"Elegy of Fortinbras"
To C.M.
Now that we're alone we can talk prince man to man
though you lie on the stairs and see no more than a dead ant
nothing but black sun with broken rays
I could never think of your hands without smiling
and now that they lie on the stone like fallen nests
they are as defenseless as before The end is exactly this
The hands lie apart The sword lies apart The head apart
and the knight's feet in soft slippers
You will have a soldier's funeral without having been a soldier
the only ritual I am acquainted with a little
There will be no candles no singing only cannon-fuses and bursts
crepe dragged on the pavement helmets boots artillery horses drums
drums I know nothing exquisite
those will be my manoeuvres before I start to rule
one has to take the city by the neck and shake it a bit
Anyhow you had to perish Hamlet you were not for life
you believed in crystal notions not in human clay
always twitching as if asleep you hunted chimeras
wolfishly you crunched the air only to vomit
you knew no human thing you did not know even how to breathe
Now you have peace Hamlet you accomplished what you had to
and you have peace The rest is not silence but belongs to me
you chose the easier part an elegant thrust
but what is heroic death compared with eternal watching
with a cold apple in one's hand on a narrow chair
with a view of the ant-hill and the clock's dial
Adieu prince I have tasks a sewer project
and a decree on prostitutes and beggars
I must also elaborate a better system of prisons
since as you justly said Denmark is a prison
I go to my affairs The night is born
a star named Hamlet We shall never meet
what I shall leave will not be worth a tragedy
It is not for us to greet each other or bid farewell we live on archipelagos
and that water these words what can they do what can they do prince
Zbigniew Herbert, Study of the Object (1961)
Thursday, 15 May 2008
Wednesday, 14 May 2008
Saturday, 15 March 2008
The Monkey's Paw (2nd version)
THE MONKEY’S PAW (version no 2)
It was through this object, which was suddenly in the attention of every single person living in the town. It happened that the object supposed to make three wishes to become as concrete as the reality itself. Its inventor made three wishes to his unfortunate discovery that even if technically the object was perfect, there were other matters, which couldn’t be solved by science. It all went terribly wrong. Something what supposed to be revolutionary failed in circumstances, which couldn’t be predicted…
Before it was used, the object went through one hundred and four chemical processes, three thousand five hundred and seventy one tests, to end up with few more treatments of the modern alchemy. Finally after seven years of preparation, it was ready for the major test. It meant to be executed by its inventor, who wanted to avoid possible failures to affect anyone else; he was well known for his unusual ability to feel empathy.
The date was agreed and confirmed through the questionnaire, which was send to every single house in the town, even to the old man, who lived so far that no one ever seen him, except the salesman son, who once get lost for two years and within his extraordinary adventures he claimed seeing an old man as he was rewriting one particular book, which he liked more than any other, on the pieces of rocks, which he than wanted to build his house from, in the new location with the view on the sea front.
The questionnaire was sent to anyone who was ten years and more, as it was believed that children at this age were mature enough to be able not only to witness, but also to take the moral responsibility for the importance of historical events. There were taught about it in the only one school existing in town, which was constructed on the anniversary of an inexact date when the town was built. There were taught by a teacher, who was brought from abroad as the educational system was still quite unknown there and no one really knew how it supposed to be executed in appropriate way.
When it came to the exact date of the experiment, the unusual excitement could be noticed in the town. Women were gossiping on the streets more than usual and it was even said that the old man, who was never seen before was about to appear at the ceremony. Mothers seemed to be more impatient with their children and in general it was louder and more nervous. Lady from the flower shop instead of going to her own house and making breakfast for her own family, confused houses and she spent the whole morning in her neighbors place, shouting on the children who didn’t belong to her and preparing the meal in the pots, which somehow didn’t seem familiar. She only noticed the misunderstanding when the husband, who also wasn’t her husband, after coming from the morning walk grabbed from the back and gave her a juicy kiss on her lips. There wouldn’t be anything unusual about that, if not the fact that her real husband disappeared some years ago with the traveling circus, which shortly appeared in the town, as he suddenly discovered within himself the hidden desire for revolutionizing his stable life with the possibility of becoming acrobat.
