The Social Center “Krov” appeared as a cooperative of three associations with social-humanistic character based in Belgrade: Center for Visual Anthropology – VAC, Center for Ethno-musicological activities – CED and Collective “Vizantrop”. The new social center at address Kraljice Marije 47, near Vukov Spomenik in Belgrade, brings together all those who would like to know more about anthropology, ethnomusicology, visual anthropology and documentary film and photography, as well as the interdisciplinary approach to art and social sciences.
The audience will have an opportunity to learn about the science activity of these organizations, focused on education and research work, and after that the members of Social Center “Krov” will moderate discussion on potentials of visual anthropology as a method of social intervention within a society.
Screening the works by the Digital School of Autoethnography
The Digital School of Autoethnography (DŠAE) appeared as an authentic response to the pandemic of virus-caused disease COVID-19 and the social phenomena accompanying the pandemic by the young artists and social science majors gathered around the Social Center KROV. Unable to continue their planned activities regarding the ongoing projects at the local and international School of Visual Anthropology (ŠVA), the members of Belgrade-based Center for Visual Anthropology, in cooperation with their colleagues from Collective “Vizantrop” and Center for Ethno-musicological Activities (CED), have developed this interdisciplinary digital course.
The first Digital School of Autoethnography, with the topic “Pan(dem)ic” took place in May and June 2020. There were seven participants, from the USA, Mexico, Denmark, Costa Rica, Italy, Greece and Hungary. Many of the participants were locked far from home by the pandemic; some were forced to return home. Their works will be presented during the Festival.
The interdisciplinary course DŠAE was created around the idea that individual experiences in such a crisis are all very similar to each other, regardless of the cultural differences. Autoethnography provides an opportunity of articulating one’s own situation while respecting prescribed and advised distances, and in this way it may help the participants to overcome emotional and mental challenges caused by a previously unknown crisis situation. The purpose of the materials is not only therapeutic, although as such it is highly important, but also represents a valuable clue, a document on the pandemic, its psychological and social consequences, for researchers, artists and participants in social activities of the present and the future.
The video-lectures by experts in fields of anthropology, ethnomusicology, sensory ethnography, film, photography, multimedia, performance studies and psychology enable the participants to gain diverse insights into the topics and challenges of the autoethnography. Besides the video-lectures and recommended literature, the participants determine their own topics and then develop them further with help of their mentors. Small groups enable better sharing and easier individual work, so in addition to mentorship there is also obligatory communication among the participants through feedback sessions and questionnaires. This turned out to be a highly successful method that positively contributed to interest level and motivation of the participants, and therefore also to creating a feeling of togetherness in the digital sphere – an effect that is otherwise difficult to achieve.