Sašo SedlačekAcDcWcwww.aksioma.org/acdcwc

Produkcija / Production: Aksioma - Institute for Contemporary Art, Ljubljana, 2010www.aksioma.org

Soprodukcija / Coproduction: Škuc Gallery, Simulaker Gallery, MMC Pina

Sponzorji / Sponsors: Vigrad d.o.o., Sipronika d.o.o., Droga Kolinska

S podporo Ministrstva za kulturo RS, Mestne občine Ljubljana in Mestne občine Koper / Supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia, the Municipality of Ljubljana and the Municipality of Koper

Fotografije / Photo: Dare Sintič / SnabyrowZahvale / Thanks: Ib- Procadd d.o.o., Pavle Sedlaček

Kontakt / Contact:Marcela OkretičAksioma | Zavod za sodobne umetnosti, LjubljanaNeubergerjeva 25, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenijae-pošta: aksioma@aksioma.org

Analiza političnih, ekonomskih in socialnih tem ter njhovo posredovanje skozi umetnost je pogosta praksa sodobne vizualne umetnosti. Največkrat se take prakse začnejo intenzivno spogledovati z aktivizmom in kaj kmalu lahko umetnost postane orodje za izraz nekakšne anti-ideje. Zaradi procesa prehajanja umetniškega del k aktivizmu se velikokrat zgodi, da umetnost zgubi svojo primarno funkcijo manifestacije ideje ali estetskega momenta. Gotovo pa o tem ne moremo govoriti v kontekstu umetnosti Saša Sedlačka, enega tistih slovenskih ustvarjalcev, ki se že vrsto let na različne načine preizprašuje o premikih v sodobni družbi. Celovit in konsistenten pristop k družbenemu problemu in njegova neposredna aplikacija na izbrano umetniško formo se odražata v izjemni doslednosti njegovih umetniških del, tako na vsebinski ravni, v formi umetniškega dela ali pa v njunem sinergijskem učinku. V kontekstu razstavnega projekta AcDcWc je mogoče govoriti o slednjem, saj stranišča poleg uporabne vsekakor nosijo tudi simbolično gesto, ki vselej priča o našem nadvse ignorantskem odnosu do odplak in odpadkov, ki jih dnevno proizvajamo ter nekontrolirano puščamo za sabo.

Analysing political, economic and social issues and channelling them through art is a common practice in contemporary visual art. Most often such practices flirt with activism and such art can soon become a tool to express an anti-idea. Due to the process of art works becoming activism, art can often lose its primary function of manifesting an idea or an aesthetic moment. However, in the context of the art of Sašo Sedlaček, who has questioned the evolutionary moments of contemporary society for years, this is certainly not the case. An integrated and consistent approach to social issues, and direct application to a selected form of art, results in great consistency in the artist’s work at all levels - in terms of content and form and their combined effect. In the context of the AcDcWc project, the latter does occur, as in addition to being useful, the toilets incorporate a symbolic gesture which always testifies to our ignorant attitude to the sewage and waste which we produce every day and, uncontrollably, leave behind.

Različni prototipi stranišč, ki z reciklažo fekalij proizvajajo čisto električno energijo, so postavljeni v različne družbene situacije, ki odražajo širok pristop k raziskavi posamičnih segmentov reciklaže in razvoju tehnologije. Sodobni mobilni AcDcWc lahko kot kemično stranišče uporabljamo doma ali na kampiranju, in proizvedeno čisto elektriko koristimo za napajanje različnih naprav, kot so sobne luči in televizijski sprejemniki. Nekakšen odvod mobilnega kemičnega stranišča je kahla AcDcWc, ki zaradi manjše velikosti posledično tudi manjše količine električne energije, ki pa zadostuje za napajanje nekoliko manjših elektronskih predmetov, kot so mobilni telefon in elektronske igrače, kar sprošča električno omrežje gospodinjstva. Poleg bolj intimnih modelov AcDcWc stranišč pa Sedlaček predlaga tudi prototip javnega mobilnega AcDcWc, ki se lahko postavi na javna mesta z velikim pretokom ljudi in ki omogoča proizvajanje večjih količin električne energije in napajanje največjih porabnikov (javna razsvetljava, javne prireditve – koncerti, zborovanja).

