Imagined Organizations: Practices of Artistic Research Moving Across Semiperipheries

The practice and discourse of contemporary art have undergone profound changes with the emergence of artistic research, one of the most important factors that has impacted established practice in the field. Artistic research has presented a whole set of new challenges and pressures on the institutional forms through which both state and non-state actors support artistic development. This has not been a uniform development, but one that has different characteristics in different political geographies. If in the ‘former East’, these changes overlapped with the major geopolitical changes of the 1990s, in the ‘former West’, the rise of artistic research has been strongly determined by the internal discourses and practices of universities and art academies. It is now clear that, in both geopolitical contexts, the new demands on institutional structures arising from the need for change generated by the specific challenges of artistic research have not been fully resolved.  

Imagined Organizations is an international gathering of artists, curators, researchers and activists to share and discuss these challenges. We will also address the organizational imaginaries through which the development of artistic research cultures, infrastructures and environments have been elaborated. The intensive will include contributions from including Charles Esche (NL), Djordje Balmajovic (SRB/ SI), Andrei Trager (MD/Prednistrovie Republic), Minna Henriksson & Sezgin Boynik (FI / RKS), Vitalie Sprînceană (MD), Cristina David (RO), Mick Wilson (IRL / SE), Stine Hebert (DK), Ioana Florea, Maria Hlavajova (NL), Ioana Florea (RO), Ghenadie Popescu (MD), Baran Caginli (TR / FI), more.   
 
Partners organising the event include: transit.ro/ Iași (RO);  1+1 (RO); Oberliht Association, Chișinău, (MD); Doctoral School Visual Arts Art University, Iași (RO); HDK-Valand Academy of Art and Design, University of Gothenburg (SE); and the Centre for Art and Political Imaginaries, CAPIm (SE).  

This event is free and open public. Booking required.

Last update: 27 June 2026.

Arrivals in Chisinau 
Venue: Feredeului Building, strada Feredeului 4, MD-2005, Chișinău, Moldova  

18:00-18:30 Welcome notes and a short introduction to the week with Vladimir Us, Maxim Polyakov, Florin Bobu, Livia Pancu and Mick Wilson 
18:30-19:30 Book Launch: tranzit 20+ past, present, future, edited by Flóra Gadó, Borbála Soós, published by Archive Books, designed by Andreas Wesle, 2026 
19:30-20:30 Book Launch: Vitalie Sprînceană, Moldofuturism, Published by ArtMonitor in partnership with 1+1 & tranzit.ro /Iași, 2026 
20:30 – 22:30 Rusanda Alexandru, DJ performance. Intros by Maxim Polyakov and Livia Pancu 

Morning Venue: Moldova Film Building, Hincesti Hwy 61, MD-2028, Chișinău, Moldova 
Afternoon Venue: Plai Gallery, Alexander Pushkin St 39 

10:30-11:00 Coffee and short intro to Moldova Film Venue 
11.00-13.00 Red Thread followed by Open Mic sessions (10-20 min/session).  
13.00-15.00: Lunch 

16.00-20.00: Presentations by Minna Henriksson, Sezgin Boynik & Maxim Polyakov (in collaboration with Andrei Morari and Vitalie Sprînceană), Ioana Florea, Bojana Piskur, Maria Hlavajova. 
Snacks and refreshments 

Departing from: Negruzzi Boulevard 7, Chişinău, Moldova. 
 
10:00 Meet at pick up point for bus Hotel Chișinău (Parking),  
10:15 Bus departs to Iași with a 3h stop in Măcărești (MD). 
13:15 Arrive in Măcărești. “The Debt” programme by the artist Victor Ciobanu. 
 
17:00 (approx.) Bus departs from Măcărești to Iași 
19:00 (approx.) Arrival in Iași UNIRII Square. Check-in to accommodation. 
 
20:00 Evening meeting and snacks and refreshments with a short Red Thread session. 

Venue: tranzit.ro/ Iași, Str. Sf. Atanasie nr. 25, Iași, Romania (Bolta Rece area) 
 
11.00-13.00: Red Thread // followed by Open Mic sessions (10-20 min/each) 
13.00-15.00: Lunch 
15.30-19.30: Presentations by Clara Abdulah and Elena Russu, Alexandru Țirdea, Charles Esche 
19.30: Exhibition Opening, Baran Caginli, Lost and Found. 
Followed by light snacks and refreshments 

10:00-13.30: Bus tour: Greenpeace Pavilion, Trei Ierarhi Monastery, Turkish Bath, Iași Pogrom Museum (with guided tours by Dan Acostioaei, Andrei Pripasu) 
13:30-15.00: Lunch @CUIB 
15.30-19.30: Presentations by Olja Triaška Stefanović, Vitalie Sprînceană, Matei Bejenaru 
19.30: Performance by Dan Acostioaei, Prayer for the strengthening of the unseen borders 
Followed by light snacks and refreshments 

Departures from Iași 
 
More about the broader research arc of this intensive here.