Exactly in the middle of the day every single house was empty, all people were crowding and squeezing in the town square, in the front of the platform, which was especially built on this occasion. On the selected hour the inventor appeared on the stage. After few hours of introduction, followed by another few hours of all the details of how the object was invented and physically made, it came to the conceptual part of the project. It was getting dark already when the inventor asked the crowd, what is that they are dreaming about, do they have any wishes that could be easily generalized and apply to every single person in the town. The pieces of paper were given to everyone and they all were asked to write three wishes on them. The night already fallen when the papers were collected. It took another few hours for the wishes to be read and made into categories. The crowd was as large as it was at the beginning, no one left, and they were all patiently waiting for what was going to happen.
The next day came and after a discussion between quickly organized members of committee, the decisions were made, which wishes should be developed. The object was standing there on the pedestal ready to use. The inventor took it to his hand and asked everyone to move backwards, to keep a safe distance, according to the safe and health instructions. The first wish was to be pronounced. They all heard it clear and loud: “I wish every single person who is present here to live wealthy life”. And so it happened, the town reconstructed within their eyes. The clothing changed and people simply couldn’t believe their eyes. They all looked at each other with astonishment. As they were cheering and celebrating, suddenly someone appeared in the crowd. They have never seen him before but they new who he was. It was the old man. He wasn’t looking like them. He was wearing old and dirty clothes. Suddenly inventor understood what had happened. The old man was late for the ceremony; he wasn’t there when the wish was pronounced. As the inventor had unusual ability to feel empathy, he immediately pronounced the second wish; “I wish the old man to be as wealthy as every other person standing here”. The wish was fulfilled. However the crowd didn’t seem to be satisfied with what have happened. They thought this wish was unnecessary and it was wasted, followed by the instinct given by the nature, they decided to locked up the scientist and take the object away from him as they were worried he would waist the last wish. The locked the old man too as they didn’t know him at all and they didn’t know what he was capable of.
The inventor seemed to be very troubled with the way things turned. After hours of a loud debate- mainly with himself, as the old man was totally confused with what have happened, he decided to take some steps to solved the situation. He asked a child, who was playing near the prison if it could bring him the object, but to be careful and stay unnoticed. As a reward he promised to give him a trained rat. The child tempted by the promise brought the object to inventor, and as he finally had a chance to make the third wish, he said loud; “I wish this story never happened”, and as he said it the pages became blank…
It was through this object, which was suddenly in the attention of every single person living in the town. It happened that the object supposed to make three wishes to become as concrete as the reality itself. Its inventor made three wishes to his unfortunate discovery that even if technically the object was perfect, there were other matters, which couldn’t be solved by science. It all went terribly wrong. Something what supposed to be revolutionary failed in circumstances, which couldn’t be predicted…
Before it was used, the object went through one hundred and four chemical processes, three thousand five hundred and seventy one tests, to end up with few more treatments of the modern alchemy. Finally after seven years of preparation, it was ready for the major test. It meant to be executed by its inventor, who wanted to avoid possible failures to affect anyone else; he was well known for his unusual ability to feel empathy.
The date was agreed and confirmed through the questionnaire, which was send to every single house in the town, even to the old man, who lived so far that no one ever seen him, except the salesman son, who once get lost for two years and within his extraordinary adventures he claimed seeing an old man as he was rewriting one particular book, which he liked more than any other, on the pieces of rocks, which he than wanted to build his house from, in the new location with the view on the sea front.
The questionnaire was sent to anyone who was ten years and more, as it was believed that children at this age were mature enough to be able not only to witness, but also to take the moral responsibility for the importance of historical events. There were taught about it in the only one school existing in town, which was constructed on the anniversary of an inexact date when the town was built. There were taught by a teacher, who was brought from abroad as the educational system was still quite unknown there and no one really knew how it supposed to be executed in appropriate way.
When it came to the exact date of the experiment, the unusual excitement could be noticed in the town. Women were gossiping on the streets more than usual and it was even said that the old man, who was never seen before was about to appear at the ceremony. Mothers seemed to be more impatient with their children and in general it was louder and more nervous. Lady from the flower shop instead of going to her own house and making breakfast for her own family, confused houses and she spent the whole morning in her neighbors place, shouting on the children who didn’t belong to her and preparing the meal in the pots, which somehow didn’t seem familiar. She only noticed the misunderstanding when the husband, who also wasn’t her husband, after coming from the morning walk grabbed from the back and gave her a juicy kiss on her lips. There wouldn’t be anything unusual about that, if not the fact that her real husband disappeared some years ago with the traveling circus, which shortly appeared in the town, as he suddenly discovered within himself the hidden desire for revolutionizing his stable life with the possibility of becoming acrobat.