The different types of toilets are positioned in different social situations, which reveal the artist’s all-encompassing approach to researching individual segments of recycling and technological development. At the exhibition, spectators are able to see the contemporaryThe mobile AcDcWc, which can be used at home, or while camping as a chemical toilet, and which uses the energy it generates to supply various devices (such as lights and TV-sets). A variant of the mobile chemical toilet is the AcDcWc potty, which is smaller, and consequently produces less energy, but is still enough to supply smaller electronic devices, such as mobile phones and electronic toys, thereby reducing the toll on the household energy network. In addition to more intimate models of AcDcWc toilets, Sedlaček offersproposesthe exhibition showcases a prototype of a public mobile AcDcWc, which can be used in public places with a greater flow of people, generates greater quantifiers of energy, and supplies large electricity consumers (public/street lightning, public events such as concerts and meetings).

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AcDcWc Kabina The Cabin

AcDcWc Prenosni z lestencem

Portable with Chandelier

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Sašo Sedlaček AcDcWcwww.aksioma.org/acdcwc

Zasnova posamičnega tipa AcDcWc temelji na indijski tehnologiji Deenbandhu, kar pomeni »ki pomaga revnim«. Pred kratkim so jo indijski tehnologi razvili za potrebe revnih slojev indijske družbe, ki lahko tako proizvajajo elektriko in plin za kuhanje. Nadgradnja tehnologije Saša Sedlačka pa temelji predvsem na prilagoditvi in aplikaciji v t. i. razvitem svetu.

Sašo Sedlaček razkriva novo raven družbene problematike, ki se odkrito dotika področja energetike. To bo v prihodnosti gotovo ena od osrednjih tem globalne politike, saj so zaloge fosilnih goriv omejene, potrebe po energiji pa iz dneva v dan večje. Zaradi močne izrabe energetskih fosilnih virov in političnih delitev energetske pogače bo vedno bolj aktualna raba alternativnih virov (sončna in veterna energija, izkoriščanje valovanja morja, razvijanje fuzijskega reaktorja, ipd.), ki pa zaradi hermetičnih energetskih lobijev še niso dosegli ekonomsko konkurenčne ravni.

The design of individual types of AcDcWc toilet is based on Indian technology called Deenbandhu, meaning “helpful for the poor”, which was developed recently by Indian technologists for the poorer classes of Indian society, who can thereby produce electricity and gas for cooking. Sedlacček’s upgraded version of this technology was mostly driven by the need to adapt and use it in the so-called developed world.

The artist reveals another level of social issues by clearly touching upon the area of energy. This is sure to be one of the main global policy issues, as reserves of fossil fuels are limited, while the need for energy continues to grow on a daily basis. Due to the intensive consumption of fossil energy resources and the political carving up of available energy assets, the use of alternative sources of energy (solar and wind energy, waves, fusion reactors) will become increasingly important. However, thanks to exclusive energy lobbies, these have not been developed to the point where they could compete with other energy resources.

Na latenten način prav o tem govori tudi projekt AcDcWc, ki poskuša mimo globalnih političnih sistemov nagovarjati posameznika in kazati na eno od možnosti alternativnega načina pridobivanja energije, s katero bi lahko nadomestili že izginjajoča fosilna goriva. V razvitem svetu je določen higienski standard samoumeven, vendar pa se v središču naše lokalne čistoče skriva črna luknja, ki, kot pravi Slavoj Žižek, srka v odtok straniščne školjke vse naše nezavedno, ves naš drek oziroma vse, s čimer sami nočemo imeti opravka, in ga po možnosti odvrže čim dlje stran. Postavljeni smo pred dejstvo, ki nas sili, da prilagodimo osnovne sanitarne standarde, ki morajo prerasti okvir zgolj lokalne čistoče in postati širši oziroma globalni. Za to pa se moramo soočiti s svojim nezavednim, s smetmi, z odpadki, z lastnimi fekalijami.

Indirectly, this is the theme of AcDcWC, which seeks to address the individual outside global political systems and point to one of the possible alternative ways of recovering energy, which could be a substitute for disappearing fossil fuels. In the developed world, a certain standard of hygiene is self-evident. However, at the centre of local cleanliness, there is a black hole, which, according to Slavoj ZŽizžek, sucks into the drainage of our toilet bowl all of our unconscious, all our shit, everything we do not want anything to do with, and carries it away as far as possible. We are faced with a fact that forces us to adapt our basic standards of hygiene, which should grow beyond local cleanliness and become wider or global. For this to happen, we must confront our unconscious, our garbage, our waste, our excrement.

AcDcWc Kahla s psom

Potty with a Dog

AcDcWc Merda d’Artista

AcDcWc Kanalizacijski sistemThe Sewerage System

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