ASA is an Autonomous Space Agency for intra-terrestrial space travel, inspired by the works of Takiyuddin Efendi, El Cezeri, Fahru’l-Nisa ve Şêx Evdirehmanê Axtepî among others. They hope to assist artistic practitioners of all kinds who are forced to learn new languages, ways, and strategies to sustain their practices during current transitions – or to support people in order to hold and improve their ground during transition. Practically, they are imagined as a scaffolding device that supports the creation of autonomous spaces for common use everywhere, especially in areas affected by accelerated capital, military gentrification, environmental degradation, and reactionary proxy warfare. ASA are not an exhibiting art institution, but a temporary organisational structure based on thinking together, learning from each other and sharing commons.
ASA is incubated by Şener Özmen, Hito Steyerl and Misal Adnan Yıldız along with other participating singularities and contributing pluralities. The open call is coordinated by Barış Seyitvan.
This autumn, ASA will launch Mutterzunge, an independent programme of studio residencies and mapping of events in Berlin. Revisiting Berlin based author Emine Sevgi Özdamar’s book of the same name, this proposal by Misal Adnan Yıldız was one of three winners for Curate Award in 2014.