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Otvoritev razstave: 7. september 2022 ob 20. uri Galerija Kapelica / Zavod Kersnikova,Likozarjeva ulica 1, Ljubljana
Odnos človeka do drugih živali avtor spremlja skozi oči znanosti: različni koncepti, kot sta drevo življenja ali definicija vrste, pričajo o vrednotenju posameznih, sicer biološko gledano enakovrednih živali v hierarhične sisteme, kar se na koncu odraža v pravu, teologiji, jeziku in umetnosti. Avtor osvetljuje kompleksnost družbenega dogovora in trenutne ureditve položaja laboratorijskih živali. To so bitja, katerih usodo, individualnost in integriteto krojimo izključno ljudje.
V skladu z lestvico vrednot, ki jih kot posamezniki zagovarjamo, tudi delujemo in živimo v družbi, ki na podlagi dogovora sprejema zakone in pravni red kot realizacijo moralnih in etičnih norm skupnosti. Tako je tudi pri odnosu človeka do drugih živali, ki jih lahko z vidika moralne drže zahodnih kultur v grobem razdelimo v štiri kategorije: hišni ljubljenčki, divje, rejne in laboratorijske živali. Med posameznimi kategorijami obstajajo tudi razlike v pravnem varstvu.
Večplastnost okoliščin vodi v zanimiv konflikt interesov, ponazorjen z večplastno in multisenzorno diahrono instalacijo, poimenovano s pikro sodobno nemško zmerljivko Die Evolutionsbremse (zavora evolucije). Ta se v kontekstu postavitve nanaša predvsem na sodobno zahodno družbo in njen odnos do narave in življenja na splošno.
V središče dela sta postavljena dva objekta: ena najbolj stereotipnih laboratorijskih živali – albino podgana Wistar – in njen Victor Frankenstein – biomedicinski znanstvenik.* Slednjega avtor v svojem delu na več načinov vzpostavi kot predstavnika sodobne aristokracije oz. elite.
Na krojaški lutki razstavljeno ukrojeno laboratorijsko haljo krasi ovratnik iz podganjega krzna. Laboratorijske podgane s tem predstavljajo žrtveno jagnje, ki ga sodobna biotehnološka družba za lastno prosperiteto daruje svojemu božanstvu – znanosti. To spominja na usodo divje zveri – hermelina (Mustela erminea), čigar krzno je več stoletij zaradi svoje značilne razkošne zimske beline s črnimi konicami repov veljalo za največji prestiž. Čeprav so žival množično lovili zaradi njega, je v vlogi ljubljenčka hermelin upodobljen na eni najznamenitejših slik Leonarda da Vincija: Dama s hermelinom (1489–1490). Avtor v sodobni interpretaciji klasičnega renesančnega dela žensko podobo, Cecilio Gallerani, zamenja s podobo znanstvenika,* hermelina pa z laboratorijsko albino podgano Wistar. Ta je razstavljena tudi kot živ objekt, zaprt v pristno laboratorijsko kletko, postavljeno na starinsko salonsko mizico. Simbolno se motiv hermelina pojavlja še v heraldični obliki kot logotip same postavitve na laboratorijski halji.
Kontrast na pogled prijetni razstavi predstavljata oster vonj podganjega urina, nasičenega s stresnimi hormoni, in subtilna, nekoliko srhljiva zvočna kompozicija, ki je sestavljena iz različnih glasov in zvokov, ki jih podgane oddajajo v laboratorijskem prostoru.
*Moška slovnična oblika samostalnika se navezuje na podobo in je s tem mišljena spolno nevtralno.
Tim Prezelj (1994) je trenutno zaposlen kot raziskovalec na Pedagoški fakulteti Univerze v Ljubljani (UL). Od nekdaj ga je zanimala predvsem živa narava, zato je že v času gimnazijskega izobraževanja raziskoval na Kemijskem inštitutu v Ljubljani, kasneje v času študija mikrobiologije in nato molekulske in funkcijske biologije pa na Inštitutu za biologijo celice Medicinske fakultete UL, kjer se je ukvarjal predvsem s človeškimi in živalskimi celičnimi in tkivnimi kulturami ter biologijo raka. Čeprav je še vedno aktivno udeležen v znanstveno-raziskovalnem delu, ga je vedno zanimala tudi umetnost in njene povezave z znanostjo. Prav izkušnja dela v celičnem laboratoriju je Tima soočila z vprašanji znanstvene etike in položaja drugih organizmov v znanosti, zato je to glavna tema avtorjevega umetniškega delovanja in izražanja. Blizu so mu kompleksne problematike, ki jih rad prepleta s preteklostjo. Njegova dela posegajo predvsem na področje konceptualne znanstvene umetnosti.
Produkcija: Zavod Kersnikova | Snemanje in obdelava zvoka: Brane Zorman | Snemanje zvoka: Snake Food | Fotografiranje: Andrej Lamut | Strojenje in šivanje ovratnika: Strojenje Grebenc | Podganje kožice: dr. Martina Perše, dr. vet. med.; Medicinski eksperimentalni center Medicinske fakultete, Univerze v Ljubljani | Jezikovni pregled: Luka Horjak | Sponzor: Magacin Fundus | Podpora: Ministrstvo za kulturo Republike Slovenije, Mestna občina Ljubljana - Oddelek za kulturo, Svet za umetnost Univerze v Ljubljani, Evropska noč raziskovalcev - Humanistika, to si ti!, Evropska unija.
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Exhibition opening: September 7th, 2022 @8pm
Kapelica Gallery / Kersnikova Institute, Likozarjeva 1, Ljubljana
The artist addresses human attitude towards animals through the eyes of science: various concepts, such as the phylogenetic tree or the definition of species, reveal the systematization of individual, biologically looking equal animals into hierarchical systems, which is reflected in legislation, theology, language and art. The artist sheds light on the complexity of the social agreement and the current legal position of laboratory animals. The fate, individuality and integrity of these animals are governed exclusively by people.
In line with the values that we advocate as individuals, we function and live in a society, which uses a consensus to pass laws and legislation that reflect the moral and ethical norms of the community. This is also the case in the human attitude towards other animals, which are, according to the moral stance of Western cultures, divided into four categories: pets, wild animals, livestock and laboratory animals. The legislation varies for the different categories.
The multiple layers of circumstances lead to an interesting conflict of interests, depicted in a multi-layered and multisensory diachronous situation, often described with the bitter contemporary German derogatory word Die Evolutionsbremse (the brake of evolution). Within the context of this exhibition, this is applicable mainly to the contemporary Western society and its attitude to nature and life in general.
Two objects are placed within the centre of the exhibition: one of the most characteristic laboratory animals – the albino rat Wistar – and its Victor Frankenstein – biomedicine scientist. The artist presents the latter as a representative of the contemporary aristocracy of the elite.
The laboratory coat exhibited on a mannequin is decorated by a collar made from rat fur. Laboratory rats represent sacrificial lambs, offered by the contemporary biotechnological society to its divinity (science) for its own prosperity. This is reminiscent of the fate of the wild animal – ermine (Mustela erminea), the fur of which was considered the greatest prestige for centuries due to its characteristically rich winter whiteness with black ends on their tails. Even though the animals were hunted in high numbers die to their fur, Leonardo da Vinci depicted an ermine in the role of a pet on one of his most famous paintings: Lady with an Ermine (1489–1490). The artist created a modern reinterpretation of the classic Renaissance work, by substituting the female, Cecilia Gallerani, with a scientist, and the ermine with a laboratory albino rat Wistar. The rat is also exhibited as a living object, closed into a laboratory cage that is placed on an antique salon table. Symbolically, the motif of the ermine also appears in the heraldic form as a logotype of the exhibition on the cage and the laboratory coat.
A contrast to the visually appealing exhibition is represented by the sharp aroma of rat urine filled with stress hormones, and a subtle, somewhat eery sound composition, which is comprised of various sounds emitted by rats in the laboratory.
Artist statement:
Tim Prezelj (1994) is currently employed as a researcher at the Faculty of Education, University of Ljubljana (UL). He has always been interested in living nature, thus he started researching at the National Institute of Chemistry already during his secondary school years. Later, he continued his research during his studies of microbiology followed by molecular and functional biology at the Institute of Cell Biology at the Faculty of Medicine (UL), where he mainly researched human and animal cells and tissue cultures and the biology of cancer. Even though he is still actively involved in scientific-research work, he had always shown an interest in art and its connections with science. His experience of working in a cell laboratory confronted Tim with the questions of science ethics and the position of other living organisms in science, which is why this represents the main theme of his work as an artist. He is familiar with complex themes that he likes to mix with the past. His work mainly focuses on conceptual scientific art.
Production: Zavod Kersnikova | Recording and sound processing: Brane Zorman | Sound recording space: Snake Food | Photography: Andrej Lamut | Tanning and sewing of the collar: Grebenc Tanning | Skin trimming: dr. Martina Perše, dr. vet. med. Medical Experimental Centre of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana | Language review: Luka Horjak | Sponsor: Magacin Fundus | Supported by: The Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia, The Municipality of Ljubljana – Department of Culture, The Arts Council of the University of Ljubljana, European Researchers’ Night – Humanities, it’s you!, European Union.
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Galerija Kapelica / Kapelica Gallery, Kersnikova ulica 4, 1000 Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia