In 15th Extraordinary Congress, a group of women sit at a table, exchanging stories and anecdotes,
facts and rumours, reflections and thoughts about a country in which they all grew up, but which no longer exists. Sifting through their shared memories as well as through versions of events remembered and understood differently, they try to unpack the story of Yugoslavia – approaching the question of “what happened there” from a range of different perspectives. Through an improvised exchange over several hours, the participants recount events large and small, excavating bits of their shared history from realms both political and personal. 15th Extraordinary Congress explores the ways in which we make stories out of large, complex political and historical events and the inherent and irreconcilable tensions which exist between versions of stories as they are told and understood in different contexts, and reflected upon from both a physical and temporal distance.
15th Extraordinary Congress was first presented in London as part of LIFT’s “After a War” platform and featured seven London-based artists born in the former Yugoslavia. Each new version of the project brings together a new group of women based in the city or the region where the work is being presented. For 15th Extraordinary Congress: Oslo at Black Box teater, Vlatka Horvat is joined by a new group of women who are all based in Norway.
Vlatka Horvat is a Croatian-born artist working across sculpture, installation, drawing, photography, and performance. Her work in visual art has been exhibited extensively and her performances have been presented at theatre and dance festivals, performance venues, and in the public realm. After 20 years in the US, she currently lives in London.