We use a billboard – the symbol of the modern age consumption – and change it into an object of consideration, reflection and a deep insight into ourselves and the surrounding reality.

Freedom’s back

In this section, we placed, among all, the photographs from our happening called “Games and plays”. Carrying out this action required a lot of effort and preparations. At this moment, years after the happening, we are actually surprised that we managed to pull it off. The aim of this action was to bring the rulers and the ruled closer together and to help people overcome their fear of authority, deeply ingrained in the psyche of the Polish citizens. About a half of the councillors, and two presidents (the president and the vice-president) took part in the action. We encouraged the residents of Toruń to play simple games, such as jackstraws, cards, dominoes, draughts, with the presidents and the councillors in the Town Council meeting room. The event was advertised with a subversive slogan: “For the first time, the citizens can beat the authorities”.

Another work is an interactive billboard, connected with a happening entitled “Burn down the parliament”. From the billboard frame, one could take the parliament burning kit, consisting of matches and a miniature picture of the poster put up on the billboard. We used this kit ourselves and we burned down a poster depicting the parliament. In this work, we tried to show the inflammable nature of democracy on the one hand (after all Hitler rose to power in democratic Germany), and, on the other hand, to initiate a “political auto-therapy” in such a symbolic way. It is more beneficial to vent one’s own “civil dissatisfaction” with the shape of the Polish democracy by burning down a picture than by burning down the real thing! We are happy to live in a democratic system, despite its shortcomings, since we remember all too well the dictatorship of the proletariat.

 

A bone, 2006, billboard, Toruń, (RG) / Freedom – the bone of contention we choked on

 

Freedom, 2008, billboard, BWA Wrocław, (RG) / Freedom? No way!

The poster presents two gestural emblems used in the Polish culture. The V sign was used by the Polish Solidarity activists and is associated with freedom and the victory over the communist regime. The other gesture, the “fig-sign” is a rude gesture used in Slavic cultures. The gesture shown to one’s interlocutor denotes that the interlocutor will not get anything he or she expected to gain (a moneyloan, a pay rise… or freedom)

 

Electric shock, 2003, a poster pillar, Toruń, (RG) / Electric shock never picks those who work in politics

 

 

Games and plays, 2004, performance, The Town Council’s Meeting Room, Toruń

About a half of the councillors, and two presidents (the president and the vice-president) took part in the action. We encouraged the residents of Toruń to play simple games, such as jackstraws, cards, dominoes, draughts, with the presidents and the councillors in the Town Council meeting room. The event was advertised with a subversive slogan: “For the first time, the citizens can beat the authorities”.

 

 

 

Bones, 2008, billboard, Toruń, (RG) / Nothing but bones will be left after this meal: BONeD, BONEa FIDE, backBONE, BOrNE free / The literal translations of the words presented in the poster: love, wisdom, justice, freedom

 

Drawing/crossing out, 2006, mural, Warsaw Rising Museum, Warszawa / Drawing/crossing out the grand ideas

 

Burn down the parliament, 2004, billboard, Toruń, (RG) / Highly inflammable

 

Burn down the parliament, 2004, performance, Toruń, (RG)

From the billboard frame, one could take the parliament burning kit, consisting of matches and a miniature picture of the poster put up on the billboard. We used this kit ourselves and we burned down a poster depicting the parliament.

 

 

Treat yourself to a little bit of freedom, 2010, performance, Toruń

 

 

Muck, 2010, billboard, Toruń, (RG) / Muck, muck, muck and sleaze

 

A special offer on all things inflexible, 2005, billboard, Toruń, (RG) / As a special offer, every one of you can cut out a bit of whatever’s inflexible in the surrounding reality and take it home for free

The literal translation of the slogan is: A special offer on concrete; As a special offer, every one of you can cut out a piece of concrete from the surrounding reality and take it home for free. Concrete in Polish not only denotes a kind of material, but also certain thought patterns, characterised by pigheadedness and immune to any arguments of those who have different opinions.

Do góry