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Sculptors of information
Disney gave Pinocchio Jiminy Cricket to be his conscience. The Czech Republic has Pode Bal. By Caroline Wren An open group of politically engaged artists, Pode Bal's core are members Petr Motycka, Hana Valihorova, Michal Siml and Antonin Kopp. The group's latest project -- The Gallery of Established Nomenclature, or G.E.N. -- drags the past back from where it was swept under the carpet. Pode Bal cut its artistic teeth with an exhibition in the foyer of Parliament that sparked nationwide debate in February 1998. As a bill proposing hefty punishment for the possession of more than a small amount of illicit drugs was going into its third and final reading, the group presented a series of posters highlighting the weaknesses of the bill. It was a baptism of fire for an art group that has since created a series of exhibitions commenting on hypocrisy in society -- a group that aims to spark discussion. G.E.N., the group's latest project, is currently on display at the Vaclav Spala gallery on Narodni in Prague 1. This first phase of the project is titled Malik urvi, a clever play on words that reads "tear off the pinkie," but when spoken aloud translates as "little whores."G.E.N. had been slated to appear at the modern art gallery at Veletrzni palac, but it became clear that Pode Bal made the National Gallery uncomfortable. And now that it's opened, G.E.N. is making even more people squirm. G.E.N. comprises a cast of former active leaders and members of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia who today perch on the pinnacles of political and financial power. They're depicted in pixilated photographs with an added sense of depth. Creative devices, emphasizing the physiognomy of the individuals, add wit to the weighty subject matter. The Czech text mapped on each image is a brief narrative of what each character was up to under communism and where they are today, with the words Nahodne vybrany vzorek (Randomly Chosen Sample) and a serial number on each image. No secret information "The main element of the project addresses the continuing power of the people who were closely connected with the communist regime and who are still in power," Valihorova says. The purpose, she adds, is to raise discussion about this. "We ended a regime and it was pronounced 'outlawed,' " Motycka observes. "But paradoxically, there is a tolerance of, even an acceptance of, the people who we now have in power who are connected with what was outlawed." For Pode Bal, G.E.N. is a way of presenting this paradox. "We're just saying what this person was doing. This way we can present what we feel about this -- grouped together, they show the paradox," Motycka adds. "It's about information. There is a fear of 'secret information' that shouldn't exist." At 9 p.m. the night before the opening, Pode Bal has been at the Vaclav Spala gallery for most of the day. The mood is high, purposeful yet relaxed, despite last-minute adjustments to the carefully prepared plan. The consensus is they'll be there until midnight at least. "We all feel good," Siml says. "I'm looking forward to the reaction -- and not just from the opening." Their anticipation comes as no surprise. G.E.N. is the culmination of a project that began a year and a half ago. No one can count the hours it took. The group points out that G.E.N. is not a witch hunt. The subjects, Pode Bal says, presented themselves. "We're just taking the media's words and putting them in a different context," Kopp says. Motycka agrees. "It's not about concrete people. We went through the media and what we read, we did research on. You take information that is available everywhere, like in a newspaper, and you use it in the public domain. "Based on the random selection, it's not a project about individuals. It's about a certain picture of our society." A scream into silence? Pode Bal does not expect any reaction from the people depicted in G.E.N., but is hoping to spark comment. "I hope that all media will have different reactions, but I'm not sure," Kopp muses. "That's what fascinates me." Pode Bal is not afraid of what people will say, but rather that they won't say anything at all. "If this project is not seen, then it does not exist," Motycka says earnestly. Valihorova reiterates the fear: "We expect discussion, but the worst expectation is a scream into silence." However, according to Zdena Fabikova, manager of the Vaclav Spala gallery, there's no danger of that. "Significantly more people are coming to see this exhibition than usual," Fabikova says. "The reactions are mostly positive. People are happy that this problem is being looked at. They seem to think it's disgusting that the past is not over or being dealt with, and that society would be happy if things were resolved to the end." So would Pode Bal. |
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