'The 'Z'-Boats – Modular Barges' is an art project, which started in August 2007 on the river Danube.
In the course of a two month boat journey from Krems/Austria to Ruse/Bulgaria the artist Rainer Prohaska and his crew built a swimming sculpture based on a simple frame construction.
 
The frame construction consisted of 3 wooden boats ('Zillen'), which were connected with aluminium trusses. The extensions of the sculpture took place during the trip on the river Danube. All used materials and objects where found, bought or exchanged in the regions along the river banks.
 
The requirements on this 'work in progress' were social functions of the constructed elements (sanitary facilities, places to live and sleep, cooking and relaxing areas), as well as a modular architecture to adapt the construction to specific needs and to transport the whole boat to the exhibition locations. Connections were established exclusively with tension belts and cable straps.
 
Four artists, Rainer Prohaska, Eva Grumeth and two alternating guest artists, were involved in this project from August 1 to October 3, 2007.
 
From November 2007 to September 2008 the sculpture, analogue photos and graphics will be exhibited in Ruse/Bulgaria, Bucharest/Romania and Krems/Austria.
Additionally a book about the project will be published in cooperation with the Kunsthalle Krems.
 
 
 
Cooperations and Support
 
Financial support:
Austrian Federal Ministry for Education, Arts and Culture
Foreign Ministry (BMEIA), Austria
Cultural department, Lower Austria, Austria
ARGE Donauländer
Kunsthalle, Krems, Austria
ORTE, Krems, Austria
Austrian Culture Forum in Belgrade, Serbia
Austrian Culture Forum in Bucharest, Romania
Austrian Embassy in Sofia, Bulgaria
Trading & Consulting 'H.P.C.' GmbH, Vienna, Austria
Mag. Ulf Elser, Krems, Austria
Driving school Prohaska, Krems, Austria
 
Logistic support:
SCHENKER EOOD Logistics, Sofia, Bulgarien
International Elias Canetti Foundation, Ruse, Bulgaria
Kunsthalle, Krems, Austria
 
Material support:
Yamaha Austria, Vienna, Austria
Hellermann Tyton GmbH, Vienna, Austria
ATC - Austria Truss Constructions
OBI Baumarkt, Vienna, Austria
Lash und Lift Gmbh, Austria
Bootswerft Meyer, Austria
H. u. J. Steiner GmbH
 
Exhibitions:;
Kunsthalle, Krems, Austria
International Elias Canetti Foundation, Ruse, Bulgaria
Galeria Posibila, Bucharest, Romania
Galerija Progres, Belgrade, Serbia
 
 
Media Production:
Prof. Christian Reder, publication, Vienna, Austria