Exactly in the middle of the day every single house was empty, all people were crowding and squeezing in the town square, in the front of the platform, which was especially built on this occasion. On the selected hour the inventor appeared on the stage. After few hours of introduction, followed by another few hours of all the details of how the object was invented and physically made, it came to the conceptual part of the project. It was getting dark already when the inventor asked the crowd, what is that they are dreaming about, do they have any wishes that could be easily generalized and apply to every single person in the town. The pieces of paper were given to everyone and they all were asked to write three wishes on them. The night already fallen when the papers were collected. It took another few hours for the wishes to be read and made into categories. The crowd was as large as it was at the beginning, no one left, and they were all patiently waiting for what was going to happen.
The next day came and after a discussion between quickly organized members of committee, the decisions were made, which wishes should be developed. The object was standing there on the pedestal ready to use. The inventor took it to his hand and asked everyone to move backwards, to keep a safe distance, according to the safe and health instructions. The first wish was to be pronounced. They all heard it clear and loud: “I wish every single person who is present here to live wealthy life”. And so it happened, the town reconstructed within their eyes. The clothing changed and people simply couldn’t believe their eyes. They all looked at each other with astonishment. As they were cheering and celebrating, suddenly someone appeared in the crowd. They have never seen him before but they new who he was. It was the old man. He wasn’t looking like them. He was wearing old and dirty clothes. Suddenly inventor understood what had happened. The old man was late for the ceremony; he wasn’t there when the wish was pronounced. As the inventor had unusual ability to feel empathy, he immediately pronounced the second wish; “I wish the old man to be as wealthy as every other person standing here”. The wish was fulfilled. However the crowd didn’t seem to be satisfied with what have happened. They thought this wish was unnecessary and it was wasted, followed by the instinct given by the nature, they decided to locked up the scientist and take the object away from him as they were worried he would waist the last wish. The locked the old man too as they didn’t know him at all and they didn’t know what he was capable of.
The inventor seemed to be very troubled with the way things turned. After hours of a loud debate- mainly with himself, as the old man was totally confused with what have happened, he decided to take some steps to solved the situation. He asked a child, who was playing near the prison if it could bring him the object, but to be careful and stay unnoticed. As a reward he promised to give him a trained rat. The child tempted by the promise brought the object to inventor, and as he finally had a chance to make the third wish, he said loud; “I wish this story never happened”, and as he said it the pages became blank…
some experimental dialogues
[ silence ]
A- So, this is what you call uncomfortable silence?
B- Yes.
A- But it doesn’t apply to us?
B- No.
[ few minutes of silence ]
B-So, this is what you call uncomfortable silence?
A-Yes.
B-But it doesn’t apply to us?
A-Yes.
A- Can you come and sit next to me I’m scared.
B- I’m sorry I can’t. Why are you scared?
A- I’m just uncomfortable here. Somehow undefined. Please come and sit next to me.
B- I’m sorry, I told you I can’t.
A- Oh… Why is that, it would be slightly easier for me if you could sit next to me.
B- I’m sorry my position is already fixed and stable here. It wouldn’t be appropriate.
A- ehhh…all right than. I’ll try to get used to a new situation. Can you please be quite now so it will be easier for me to practice?
[silence]
A- The only thing, which I truly want to say is fuck off to all of you, it could be also
expressed as I fuck you all.
B- As an opposite, mentally and physically I would like to add, that your verbal expressions are highly inappropriate.
A- All right than. I shall compromise. As we’re stuck here, I want to make a peace. I shall bring the peace with my presence. Do I look accurate?
B- What do you mean do I look accurate? You look as usual. You need to put some effort to make this kind of impression of someone important, respectable, and wise. Things like that are noticed easily.
A- What do you suggest than?
B- I don’t know… Just practice for a moment.
A- Fine but you’ll have to stay quite. Do not disrupt me. I need to concentrate.
[ few minutes of silence]
B- Have you finished yet?
A- I asked you to not disrupt me. No I have to start all over again.
B- Sorry.
