Subset of a set in the gallery Hub12,Belgrade

Within the exhibition there will be two public readings of the texts which will contextualize author’s approach to the presented theme:

– On Tuesday 25th of June, Marija Sujica will analyze texts Against Ordinary Language: Language of the Body and The New York City in 1979 the chapter of the book Hannibal Lecter, My father by Kathy Acker.

– On Wednesday 26th of June, Vanja Smiljanic will present the film Unarius: The Arrival, which will be analyzed through the text In Free Fall: A Thought Experiment on Vertical Perspective, the chapter of the book The Wretched of the Screen by Hyto Steyerl.

Starting with publications developed during two year research process of these two artists, “Subset of a set (clinical feature of a metal, a crystal and a kettle)” is a performance where is treated a certain object and the phenomena of its’ transformation, from the perception of the book to the perception of a performance. Objects/documents in the exhibition space, become relics which are testifying de-teritorization procedure of a mental space of the book. In the process there is a tendency to evoke observers ‘perception and to confront him/her with cannons of engagement with the book. Examining the use value of objects integrated in both publications, the idea is to enfold their mobilized structure and consequently abolish their status of intangibility. This process of transformation is a core of the performance.

This performance is reflecting upon two publications which were published last year.

Vanja Smiljanic is the author of the first book Metal, but at the same time… it’s a crystal.
The concept of this artistic publication is remediation of the fictional archive “Library of Light”, online data base which gives identity to the religious organization called Cosmic People. The book is a product of a two year project during which was developed a series of attempts to infiltrate artist’s works in the “Library of Light” archive. Within four months more than sixty letters were sent to Ivo A. Benda, the founder and leader of Cosmic People. The failure in succeeding her plan caused questioning of the structure and criteria of access to archives, as well as it posed the question what means to be rejected from a cult.

The second book Most Of The Time Not At All Always is a publication developed by Marija Sujica. The idea of Sujica’s artistic publication is to reflect upon artist’s relation towards pre-established norms which are being adjusted, deconstructed and reformed. Generating a system of writing funeral speeches is a starting point of her publication.
Funeral speech is treated as a text which evokes the decedent by combing his/her personal data and indicating a mental picture of an absent subject.

Texts will be available on the opening of the exhibition. The visitors are free to take the texts and to join in their group analyze.

Karadjordjeva 59, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia