User:Mano Daniel Szollosi/Graduation Project Proposal2

Graduation proposal for reassessment

by Manó Dániel Szöllősi 'paradox' Search for the twist

During the 4th trimester I was sticking myself to the context of my latest project 'Leisure Factory': global capitalism and its aspect of exploitation. I was researching this infinite, vast and broad field hoping to find another 'handle bar' I can grab like I used Mechanical Turk. This research taught me a broad overall knowledge – that is very valuable for me. This theoretical research have not manifested in my art practise – the handle was missing.

After the assessment the feedback I got from the tutors pointed out that I might be looking at the wrong place: Instead of focusing on the method I was using in my latest project I was focusing more of its context. The method was creating a 'paradox' – reverse a system: pay workers to have leisure. Liberate them. Here I use 'paradox' in its more causal, everyday life meaning – not in its philosophic, scientific meaning.

My original methodology description

I realised that I have a greater fascination to this method itself – creating 'paradoxes', reverse systems, twists or loopholes – rather than context I was dealing with although it is also a true fascination of mine. I have analysed thorough my method, language I was using in my previous practise and I discovered the coherent line: even if the subject of the projects are diverse and may vary the method is that makes these projects mine. Insisting to this method allows me to deal with a diverse range of topics – which is liberating.

Analysis of previous ideas, proposals and inspirations

Although last year I took a look on my projects and analysed and described them as a part of Steve classes with this new discovery I am looking at my own project from a different position: a position where these concepts cross each other. I have not been able to define my method with a single sentence yet – but I believe by describing my previous pieces it will be clear to understand.

Storm

A single photo of mine from my archive back from 2008.

One Night in Paris

One Night in Paris is pretend to be an amateur photo series taken on a one night journey in Paris – and an unfortunate setting of the flash ruins all the pictures: everything in the background fades to black leaving only the smiling main character in the foreground exposed. The title of the photos (La tour Eiffel, Trocadéro, Le Pont d'Alma etc.) gives the solution of this weird photo series to the viewer and leaves her to project these symbolic-iconic-wellknown clichés on the almost plain black background.

The titles are naming something what is completely missing from the photos. This verbal aid that brings concreteness to the project – without this key the photos are almost unreadable. The titles reveals the fact that these photos are not what they are meant to be – they are a result of an artefact. This revealing brings tension to the project – the titles and the weird photos and the imagination-projection of the viewer start to twirl and result in a playful, witty and humorous experience.

Anti-consumer bracelet

'Are you tired of consuming? Choose our Anti-consumer bracelet! Consume for the one last time!'

This geg of mine is pretty straight forward. It encourages the consumer to protest against consuming with the an act with what the protest itself is against – although it is possible to do but does not make sense.

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Conspiracy-theory against the Internet – first initial proposal for the Final Project

'My initial proposal was to create a conspiracy-theory which would present the idea that 'internet' as a new media, a new tool is an invention of 'them' – the invisible authorities – and its purpose to keep the masses minds stimulated, to give them the opportunity, the right for self-expression so they remain pushing forward the capitalist mechanism efficiently.'

Every conspiracy theory an approach to a certain topic that is generally believed to be good without saying or questioning from a complete opposite direction: it reverses every 'known'-'solid' fact to its opposite. It flips over the established facts, it turns the 'facts' inside-out and gives a wider lens into the hand of the viewer and opens up his mind: 'every coin has two sides'. From this I understood my attraction to conspiracy-theories: it has a similar reversing nature. The method is similar to mine: its aspect of 'turning the world upside-down' what triggers me. That is why I was repeating that I am not necessarily believe this theories but I still find them exciting.

Fairtrade

'FAIRTRADE logo looks down on me from the top-shelves of the most common Dutch store chain Albert Heijn. I look back on it and I start wonder: Fairtrade. I do understand both part of the mosaic word but somehow it stinks. Something is not right. And later I figured for myself: the word fair does not fit within the system of capitalism and the western society of consumption.'

'Capitalism does not meant to be fair by default – on the contrary: it is the system of exploitation.

Then how dare someone name a product that literally can not be true. It can be more fair, more equal, it can be more generous: but never can be fair in the purest meaning of the term.'

My attraction towards Fairtrade is again fed by its paradoxic nature: a concept that goes against the nature of capitalism but still functions under the rules of capitalism. 'Iron wheel made out of wood' – as a Hungarian expression says.

In this 'one-liner' below I applied the concept of fairtrade on a field where it is not yet present to emphasise raise awareness and its absurdity.

'Macbook assembled in China: 1199 € Macbook assembled in Sweden: 5699€'

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Leisure Factory

'You deserve a minute off' was the title of the simple task I offered on Amazon's Mechanical Turk platform.

Mechanical Turk is an online marketplace for work. Any US resident can commission a small task for a small fee to digital workers from all around the world. A task can be digitalization, transcribing visual or audio data, translating, writing reviews or comments or solving 'captchas'.

My job offer was as follows: 'Stand up. Do 1 minute of exercise. Make a snapshot of yourself using your webcam. Upload the image to any image sharing service. Paste the URL of your uploaded image below and get paid 0.50$'

The visual result of was a series of webcam portraits taken by Amazon's Mechanical Turk workers of themselves in their own working environment. The current series consists almost a hundred photos.

Leisure Factory hacked a truly exploiting system and reversed it: instead of exploiting further the project liberated the workers on tiny – but in the same time – enormous scale. The project paid workers to take a break instead of asking them to work.

I have turned an inhuman system upside-down and squeezed something very human out of it. But for me the human aspect was a fortunate aspect of the project but not the most important for me – it was the “hacking-reversing' nature.

Andrew Norman Wilson's piece – Inspiration

Scanops

This project collects and exhibits the normally 'trashed' artefacts.

Conclusion

I hope that the above presented descriptions draw the coherent line that I have recently discovered in my own practice.

The flip over of a segment of the 'world' is an ambitious, huge promise – but I would argue that 'Leisure factory' have not achieved that even if for a tiny moment on a tiny scale. Using a 'paradox' as a core tool I can achieve a truly revolutionary result – I find.

In the beginning of December the Rotterdam art heist caught my attention as I was planning to visit and see the displayed collection. I read some articles about the incident and the photo of Guardian inspired me.

I did not wish to see the exhibition anymore – I wished to stumble upon these mysterious empty spots.

EMPTY SPOTS project – in process

I visited several times the exhibition. I presumed I will find quarantined areas by the police with black impossible to see through huge nylon covers. Nothing. The exhibition was functioning as it was nothing happened at whatsoever. They have grabbed some works from the collection and filled the GAPS.

So I have interviewed a guard who only answered me: 'NO COMMENT.' 'Excuse me...? 'No comment on this.'

The second guard was better in communication but still did not gave me any information. I was not interesting in the details of the crime incident itself but the details of the positions of the stolen painting – my plan was to make as accurate reproduction of the empty spots with all the details as possible.

Interview with a guard about the heist

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Oil paintings

Commissioning a Chinese co EMAILS

---» DESIGN from empty spots document