Performing the Present, Saving the Future: Digital Media Presence in the Work of Raspeani Skopjani

Abstract

The self-organised choir Raspeani Skopjani has been actively performing on the streets of Skopje, the capital of the Republic of Macedonia, for six years, protesting against the government-run project Skopje 2014. The project intends to transform the city centre, with a wide range of new buildings. However, many question its cost and its intention to revamp the existing Socialist Realist facades and bridges. The choir has a clear strategy: it shows up unannounced, at specific politically pertinent locations in Skopje (like the Central Orthodox Church, Parliament, or City Museum), its participants sing, and then disperse. The choir’s appearances are carefully recorded, edited and posted on YouTube, as well as other websites. By transposing its performances to a digital context, Raspeani Skopjani uses what Geert Lovink describes as ‘tactical media’ tools. I argue that it adopts tactical media to offer alternative forms of storytelling and remembering concerning the current political moment in Skopje. The choir’s main tactic is to construct and disseminate the digital record in order to reach a wider audience. This digital record of the events expresses the desire of the street protesters to expand their reach to online audiences and emphasizes their belief in the need for change in contemporary Macedonian politics.