Privileged Tactics I

PTI is based on our experiences with street kids in the Ukraine. This project does not simply illustrate the phenomena of street children; it asks how such a phenomena can exist. Taking the street children’s talents for creative survival as a model, PTI tries to open up discussions about the inequalities existing in the world today.

Installation: In a white room ten speakers line the walls, from which ten women talk at once. They describe tactics for stealing, each in a different language (all from the developed world). In the centre of the room, hanging from the ceiling is a bag. Beneath the bag a statement reads:
This bag blocks signals from Electromagnetic (EM), Radiofrequency (RF), Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), and Acoustomagnetic (AM) security systems.
(These are the most common security systems used as theft-prevention in retail environments.)

At the back of the room is a shelf, with a stack of CDs. The CDs contain the audio tracks of stealing techniques. A sign states "CDs = €1". Nobody supervises the CDs or the pile of euros left on the shelf.

Workshop: In the workshop we have a discussion about the issues raised by the project. Visitors are invited to participate in a workshop where they learn how to make the bag. Participants who decide to use this bag, are encouraged to bring back their stolen objects to display in the exhibition.

The project was exhibited at the 5th Triennial of Contemporary Slovenian Art at the Modern Gallery in Ljubljana in December 2006 – February 2007, and at the European Media Arts Festival, Osnabruck, 2008.

Listen to the audio here.

Workshop