Fani Zguro: CUT-UP (Episode 1)

“Cut-Up” is the literary technique of textual dismemberment while leaving words and certain phrases intact. The different fragments are them mixed and recomposed into a new text. This technique has allegedly been employed primarily in the 1960s by American writer William S. Burroughs in collaboration with British writer Brion Gysin.

In other words, “Cut-Up” is collage technique that uses texts, whether literary or otherwise, instead of images. Its goal is to transform the context. We do the same with the structure of an exhibition. Suppose we have more than 10 projects that we have to exhibit as usual in a single space. But if we use the “Cut-Up” technique, both the exhibition and the space will turn into a collage; we will spread them over several cities, leaving the context of the works intact, while having the same vernissage. We’d have only broken the space. To be present at all the openings one would have to travel from Tirana to Athens, Turin, Milan, Berlin, Townsend NY. Is this possible within a day?

…I’m afraid William S. Burroughs and Brion Gysin have caused more harm than it seems. 

Cut-Up (Episode 1) is a solo exhibition by Fani Zguro, taking place in various locations, from February 10 to March 10, 2022. The exhibition will take place at once across of ten locations in Accademia Albertina Turin, Accademia di Brera Milan, Closing Soon Athens, Erratum Milan, National Historical Museum Tirana, National Library of Albania Tirana, Townsend New York, Tegeler Weg Berlin, Tirana Art Center and Phroom Platform Milan, opening worldwide on February 10, 2022.

Fani Zguro was born in 1977 in Tirana. Lives and works in Tirana and Berlin. Zguro graduated at the Accademia delle Belle Arti di Brera in Milan (1998–2007). In 2007 he won the International Onufri Prize assigned by the National Gallery of Arts in Tirana; in 2016 the International Mulliqi Prize assigned by the National Gallery of Kosovo in Pristina; the Best Video-Art award assigned by TIFF Tirana and in 2021 Award TOP7 Gallery of ArtVilnius21. Zguro curated the 14th International Onufri Prize at National Gallery of Arts in Tirana (2016). In 2017 was part of the AiR program at Q21 - Museums Quartier in Vienna and Cité Internationale des Arts Paris (2003–2004). Since 2015 he is part of apexart’s jury. His work has been shown at Haus der Kulturen der Welt Berlin, National Museum of Contemporary Art Bucharest, Musée des Civilisations de l’Europe et de la Mediterranée Marseille, Filmoteca Espanola Madrid, Photo Museum Braunschweig, 2nd Tirana Biennale, 3rd Mardin Biennial, 4th Young Artists Biennial of Bucharest, 6th Çanakkale Biennial, 7th Edition of the Black-and-White Biennial in Satu Mare, 13th Biennale of Cairo, Ludwig Museum Budapest, Belvedere 21 - Museum für Zeitgenössische Kunst Vienna, Palais Populaire Berlin, the New York Public Library and Centre Pompidou Paris.

Special thanks: Florian Agalliu, Sergio Armaroli, Idlir Azizi, Gaetano Centrone, Giangiacomo Cirla, Matteo Cremonesi, Nico Dockx & Mark Luyten, Pauline Foessel, Dora Garcia, Mimi Kolaneci, Ugo La Pietra, Sonja Lau, Erti Lutaj, Orestis Mavroudis, Clara Meister, Christopher Milne, Bruno Muzzolini, Anri Sala, Delfina Sena, Erka Shalari, Ajola Xoxa.

Tuesday 4 December 2018 h 16.30 Studio Ugo La Pietra Milan: February 10, 11am–1pm
Lecture by Gaetano Centrone
Accademia Albertina Turin

The Guardians: February 10, 12–1pm
Lecture by Bruno Muzzolini
Accademia di Brera Milan

From The Series Untitled: February 10–17
Texts by Dora Garcia, Clara Meister
Closing Soon Athens

Portraits: February 10–March 1
Sound by Sergio Armaroli
Erratum Milan

A.C.A.S.: February 10, 4–5pm
Text by Nico Dockx & Mark Luyten
National Historical Museum Tirana

Writing Jobs: February 10–March 10
Text by Sonja Lau
National Library of Albania Tirana

Broken Threads​: February 10–March 10
Text by Anri Sala
Townsend Online Townsend NY

Here: February 10–March 10
Gallery On The Move / Tegeler Weg Berlin

Culture Dominante: February 10–March 10
Tirana Art Center

Writing Jobs: February 10–March 10
Online Platform
​Phroom Milan