus São Paulo, Brazil
06.2011, “Public | Private, taking space ---> making space”, 4 day public art project with: public interventions, workshops, lectures, Skopje
2010, “Creative cities, artistic towns and artistic villages”, travelling exhibition in Prishtina, Sarajevo, Amsterdam and Skopje.
07.2009, "The World Within" - exhibition, screenings and discussion - Stedefreund, Berlin, Germany
06.2009, “My Sunshine” by Nikola Uzunovski, Macedonian pavilion at the 53rd International art exhibition, Venice, Italy
06.2006, "Citism", exhibition, press to exit project space, Skopje, Macedonia and Mobile Studios project by Public Art Lab, Sofia, Bulgaria
Projects (selection)
2016 - 2017, KRIK Festival for critical culture
2015 - 2017, "Aesthetic education Expanded"
2012 – 2014, "Aesthetic Education Expanded: Artistic Experimentation And Political Culture In The Age Of Networks"
2011, “Re-locate”, travelling workshops in Plovdiv, Athens, Skopje, Prizren and Prishtina.
2011, Film making workshop 'Who is afraid of the Big, Bad Crisis', in Tirana, Skopje and Athens.
2010 - 2012, ‘Time Inventor’s cabinet’
2010, Workshop “New geographies” by Michelle Teran
2007 - 2009, Upgrade! Skopje, monthly new media events and meetings as part of the Upgrade! International network meetings
2008, 'Chain reaction', 3rd meeting of the Upgrade! International network, Skopje.
2007 - 2009, 'Consumer vs. User', new media workshops program
Publishing (selection)
2016, “Macedonian ‘Antiquisation’ and German ‘Critical reconstruction’: Two cultures of the past”, Nationless, Institute of social sciences and humanities, Skopje
2016, “Dry river”, Elena Veljanovska, exhibition by Ivan Ivanovski, Prima Center, Berlin
2016, “Carbon Memories”, Elena Veljanovska, published for the exhibition catalogue “Carbon memories”, Kristina Pulejkova, Museum of Contemporary Art, Skopje
2015, “Observations: Light”, Newspaper Spring 2015, Zak | Branicka gallery, Berlin
2015, “Observations: Light”, exhibition catalogue, Abbeye Aux Dammes, Caen, France
2015, “The Invisible glue of the independent cultural scene”, published in the exhibition catalogue ‘Balkon zum Balkan’, curated by Ksenija Čočkova, Staatliche Kunsthalle Baden-Baden
2014, “About a stone”, exhibition catalogue “About a stone” by Fleur Helluin, Osten Galerija, Skopje
2013, “The Festival as a Microphysics of Power” (Foucault)”, Biljana Tanurovska - Kjulavkovski, Elena Veljanovska and Ivana Vaseva, published in: Parallel Slalom, A lexicon of non-aligned poetics, ed. Bojana Cvejic, Goran Sergej Pristas, Walking Theory – TkH, Belgrade and CDU- Centre for Drama Arts, Zagreb, p. 354
2011, “Re-locate”, exhibition catalogue, Apartment project, Istanbul
2009, “My Sunshine- The work of Nikola Uzunovski”, Golemoto staklo, art magazine of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Skopje
Teaching / Training
06.2014, Co- trainer with Mira Gacina, 2 day workshop “Creating an artistic portfolio”, Mobile Gallery, Skopje, Macedonia
06.2013, Co-trainer with Menno Weijs: 7 day training course for young cultural managers “Underground voices”, Eersel, The Netherlands
2011 and 2010, Course leader, “Painterly in New Media Art”, “VOA - Contemporary Art E-learning program”, Germany-Mexico
05.2007, 2- day workshop “Street art”, Konstruktor festival for urban arts, Skopje
05.2006, Lecture, “Emerging globalization, case: Skopje”, Part of the HTMLLes export 2 festival, Sofia, Bulgaria
*Full CV on request