ART

The installation by Monique Fessl and Marta Navaridas is the result of research on “Pleasure Activism” that began in Belgrade in April and May 2022 as part of an artists-in-residence programme.
In October 2022, the two artists presented the performance installation BECAUSE OF A WISH at the < rotor > association for contemporary art/Graz.
In a black, foggy room, illuminated by a large, disc-shaped light reminiscent of the moon, there is a pink battery-powered bird, two high platforms, benches and cushions for visitors, two ballot boxes and a voting booth. The latter consists of a standing table with paper, envelopes and pens, as well as two room dividers that evoke associations with tall grass.
The two artists sit on the pedestals like sphynxes and speak or sing the wishes they collected from people in Belgrade and other European cities in the period from April to October 2022. This is backed by a composition – an arrangement of recordings of water and animal sounds from Belgrade and electronically generated sounds.
The wishes written down by the visitors during the performance will be placed in an envelope and thrown into one of two ballot boxes, as in a political election. At the same time, the visitors choose whether their own wishes are to be burned or drawn by the artists.

Visual Art: OchoReSotto
Music: Monique Fessl

Carried by the music originally composed for this project, the light images make the illuminated buildings take off. The walls seem weightless. At the same time, the arrangement of the houses in the space reinforces the play of paradigms. Their staggered arrangement allows the visual elements to work with and against the sound installation. An exciting mix of audiovisual impressions allows thoughts to rise, emotions to soar. An immense space that creates perspectives for impressive images is generated with analogue large-screen projectors, each of which moves two film reels with and against each other. Sequences tailored to the location stimulate the complex and bring it to life. They are characterised by fluently consistent movements, captivate with their brilliant luminosity and are precisely synchronised with the music.