{"id":24399,"date":"2023-12-29T16:20:43","date_gmt":"2023-12-29T15:20:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/duul.cz\/artur-magrot-obe-zivo\/"},"modified":"2024-04-17T19:54:30","modified_gmt":"2024-04-17T18:54:30","slug":"artur-magrot-obe-zivo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/legacy.duul.cz\/en\/artur-magrot-obe-zivo\/","title":{"rendered":"Artur Magrot: OB\u011a\u017dIVO"},"content":{"rendered":"

Gallery 2 \/ 24. 4. \u2013 27. 7. 2024<\/strong>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Artur MAGROT: OB\u011a\u017dIVO
\n<\/span>Hosted by Du\u0161an Zahoransk\u00fd
\n<\/span>Curator: Nina Moravcov\u00e1<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cArt has a complex relationship with power. On the one hand, it serves as both a conduit for propaganda and a preserver of the status quo; on the other hand, it harbours a rich tapestry of subversive expressions, which aim to dissect and challenge prevailing ideologies and social norms. Artists navigate this terrain, employing a myriad of techniques\u2014whether overtly or covertly, through symbolism or clandestine operations\u2014to confront entrenched power dynamics. Whether we classify these activities as unofficial, engaged, cryptic, or activist, they creatively harness power as a source of themes, attitudes, and strategies for their work.<\/i><\/span>\u201d\u00a0<\/span>(Magrot, 2023)<\/span><\/p>\n

With these words, visual artist Artur Magrot introduces his elaborate dissertation, in which he maps this type of artistic expression in an attempt to delve deeper into the self-reproductive processes of power that he has long been exploring in his work. This interest in subversive artistic strategies, present in Magrot’s work perhaps from the very beginning, represents an intersection where he encounters the thinking of his mentor and long-time friend, Du\u0161an Zahoransk\u00fd. While Magrot, in his video installations and artistic projects over the past five years, delves deeply beneath the surface of lived, often marginal, experiences to inquire about the possibilities of our functioning within a system that is not always entirely friendly, Zahoransk\u00fd essentially does the same, but in a completely different manner. In line with his previous work\u2014dedicated to exploring the communication possibilities of writing and symbols\u2014he contributes to the dialogue through seemingly banal to absurd comments. By means of messages encoded in maximum brevity, in line with Harari’s assertion that \u201c<\/span>in a world deluged by irrelevant information, clarity is power<\/i><\/span>\u201d (Yuval Noah Harari, 21 Lessons for the 21st Century, 2021, p. 11), he not only provides a concentrated statement but also uses it as a detonator for the viewer’s thinking. The subversiveness of his gesture lies in his ability to juxtapose his objects and installations, often consisting of stripped-down words or disconnected phrases, into unexpected situations (often in public spaces). This points to their potential interpretation on several levels.<\/span><\/p>\n

The artists\u2019 joint installation, prepared for Gallery 2, consists of six \u201ctables\u201d, or work desks rather. It builds upon Magrot’s latest artistic project \u201cOB\u011a-\u017dIVO,\u201d realised as part of the artists’ doctoral research and presented in the form of an exhibition at the XY Gallery in Olomouc (11\/2023). In it, Magrot pointed to a lesser-known story unfolding against the backdrop of the creation of the Czechoslovak crown. Behind the realisation of the longest-used coin in our modern history (1957\u20131992) lay a curious set of circumstances that led to the selection of the work by Marie Uchytilov\u00e1, a graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague, out of dozens of proposed medal designs. She \u201cencoded\u201d the portrait of Bed\u0159i\u0161ka Synkov\u00e1, a young girl sentenced to ten years in prison in 1955 for illegally leading a scout troop after being found guilty in a kangaroo court. This coin, with the assistance of state power, became perhaps the greatest memorial to its own victims, constantly in the sight of the ruling elite.<\/span><\/p>\n

