the promise of the other place
The work (2018-19) is a novel approach on developing strategic thinking on travel and transport. It looks into the profound reasons for and considerable consequences of moving stuff and ourselves in enormous numbers. It investigates new equations of the perceived value and the cost incurred. it uses mainly manipulated images to freely think about various specific aspects and evoke other layers of awareness.
The work has in its original format the shape of a collage of images with some additional short texts. The fact that the work existed in a one physical form only reinforced the idea behind the work. a work that deals with the differences of determination between one specific place and another place and the ways to overcome these differences was only to be experienced through a physical presence with the work.
The work was shown in its original compositions in 2019 in the exhibition ‘the agony of attention’ to celebrate 15 years of stordes. The first version was exhibited during the conference on ‘the art of management and organisation’ in Brighton (UK), in 2018.
in the light of the covid-19 crisis, the works seems to get another layer of meaning. i decided that the message of the work, rethinking the meaning of movement of people and material, is more important than the conceptual idea of just one physical occurrence of the work.
the digital version
in its original format the sequence of looking at the images was not so strict due to the college format (see picture above). explanatory text was absent except for the titels of various aspects.
in the digital pdf version the physical experience of the collage is difficult to emulate. the digital version is a different experience. the images and the supporting titles remain the same, but the images are strictly sequenced. every of 52 images is preceded by a short text to provide a little background.
you can down-load a digital version: part 1 and part 2
or browse it below
1.
the whole idea of moving ourselves and stuff is based on the perception that being in that other place it somehow better than being in the current location. that promise is basically the sole incentive for travel and transportation. that promise has a lot of consequences.
2.
the promise only exist by the fact that in the material world everything has a specific place. living and dead matter is always somewhere. you can move yourself and move goods, everything is always somewhere at a specific time, inevitably.
3.
what3words is an app that allows you identify the unique position your are located in a combination of three words. the artist used this app to capture where he was at a specified time. a picture taken shows where the artist was when he took the picture.
5.
the systems of coordinates to establish a position are artificial layers of place
the place remains the same. how odd that place can be
6.
knowledge is captured in certain places for it be shared.
the library and literature; human ingenuity to create place
4.
crude oil is located in specific layers of the earth’s crust.
it has resided there for many years, until it started fuelling our economies. to know where to find it drives engineers and countries.
7.
the location of a good or an individual also determines it’s meaning and perceived value. not only the absolute location, but also the position relative to other alternative locations. location becomes place.
8.
being at the marketplace creates a different value fora tangible good.
9.
worth connected to the territory of a country
the force of local identity
from genius loci to shameless nationalism
10.
a little cabin in a large spectacle
value enhancing at work
11.
a place of revolution
paris, also in 1968
it carries meaning for lengthy periods
12.
a place where the gold becomes financial stability:
the vaults of a central bank
13.
the difference in meaning and value of goods and people in certain location, makes people move goods or themselves to places with a larger value or meaning.
a fundamental driver for travel and transportation
14.
the want to transform iron ore from australia into cars in stuttgart,
into movement of speed and status
15.
be where the affluent people are
16.
quite a lot of people travel to see a smile in reality
or at least a painting of a smiling mona lisa
17.
the craving is old and powerful
witnessing mesopotamian glass beads found in a 3200 years old danish grave
18.
to accommodate the want for movement there are complex and far stretching systems in place.
not natural eco systems but a big variety of man made systems
19.
the systems for movement extend to information realm
20.
gigantic airports as the nodes in air travel based connections, enabling fast and massive movements
21.
the military airfields everywhere you want them
22.
the rules of the system in graphical representations of the air travel space
23.
we gain a lot by moving stuff and people,
yet there are cost in various definitions involved, inevitably.
some are clear and obvious, others are more hidden and intangible
24.
artificially clouding the skies
25.
jammed mobility due to too many promised to be fulfilled at the same time
what did we wish for?
26.
environmental instability
cause and effect
27.
cost literally
28.
moving is also leaving other things behind
29.
towards a new equilibrium between the promise and the cost
30.
there are two strategic parameters for a new equilibrium
increase the value
reduce the cost
31.
options
change the origin
change the destination
change the means
change the want
32.
moving more cleverly
technologically empowered connections
supported by idealistically motivated efficiency
33.
the internet of moving things
34.
droned movement: ubiquitous, fast and automated
35.
supply connected to sources of consumption
36.
bringing things and people closer together in premeditated and organised ways
37.
scaling up the units of movement
more at once from a to b
38.
food grown nearby at industrial scale
foodmiles reduction
39.
the one place choice
40.
tokyo: 25 million people at maximum one and half hours travel distance of each other
41.
flipping the movement and the experience
42.
when you can not go home
create a refuge
unwanted destinations on an immense scale
43.
in locarno the movies come to you
inside out, outside in
44.
snow and downhill
in the flat dubai desert
saving travel
45.
the treasures of the louvre move north to the city of lens
46.
the illusion of the other place might be enough
47.
artificial manipulating sight and experience
seen it before
48.
a tablet for the illusion of new destinations of experiences
49.
your deep fake wealth manager coming to you by ai
unlimited presence
50.
new happenings mixing the real and the virtual
teamlab
51.
nudge, dream, settle, convince, enforce
to stop the craving for movement
52.
frame the promise as a lie
53.
do no return to your workplace
or you will be hunted by remorse
54.
shame on you for your muirapiranga chair
can’t you see what is happening?
55.
bring the collection home
back to work