This residency program creates a new space for contemporary artistic production on the periphery, outside of the typical centers of artistic activity. The artists have a studio space in Monade Gallery, while the island serves as a micro-location of intertwined environments and temporalities, stories and people, which is utilized as a model for exploring the coexistence of local communities. Our projects in the island community of Jelsa are based on the themes of raising awareness of environmental and sustainability issues, while positioning contemporary culture in the context of local stories. The results of the residency program will be presented at our festival Jelsa Art Biennial, in partnership with Cultural Public Institution HVAR 1619, thus expanding opportunities to explore different micro-cultures and new spaces for presentation.
Jelsa Art Biennial on the island of Hvar is an international festival of contemporary art, connecting diverse audiences through a variety of artistic media and practices. The event is unique in that it features works based on the activation of public and underutilized spaces, with the aim of bringing contemporary art closer to the widest possible audience and emphasizing art that conveys a message of social responsibility and sustainability. Since its first edition in 2019, JAB has organized numerous exhibitions, happenings, performances, screenings, talks, workshops, guided tours and presentations, hosted more than 300 international artists, curators, mentors and cultural professionals, and counting over 300 000 visitors in total.
