| 2. Aura and calamities In the
consideration that both artists show towards garbage
there is also a part of reflection about the
dialectics of excess, its reversion to scarceness
being possible at any time.
Namely
when an item finds appreciation in the capitalistic
economy it must be in shortage either by its high demand
or its rareness. A product must be in demand in order to
be profitable. But in the case of garbage neither demand
nor rareness are a given. This changes suddenly when the
offer is held off because production cycles are
interrupted by lack of energy, resources or disturbance
of the transport routes. The latter can happen very
quickly by natural disasters, wars, epidemics or
accidents.
When Benjamin spoke of the 'Zertrümmerung der Aura" (destroying of the aura) he indeed related to a violence relationship that became activ by the mass production.9 The 'techni-sche(n) Reproduzierbarkeit' (technical reproduceability) of art works is one of the consequen- ces which above all influences our existence far deeper than we are aware of. This violence relationship affects further non-consciously because we calm or suppress in fact our survival drive but cannot completely turn if off in spite of all unconcern, because the experiences of loss and disasters persist more strongly the more they are suppressed. They have been stored in the unconscious so that the exuberant plenty of goods is strengthening rather than calming the worries of lack. Historical experiences confirm that an ebbing of the flow of goods or the break down of flows of commodities or food is possible at any time. Alone because of this it also does not seem remarkable that we exhibit a sacral or pseudo-sacral behaviour towards goods.Nothing else does the origin of the term 'aura' from religion tell us, that still bears the memory for survival reserves that had to be protected by taboos.In times of shortage, for the future of a community not to be put up for disposition, any kind of consump- tion had to be restricted especially seed crops and animals that secured reproduction. Storage room was placed at sacral places respectively identical with these and were subjected the sharpened regime of the current chieftains or kings. |
Mass production has widened the
dealings with goods and connected a large part of
these with displaying whilst in archaic societies
reserves were hidden.This is complaisant to the
production of desire and in order to not to undermine
the intention of the dealers to spur on the lust for
shopping it is avoided to offer reason for negative
feelings - this is possible in an art exhibition as
long as it does not have to serve propagandistic or
commercial aims. It is not barred then that in the
analogy with store window display also longings are
awoken and fulfilling of wishes are promised but in an
art exhibition generally no intention to sell prevails
although it belongs to a gallery's profile. Although
the red light and the earthy aromas of the bark mulch
that effuse from the installation of Bromma and
Brueckner radiate come coziness and create homeyness
the igloo is not exclusively sympathetic. The
installation also raises memories about
life-threatening cold and the pure necessity for
survival under adverse conditions, for example when
after earthquakes makeshift housing, improvised 'head
over heels', has to satisfy desire for protection
against weather and climatic influences building
materials from rubble of destruction are sought-after
and promptly become precious. The feeling of
romanticism that might be awaken in images of
improvised camping very quickly ends in this
existential sudden crisis. It comes even worse when
like in Haiti after the earthquake in 2010 the rainy
season starts and the permanent wetness, mud, dampness
and mould afflicts people.
When the absolute scarcity if the essential leaves no more options for the personal of the media, the superficial fascination with the art of improvisation and the hope for a possible new start with aid funds tips over. The exorbitance of calamity stops the flow of the images collected by the media fast. And when the images of catastrophe do not find consumers any longer the teams of reporters take off. It is not owed to the convenience of the corres-pondents that the horror is perceived as threatening and does not supply a good background for advertisements and calls for donations. The catastrophe disappears from the consious- ness of the "international community".10 |
| The 03th. exhibition in HYBRID EINSTELLUNGSRAUM e.V. | Vernissage |
| 9
Unfortunately Groys does
not say what this violence relation means. Benjamin
however sees its reason in the subsequent disguise of
mass produced things. Benjamin however sees its reason
in the subsequent disguise of mass produced things
with that citizens conceal things of daily life and
endow appearance of perpetuity to these. In casings and sheaths the
items are "dem profanen Blick des
NichteigentŸmers entzogen, und insbesondere wird ihr
Umri§ auf bezeichnende Art verwischt" (divested
from the profane view of the non-owner and especially
their contours are blurred in a significant way). "Das
Paris des Second Empire bei Baudelaire"
(The Paris of the Second Empire with Baudelaire), in:
Ges. Schriften (Compl. Works), Vol. I,2, pages
511-604, here p. 549. He must be referring to this
masking of the character of objects when he speaks of
"EntschŠlung des
Gegenstandes aus seiner HŸlle"
(De-shelling of the item out of its casing) as a
synonym for the "ZertrŸmmerung der Aura"
(disiintegration of aura). Benjamin: "Das
Kunstwerk im Zeitalter seiner technischen
Reproduzierbarkeit " (the artwork in times of
its technical reproduceability) [first version,
paragraph 4], in: idem: 'Gesammelte Schriften"(Compl.
Works),
Vol. I. 2, ¤3, pg. 431-469, 440. |
10
Because no vacationers or holiday areas were effected
there were only brief or no reports at all about the
devastating tsunami on febr. 27th in 2010 that ravaged
the pacific coast Chile's north of Conceptión after an
earthquake of an 8.8 strength and cost the lives of
500 people. Because of absence of tourist handys and
cameras there also was no viewing figure-increasing
footage and no wave of solidarity and donation
readiness. Scientist of University Muenster who
examined the aftermath conveyed an imagination of this
force of nature:'Der Tsunami, der
im Februar 2010 weite Küstenbereiche Zentralchiles
verwüstete, transportierte Gesteinsblöcke von
dreieinhalb Meter Kantenlänge und bis zu 20 Tonnen
Gewicht etwa 200 Meter weit ins Landesinnere.'
(The tsunami in Febr. 2010 which ravaged wide
coastal areas of Central Chile transported rock
bodies about 200 meters into the heartland
of 3.5 meter edge length and 20 tons weight) www.echo-muenster.de/node/62390 |
| Supported by the department for culture, sports and media of Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg and district office Wandsbek | |
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