Magrot built on this story and updated its narrative through a modified crown coin, which delivers a message about the sacrifices of the current social order. He replaced the Czechoslovak coat of arms on the reverse side with a symbol of the contemporary precarious class \u2013 a reflective safety vest. He surrounded it with the words EXECUTION – DEPRIVATION – LIPOSUCTION – FEAR, which, according to his own experience, best define the vicious circle in which members of today’s precariat find themselves. Above all, the third word LIPOSUCTION, in a general sense, serves as a metaphor for the depletion of human resources to sustain nonstop economic operations, a concept swiftly embraced by society despite its origins in relentless consumer convenience, often at the expense of labourers.<\/span><\/p>\n

Magrot<\/span> then had the obverse side of the coin modified to include inserted words\/prompts with the help of artificial intelligence. He chose words like \u201cpunished body,\u201d \u201cpower,\u201d and \u201csurveillance,\u201d derived from Michel Foucault’s book <\/span><\/span>Discipline and Punish<\/i><\/span><\/span>. Magrot had a new coin minted that matched the parameters of the current ten-crown coin in circulation. In the exhibition in question, he presented the coin to the audience via a vending machine for them to take as a miniature artefact or souvenir or for them to introduce into figurative circulation. The source data processed for minting the coin was then used to create a monumental relief. Its appearance alludes to the complexity of the issue tackled in this work, as well as the elusive nature of its contours, which may prove challenging to grasp for those not directly involved.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

In the exhibition in \u00dast\u00ed, Magrot further blurs the contours of this relief by suspending it from the wall. He places it on a tabletop, where it transforms into a three-dimensional blank map, a model of a landscape that can become the subject of metaphorical interpretation. Its dynamically modelled surface is the result of the action of an untamed element <\/span><\/span>\u2013<\/span> the flow of money, which carries everything in its path and leaves behind deep channels and washed-away sediments. At times, like still water, it erodes the banks, and its effects only become apparent over time. Often it is artificially regulated, flowing unnoticed beneath the surface like an underground river, occasionally surfacing or disappearing irretrievably. It is precisely this loss that is accentuated by another in the series of \u201ctables\u201d \u2013 Zahoransk\u00fd’s object entitled \u201c10 Czech crowns\u201d, which is a virtual three-dimensional graph depicting the share of public funds that dissolved into bribes in the past year. A similar object was already presented by the artist to the \u00dast\u00ed public back in 2013 as part of the group exhibition \u201cMinimal Durability\u201d on display at the Emil Filla Gallery, which reflected a wide range of artistic statements within the context of the year prior (2012). His gesture was coupled with a recent uproar over the embezzlement of public funds, as he cut out a section representing 16% from each of the hundred crown coins stacked into the fireplace, which \u201csymbolically [embodied] the percentage of missing public funds that [had been] unprecedentedly embezzled in our country.\u201d (Zahoransk\u00fd, 2013) Despite a 12-year time gap during which embezzlement decreased only slightly by 6%, he chose to revisit the theme again with the same determination, expressing his lack of trust in the existing system.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The other two tables serve as a research backdrop, whether real\u2014hinting at the process behind Magrot’s project dedicated to the Czech crown coin\u2014or fictional, with objects resembling book volumes or dust jackets. Through these, Zahoransk\u00fd constructs frameworks for future understanding of phenomena we currently only speculate about. These \u201cmanuals\u201d may one day offer insights into navigating \u201cIn a flood of foreign and personal decisions,\u201d tackling \u201cProcessing huge disparate data,\u201d or strategising \u201cHow to earn as little as possible,\u201d helping us adapt to the evolving demands of the job market. Zahoransk\u00fd further explores these themes with straightforward slogans on other tables in the series, such as \u201cI apologise for the bribe on your behalf,\u201d \u201cI will create an impression that your opinion matters to someone,\u201d or \u201cI will find a substitute target for channelling your frustrations.\u201d It is as if through these, he contemplates future employment prospects and consumer needs. With humour and exaggeration, he devises self-promotional slogans that might aid his success in securing a position, as the only certainty may be the persistent demand for \u201cdirty work\u201d or improving one’s reputation.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The appearance of the final table, in contrast, reflects considerations about a recently vacated job position. It looks as if someone just left it moments ago. The monitor at the centre of the desk is blinking, and the coffee in the cup beside it may not have even cooled down yet. Could the message on the nearby discarded mobile phone provide insight into the reason for departure? A snippet of one of the fictional conversations, inspired by overheard tram conversations, which Zahoransk\u00fd captured in a series of objects, i.e. mobile phones from 2019. A board, covered with various records, lies on it as if it were a notepad for Magrot’s latest unfinished video displayed on the screen. In it, he responds to a newspaper report about the suicide of an official, J. \u0160., who chose to end his life voluntarily due to being overworked. Human energy becomes an imaginary currency. This is about its loss and replenishment, about work and the (counter)values we gain from it. About loyalty, which becomes a sort of capital that may be valued in the future. Or it becomes unbearable to the point that it hinders us from fulfilling our obligations and becomes the cause of our own destruction. Zahoransk\u00fd and Magrot thus explore the concept of currency in a broader context in their joint installation. They emphasise the theme of work and its values. However, they also reflect on the distribution, redistribution, and replenishment of energy, as well as its depletion and loss. Whether it is our own energy or the potential of a system that we sometimes feed and sustain somewhat blindly through our work.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Nina Moravcov\u00e1<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Artur Magrot<\/b><\/span> (*1985) studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague (AVU) in the Intermedia II studio under the tutelage of Ji\u0159\u00ed P\u0159\u00edhoda from 2014 to 2020, and later under Pavla Scerankov\u00e1 and Du\u0161an Zahoransk\u00fd. During his studies, he completed an internship in the New Media Studio of Anna Dauc\u00edkov\u00e1 at AVU (2019) and participated in study abroad programmes at HFBK Dresden (2018) and UDK Berlin (2019). He completed his studies at the academy in 2020 with his thesis work \u201cGlobal Illumination<\/span>\u201d<\/i><\/span>. This video installation was selected for the international Startpoint Prize competition and awarded at the Jihlava Documentary Film Festival. In previous years, he presented his work at solo exhibitions such as \u201cTHE KEY\u2019S IN THE MAILBOX\u201d (GAMU, Prague, 2023), \u201cDegree of Freedom\u201d (Jelen\u00ed Gallery, Prague, 2020), and \u201cIt Will Not Take Long\u201d (Start up, GHMP, 2016), among others. He is the creative mind behind both temporary and permanent installations in public spaces. Currently, he is a doctoral student at AVU, where he also works in the 3D studio. He is a member of the creative collective FRAG and a co-founder of the project \u201cThe Stolen Gallery.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Du\u0161an Zahoransk\u00fd<\/b><\/span> (*1972) graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Bratislava, where he studied in the studio of Professor Juraj Bartusz. He is dedicated to spatial creation, video, and photography. In his artistic work, he follows strategies that alter the usual perception of an image. Shifts in framing, manipulation of information, breaking of perspective, and confusing the observer are intended to awaken an active perception of reality in the audience. As an artist, Zahoransk\u00fd is interested in the \u201cwhen,\u201d \u201cwhere,\u201d and \u201cwhy\u201d we sometimes view things and events as “images,” and conversely, when we experience them only passively. The ability to step back, gain the necessary distance, and perceive a social, historical, or poetic situation as a sign bearing specific meaning is a fundamental cognitive skill for Zahoransk\u00fd. The artist is an active educator and curator. Currently, he leads the Intermedia II studio at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague alongside Pavla Scerankov\u00e1.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Gallery 2 \/ 24. 4. \u2013 27. 7. 2024 Artur MAGROT: OB\u011a\u017dIVO Hosted by Du\u0161an Zahoransk\u00fd Curator: Nina Moravcov\u00e1 \u201cArt has a complex relationship with power. On the one hand, it serves as both a conduit for propaganda and a preserver of the status quo; on the other hand, it harbours a rich tapestry of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25,32,295],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24399","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-exhbition","category-archive","category-galerie-2-en"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/legacy.duul.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24399","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/legacy.duul.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/legacy.duul.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legacy.duul.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legacy.duul.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24399"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/legacy.duul.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24399\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25008,"href":"https:\/\/legacy.duul.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24399\/revisions\/25008"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/legacy.duul.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24399"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legacy.duul.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24399"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legacy.duul.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24399"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}