A- That’s it! Just be quiet!
[silence few minutes]
A- I finished. We can continue now.
[silence}
A- I said I finished.
[silence]
A- All right I understand your game. We can now just become completely silent. We don’t need to talk to each other at all. Don’t even start you won’t here the answer.
[silence longer]
B- I was only teasing you. You’re too bossy. Someone has to put you in line. It’s wrong to behave like you do.
[silence]
B- I said I was only easing you, are we done yet?
[silence]
B-ohhhh… (sights, irritation) Now you start all over again. Fine. I don’t care. You can talk, don’t talk, talk to the walls, do whatever you want.
[silence]
A- So this is what you call uncomfortable silence?
B- Yes.
A- But it doesn’t apply to us?
B- No.
[silence]
B-So this is what you call uncomfortable silence?
A-Yes.
B-But it doesn’t apply to us?
A-Yes.
A- So, this is what you call uncomfortable silence?
B- Yes.
A- But it doesn’t apply to us?
B- No.
[ few minutes of silence ]
B-So, this is what you call uncomfortable silence?
A-Yes.
B-But it doesn’t apply to us?
A-Yes.
A- Can you come and sit next to me I’m scared.
B- I’m sorry I can’t. Why are you scared?
A- I’m just uncomfortable here. Somehow undefined. Please come and sit next to me.
B- I’m sorry, I told you I can’t.
A- Oh… Why is that, it would be slightly easier for me if you could sit next to me.
B- I’m sorry my position is already fixed and stable here. It wouldn’t be appropriate.
A- ehhh…all right than. I’ll try to get used to a new situation. Can you please be quite now so it will be easier for me to practice?
[silence]
A- The only thing, which I truly want to say is fuck off to all of you, it could be also
expressed as I fuck you all.
B- As an opposite, mentally and physically I would like to add, that your verbal expressions are highly inappropriate.
A- All right than. I shall compromise. As we’re stuck here, I want to make a peace. I shall bring the peace with my presence. Do I look accurate?
B- What do you mean do I look accurate? You look as usual. You need to put some effort to make this kind of impression of someone important, respectable, and wise. Things like that are noticed easily.
A- What do you suggest than?
B- I don’t know… Just practice for a moment.
A- Fine but you’ll have to stay quite. Do not disrupt me. I need to concentrate.
[ few minutes of silence]
B- Have you finished yet?
A- I asked you to not disrupt me. No I have to start all over again.
B- Sorry.
A- That’s it! Just be quiet!
[silence few minutes]
A- I finished. We can continue now.
[silence}
A- I said I finished.
[silence]
A- All right I understand your game. We can now just become completely silent. We don’t need to talk to each other at all. Don’t even start you won’t here the answer.
[silence longer]
B- I was only teasing you. You’re too bossy. Someone has to put you in line. It’s wrong to behave like you do.
[silence]
B- I said I was only easing you, are we done yet?
[silence]
B-ohhhh… (sights, irritation) Now you start all over again. Fine. I don’t care. You can talk, don’t talk, talk to the walls, do whatever you want.
[silence]
A- So this is what you call uncomfortable silence?
B- Yes.
A- But it doesn’t apply to us?
B- No.
[silence]
B-So this is what you call uncomfortable silence?
A-Yes.
B-But it doesn’t apply to us?
A-Yes.
Monday, 25 February 2008
THE MONKEY'S PAW (version no 1)
The wish was that the text is produced.
The wish was that the text includes three wishes.
The wish was that the consequences of the wishes are twisted from what was intended.
The consequence is that paradoxically third wish is applied by not being applied at the same time, which enables THIS TEXT to become anything else than it is at presence; it cannot represente anything else than the text itself.
The wish was that the text includes three wishes.
The wish was that the consequences of the wishes are twisted from what was intended.
The consequence is that paradoxically third wish is applied by not being applied at the same time, which enables THIS TEXT to become anything else than it is at presence; it cannot represente anything else than the text itself.
