About FP24

Origins and purpose
From bricks and mortar to fluid horizons

FP24 began as an independent collaborative art space for Transmedia Art and interactive formats of exhibition making, emphasizing on art practices which reflect on identity, transmigration,  technology and digital culture.

Our program is project-based, as our chief purpose is to foster collaboration, reciprocity, and exchange. It is our goal to establish an international, Pan European network of cultural producers from various fields to connect to other individuals and institutions to bring forth discussions which push the boundaries of conventional exposition making. In doing so, we hope to establish a more varied perspective of contemporary Europe as a new, transcontinental space where cultures blend to produce a vibrant tapestry of ideas which may inspire new traditions in the future.

FP24 was located directly on the Falconplein, an oblique square at the heart of the Schipperskwartier in Antwerp. The panoramic windows offered a full view of the surrounding architecture and the neighborhood’s colorful inhabitants. The venue was made up of two connecting rooms; the first is L-shaped which connects to a private viewing room through a small corridor. The total floor surface is approximately 200 square meters. The design of the space played an integral part of our installations, such as The Observation, a collaborative project produced by Jaysha Obispo  and Alexander Felch in 2016-2017.
The original Observervation Room, designed by Jaysha Obispo is archived in Antwerp.

The FP24 initiative continues to develop an International, transcontinental network, which embodies the Pan-European ideal of freedom of thought and movement. We hope to intermediate between people who feel connected to the spirit of Europe and the European identity, regardless of their background or origins. As an organization, our focus goes beyond established methods of art production, as we seek to experience ideas which operate outside familiar knowledge-systems, by engaging with independent investigational art practices. Our approach to art and cultural production is eclectic and diverse, as we aspire to offer an alternative understanding of artistic practices which do not comply with prevalent concepts of ‘Art.’ We strive to provide a varied offering of presentations and events which question the traditional production of cultural and historical narratives.

FP24 Collaborative Art Space was established as a community for nomadic, international artists and cultural producers. After our last physical event, The Friction Festival in 2019/2020, our worlds froze as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Uncertain of which route to pursue, we chose to pause, anticipating the right moment to pivot into a new reality.

What started out as a waiting game, gradually became a question of endurance. As parts of the Western-world gained traction and adjusted to ‘the new normal’, functioning partially at its pre-covid capacity; others struggled and stumbled further into darkness.

From 2020 onwards, we have witnessed the acceleration of climate disasters and global conflict. The media has captured and continues to relay shocking evidence of the world's tumultuous existence. From the smouldering eye of fire in the Gulf of Mexico in 2021, and the ongoing Energy War in Europe, which was brought on by the Russian invasion of Ukraine on the 24th of February 2022.  

The friction of the past years has erupted in protests and revolutionary actions across the globe. In 2020 Black Lives Matter proved that social media can create powerful leverage for political change. Today, all across Asia and the Middle-East, the most restrictive regimes are confronted with violent resistance: power to the people is the new black. The planet and its governing institutions are caught in a frenzied transition of resources and power that will change our realities indefinitely.

So, where do we go from here? What role should a network-based initiative fulfil amidst a world that seems obsessed with seeking distractions from multiple realities? To answer this question, it was necessary to go to the heart of our vision.

The purpose of our space was to congeal and hold the energies of our contributors and branch out into new communities. This image led to a coincidental analogy between the concept of energy and plasma. FP24 is an acronym for frozen plasma, which in the medical field is the essence of life.  Within its existing framework, operating as FP24 Online, we will continue to hold space and congeal energy as a hybrid platform and network. FP24 Online will continue to seek-out collaborative projects to present in different media, followed by occasional in-person meetups.

In the near future, we will reshape our online presence to accommodate the content generated through our collaborative projects. For now, we can be reached via our e-mail address or via direct messaging via Instagram or Facebook.

Looking towards a future full of opportunities born from the chaos of change, we are confident that the urgency to foster reflexive connections with makers and thinkers from multiple perspectives will continue to affirm our existence.

Here’s to an open and pliable future, where strangers and newcomers are always welcome.

Until we meet again,
Jaysha Obispo
FP24 Online

The Friction Festival is the smallest and most obscure festival of Antwerp with the potential to shake people out of their comfort zones into a new world of disruptive and inspirational ideas.

Thank you to all our wonderful artists, creators and thinkers for their unique contributions:

Experimental Music & Improv.
https://youtu.be/R12I6j4P4qc

Silent Discow
Dj Mike

Poetry
Froukje van der Ploeg
https://www.froukjevanderploeg.nl/

Performance
http://www.carolafuchs.com/aboutme

Performance installation
Sabina Menotti

Jack & Jillian: Public & Private
https://youtu.be/R12I6j4P4qc

Philosophy
Aner Barzilay
https://antropoloskiokular.wordpress.com/2014/12/24/aner-barzilay-the-origins-of-foucault-a-glimpse-into-his-course-notes-from-the-1950s/

Philosophy & Performance
Mirjam Eeken
https://youtu.be/p0wXTuMXQXU

Video Art
Alvaro Sarimiento
https://hdperu.weebly.com/about-us.html

3-D Animation
Jaron de Paauw

Video performance lecture
Marlene Ronstad

Animation Film
Dilruba Tayfun
https://dilrubatayfun.com/

Avant-Garde Videos from Vienna
curated by Alexander  Felch
http://www.alexanderfelch.net/

Artists from Vienna: Atzgerei Productions, Alexander Felch, Paul Gründorfer, Christoph Höschele, Harald Hund and Alexander Felch

Sculpture: Jeroen van Amelsvoort, David Wauters

Truth Games Articles:
Paola di Barbora
Daphne Gambieraki
Nina Lissone
Jaysha Obispo
Frokje van der Ploeg
Marlene Rondstedt
Rose Underwood

Read more about the Friction Festival