Историја

Kontrapunkt is an organization established in 2001 in Skopje, with main focus on critical theory, political philosophy, critical activism, and the relationship between art and politics. Since its beginning, Kontrapunkt has been committed to the idea of dissemination of culture and cultural production. In the ambient of hermetic ideas of how the culture should be presented, Kontrapunkt tried to develop a shift consisting in promoting new tools and activities that stimulated and motivated artists, independent groups and individuals that were trying to express themselves in the field of culture. By the course of time, the idea of support developed in an idea of stimulating self-organization as a need of urgent necessity for further development of the independent cultural scene, and of the cultural ambient in general.

Kontrapunkt influenced several groups of people to organize themselves in independent structured organizations, and they are working now in several cities quite successfully. As informal group has been active since the early 1990s in the field of culture – amongst other by running the Independent space Cultural center Tocka in Skopje, (2002 – 2010) closed by political decision of the authorities, a place suited to organize public debates, cultural and art events (especially those connected to the social involvement of art). The program focus of Kontrapunkt has been mostly focused on the emancipatory, self-educational practices and big community involvement in their projects. This helped Kontrapunkt to acquire capacities for organizing informal educational processes through which will be provided knowledge that should function efficiently in the micro context.

Since it’s foundation, Kontrapunkt organized and co-organized numerous regional and local events and projects. In collaboration with the publishing house Templum, Kontrapunkt has raised its publishing activities, concerning the contemporary theory in culture, arts and humanities, by translating works of: Julia Kristeva, Zigmunt Bauman, Terry Eagleton, Jean-François Lyotard, Slavoj Zizek, Jacques Derrida, etc. Throughout the years, Kontrapunkt has also been host to numerous lecturers among which: Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, Gerald Raunig, Marina Grzinik, Alexander Garcia Duttmann, Chto Delat, Suzana Milevska, Boris Buden, etc.

History:

Kontrapunkt is co-initiator of the national Association of the independent cultural scene JADRO, and among the founding organizations of the regional network KOOPERATIVA.