Sunday, 24 February 2008
Roman Signer in the Hauser & Wirth London Gallery
Walking from the busy Piccadilly Circus Street into the Hauser & Wirth London Gallery space the viewer finds the surprising installation made out of the small automatic lawnmower and fifteen chairs. The lawnmower pushes and knocks the chairs around in a chaotic way, bumps itself between the legs in a constant struggle with the dead objects. The gallery space is interesting itself, or more precisely the way it’s accessed from the main street. Behind the black curtain, which is actually the only element, which separates the chaos of the street from the art products, the little lawnmower can be spotted, which automatically finds its way around the fifteen chairs, constantly pushing and knocking them around. Upstairs three videos can be viewed, “Helicopter on shelf”, “Water” and “Hose”. All three videos document the actions of the objects and mechanism interacting with the flow of the water. The little toy helicopter placed on the shelf drifts on the water surface moving slowly towards the waterfall and as its about to fall it’s suddenly lifted up by someone navigating it from distance and saved from being drawn in the water. Once the shelf is again drifting flat at the bottom of the waterfall the helicopter gently lands up back on it to continue it’s drifting journey. In the lowest level of the gallery the bottle hung on the string is suspended above the electrical fan, which determines it’s spinning movement. In the vault another video can be watched, “Old Shatterhand”, on which artist himself unsuccessfully tries to gun at a target, as the slimming device surrounding his waist, causes the violent vibrations, which unable him to make the correct shoot.
The gallery presents some old and more recent works of Swiss artist Roman Signer, who explores everyday utilized objects and man-made machines in rather intriguing and absurd relation. It is difficult to avoid the smile while watching the chaotic lawnmower or the video works. The functionality of the objects with its relation to our everyday existence is gently laughed at when all those perfectly useful items find their new dimension in rather subverted and ridiculous permutations. The appearance of the objects and through them the appearance of our own everyday life is brought to the level of absurdity and nothingness at the same time, in a rather humorous way. What is even more interesting is the fact that the whole experience could be easily described as pathetic. The boundary between something what represents nothing and something what has a value is very fragile and it is definitely the subject matter of Signers work, however in a less optimistic interpretation it can be argued how successfully the work manifests itself. The question appears; what is the determining factor according to which we are actually able to make a judgment about the work? In terms of Signers work the question is which elements decide about the fact that it is actually as successful as it is pathetic? Aren’t the categories through, which the work is to be decided if it’s successful or not, created by the specific environment, therefore not objective at all? It is difficult to not to think about Fischili and Weiss, when looking at Signers work, it is difficult to not to remember their sophisticated and humorous approach towards the everyday objects. What strength than, in Signers work, makes the viewer to actually stay within the gallery space after being welcomed by the chaotic and ridiculous movement of the lawnmower? Possibly it is the element of surprise, which we often expect when entering any gallery space, the element of surprise in all possible contexts, the ability to notice something what wasn’t pointed at us before, something we wouldn’t get a chance to think of, if not some Swiss crazy guy presenting his absurd within the closed space, called the gallery.
The gallery presents some old and more recent works of Swiss artist Roman Signer, who explores everyday utilized objects and man-made machines in rather intriguing and absurd relation. It is difficult to avoid the smile while watching the chaotic lawnmower or the video works. The functionality of the objects with its relation to our everyday existence is gently laughed at when all those perfectly useful items find their new dimension in rather subverted and ridiculous permutations. The appearance of the objects and through them the appearance of our own everyday life is brought to the level of absurdity and nothingness at the same time, in a rather humorous way. What is even more interesting is the fact that the whole experience could be easily described as pathetic. The boundary between something what represents nothing and something what has a value is very fragile and it is definitely the subject matter of Signers work, however in a less optimistic interpretation it can be argued how successfully the work manifests itself. The question appears; what is the determining factor according to which we are actually able to make a judgment about the work? In terms of Signers work the question is which elements decide about the fact that it is actually as successful as it is pathetic? Aren’t the categories through, which the work is to be decided if it’s successful or not, created by the specific environment, therefore not objective at all? It is difficult to not to think about Fischili and Weiss, when looking at Signers work, it is difficult to not to remember their sophisticated and humorous approach towards the everyday objects. What strength than, in Signers work, makes the viewer to actually stay within the gallery space after being welcomed by the chaotic and ridiculous movement of the lawnmower? Possibly it is the element of surprise, which we often expect when entering any gallery space, the element of surprise in all possible contexts, the ability to notice something what wasn’t pointed at us before, something we wouldn’t get a chance to think of, if not some Swiss crazy guy presenting his absurd within the closed space, called the gallery.
Monday, 14 January 2008
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