['Gepäckträger' Berlin Germany]. [How long is now?] During the summer visit to Berlin the Milena were hosted by Brigitte Kalinowski at the Savignyplatz. During this visit several performances partly planned in advance took place and were photographed and filmed.

['We carry our paths (I)' ⋈ The Grunewald variations ⋈ performance]. Videostils from the performance ' Die Grünewald Variationen'. A seemingly endless thread made visible the path of a walker in the Grunewald forest in the vicinity of Berlin. It was a silent tribute to the deportees who left for an unknown and terrible place. A greeting, a gesture of commitment.

the Milena principle 2007

['Luggage carrier (II)' Documenta Kassel Germany]. During this project ‘bagagedrager’ (= Luggage carrier) our thoughts got close to Joseph Beuys. The making of a video interview with Rhea Thöngres-Stringaris, writer and intimate friend of Joseph Beuys, became the central activity. The conversation was integrated in the Milena exhibition as a work of art just like 'the meeting table', discussions always held a central place.

the Milena principle 2009

['The Marcilio Ficino connection' Firenze Italy]. In the course of 2009 the Milena visited Florence to follow the foot steps of Marisilio Ficino. The translation of the Corpus Hermeticum by Ficino on the order of Cosimo Di Medici caused an absolute change in the world view and in the way of thinking. Man was back in the centre of the universe as a mirror of the unspeakable. The human body becomes the standard unit to shape the world and the way of thinking. That trip was a greeting in time to Marcilio Ficino, the Renaissance scientist and Piero della Francesca, the timeless master.

the Milena principle 2010

['How long is now?' Braga ⋈ Porto Portugal]. During July 2010 the Milena principle stayed in Braga in Portugal in the Nogueira da Silva Museum. Installations were shown in the Biscainhos museum and also in da Silva. Stefaan van Biesen and Geert Vermeire did a performance. Lectures were held in the Serralves Foundation in Porto, Show me galery in Braga. A presentation of our new projects in MARCO, the museum of contemporary art in Vigo Spain. Meeting Stephanie Brandt of Spacepilots London UK and the soundartists of Escoitar.org Spain.

['Embracing the landscape' Braga & Tibaes Portugal ⋈ Santiago De Compostella Spain]. During the beginning of october 2010 the Milena principle gave a lecture in Braga Portugal in the Nogueira da Silva Museum where they stayed. Horacio Gonzales gave a lecture about Escoitar.org, soundartists in Spain. The journey ended in Santiago De Compostella in Spain. A meeting place for upcoming projects between Escoitar and the Milena principle in relation with out other European partners: Spacepilots, About (Greece) and Har foundation.

the Milena principle 2011

[Growing Silence ⋈ Goethe-Institut Athens Greece]. A project to promote the qualities of silence and space in an urban context. Our project is about the experience and importance of urban silence and the connection between space and silence. In the Goethe-Institut Athens the Belgian artists Stefaan van Biesen and Geert Vermeire were showing videos of performances and art projects in Germany [the Naumburg Variations and Grunewald Variations ], next to an installation/performance made in Athens, documenting urban artistic interventions.

Not the physical definition of silence, or the acoustical definition counts. Through a phenomenological approach to silence the artists explore how sound unambiguously works on the human being (in this case in an urban context). Silence is an instrument of experience and as well as an instrument of knowledge.

The project wants to realize a cultural bridge between the presence of silence as access to historical and natural soundscapes and the inner experience of silence. Silence is not limited to a material-accoustical aspect, silence is as well a part of city life as an inner space, a breating space.

[Approaching Silence ⋈ About Art Center Athens and ASFA Greece]. This project tries to involve young people in the making of and creating of (urban) silence. We invite students and young artists into the design process and try to engage them in the future development of their environment and to excite them about the city. Approaching silence will explore silence in the city, looking for design tools for the shaping of places and urban experiences.

['Divina Comedia' Dante seminar ⋈ Jahnishausen Germany]. The Milena principle was invited by the Accademia Dantesca Jahnishausen for an artistic project in which renaissance and contemporary culture are connected. The original Accademia was founded by King Johann of Saxony, who has translated Dante's Divine Comedy in Castle Jahnishausen. The King founded a group of artists, writers and experts, called the Accademia Dantesca, to discuss the work of Dante and to collaborate on an interdisciplinary way on this project. Famous member were for example Carl Gustav Carus and Ludwig Tieck. The contemporary Accademica wants to restore this culture of dialogue with interdisciplinary meetings in the castle Jahnishausen. Goal is to iniate event linking the arts, culture and environment, as well working on the conservation and restoration of Castle Jahnishausen. The castle will be a meeting place between artists, cultural experts and ecological and environmental workers and act as an interdisciplinary center with projects open to participation for a large public.

The Milena principle participated with Linda Ivens, Annemie Mestdagh, Geert Vermeire, Stefaan van Biesen and Walter Van Dam. 'Canto Indentro' [ Canto I, the Hell ] was a live performance of five speakers in five different languages of Canto I. A special soundscape 'Passio' was made by Stefaan van Biesen for this event.

[Throwing Whispers' Gesture (VI) ⋈ Urban ritual ⋈ Braga Portugal].

Intervention by Annemie Mestdagh and Stefaan van Biesen, Largo S. Tiago in Braga Portugal 2011. In the background several women complaining about the fact that it is forbidden by law to feed the pigeons of the city. A warm greeting to 'all sisters of mercy'.

An exhibition project by Stefaan van Biesen [the Go-between] in the Museums of Biscainhos and Nogueira da Silva in Braga during the Summer of 2011. Several works of art were created in an artistic laboratory following on this event. Drawings, attributes video and two installations with dresses, one in the garden of the Museum Biscainhos, 'the Space between', and one within the Museum Nogueira da Silva, 'the Promise', 'Birthmarks (I).

Also two urban interventions in the city of Braga by Annemie Mestdagh and Stefaan van Biesen: 'Throwing whispers' [ an urban ritual ] and 'the letter' were filmed and documentated. 'the Letter' a write performance by Stefaan van Biesen in the garden of the Biscainhos museum Braga .

[The Letter ⋈ the garden of the Biscainhos museum ⋈ Braga Portugal].

[Liquid Islands ⋈ an urban ritual ⋈ Venice Italy].

the Milena principle proposed an intervention, 'Liquid Islands' [washing the feet of strangers], in the old Renaissance city surrounded by sea. Myriam Bosschem [Belgium], accepted and asked several people, who passed by, if she could wash their feet as an urban gesture of caring and making connection. Starting in the early morning at Campo San Margherita, asking people to participate, finaly she found a traveling couple form Norway who accepted the offer: Jette KJ Øigard and her husband Bjarne Bjerkeland. The final location, where this unannounced event took place, was Campo San Zaccaria near San Marco, an old square where many people pass by. This urban ritual took place in the evening near an old waterfountain. People stopped and wondered.

The Milena principle participated with Annemie Mestdagh, Ingrid Smeekens, Myriam Bosschem, Peter Maes [the colour U], Filip Van de Velde and Stefaan van Biesen.

the Milena principle 2012

[Sinfo Saramago ⋈ an urban ritual ⋈ Lisbon Portugal].

The Milena principle [Julie Snauwaert, Annemie Mestdagh, Filip Van de Velde, Geert Vermeire & Stefaan van Biesen], meeting Simona Vermeire [Sinfo Saramago - university Braga], Pilar de Rio, [director of the Saramago Foundation in Lisbon], Viviana González Diéguez [London] and Horacio González Diéguez [Escoitar.org Spain], Ana Clara Medeiros [Universidade de Brasília] and Augusto Rodrigues Niemar [Professor Adjunto de Literatura Brasileira at Universidade de Brasília].

An animated conversation on the Congress 'Sinfo Saramago' [15.12.2012] and later [17.12.2012] with the direction of the Fundaçao Saramago in Lisbon about the event 'Sensitive Islands' and 'SinfoSaramago', exploring new opportunities to connect contemporary art with the work of Saramago and with the ecological and social activities of the Foundation.

Meeting with the direction of the Fundaçao Saramago at the Casa dos Bicos in a warm conversation about artistic collaboration in Lisbon. Anna Sousa Dias, Rita Pais, director Sérgio Machado Letria, Juan José Cuadrado del Rio, [José Saramago Foundation], Ana Clara Medeiros & Augusto Rodrigues Niemar , Simona Vermeire.

A lecture about 'Sinfo Saramago' and 'Sensitive Islands' was given by Stefaan van Biesen & Simona Vermeire at Museu Nogueira da Silva, Braga Portugal, [19.12.2012].

the Milena principle 2014