Po shihja online, të hedhur në YouTube, një emision prej serisë së programit kulturor ARTES, të Televizionit Shqiptar, drejtuar prej Elsa Demos. I ftuar ishte drejtori i Teatrit Kombëtar Altin Basha. Elsa Demo dhe Altin Basha janë, secili në fushën e vet, përfaqësuesit më të denjë të asaj që gazetaria kulturore dhe spektakli shqiptar i dy tre dekadave të fundit mund të ofrojnë.
Personalisht nuk e ndjek sistematikisht gazetarinë kulturore shqiptare dhe aq më pak spektaktlin shqiptar që prej 2018. Por, teksa shihja këtë emision në YouTube, më bëri përshtypje sesa pa risi gazetaria kulturore dhe spektakli shqiptarë ende janë, sesa pak kam humbur gjatë përhumbjeve të mija psiko-fizike duke mos i ndjekur dhe sesa pak kanë lëvizur ujrat e kënetës shqiptare.
Por, kush e ka fajin për këtë? Përgjigjia që jam munduar të racionalizojë fillimisht për veten dhe më pas për të tjerët është, prej kohësh tashmë, ky blog: ku AKS është akronim i ndjekjes së trajektores së artit, A, në transformimin e tij në kulturë, K, dhe më pas shpërfytyrimit të tij në spektakël, S; ndryshe thënë, në konsumim topitës dhe bukosës i trupit dhe i ndjenjave. Dhe për këtë, kontribut të pamohueshëm, kanë Elsa dhe Altini.
Për të kuptuar këtë më duhet të ndalem tek emisioni i sipërpërmendur i serisë ARTES, i cili në nëntitullin e videos së hedhur online ka “Teatri i Altin Bashës në një vit”.
Praktikisht emisioni fokusohet në punën e Altinit si drejtues i një institucionit kombëtar kulturor. Por Elsa, që ka si horizont të formimit të saj intelektual Shqipërinë e tranzicionit, ku të pranosh dhe të mësosh nga idiotizmat që mund të kesh bërë dje quhet dobësi dhe jo forcë për t’u ngritur intelektualisht dhe përmirësuar profesionalisht, nuk bën as dallimin më të vogël mbi pyetjet që mund t’i bënte një drejtori, konkurrent apo të emëruar, të një teatri kombëtar 5, 10 apo 15 vite më parë, nga pyetjet që duhet t’i bëjë një drejtori në 2024. Dhe të dish të bësh pyetje, për një gazetare, në një botë normale, është themel ontologjik dhe deontologjik i profesionit.
Pra, këtu, Elsa tregon esencën e mikrobotës ku jeton, Shqipërisë, vendin ku tranzicioni i patranzitueshëm, jo kalimtar, njësoj si foljet e gramatikës, të cilat nuk kanë nevojë për një kundrinor, të cilat shprehin një veprim që nuk bie mbi një objekt apo frymor, është status quo. Dhe në status quo, gjë që Elsa dhe Altini kanë dhe janë, objekti është i nënkuptueshëm, supozuar si i ditur prej dy personave që komunikojnë. Por, a ja kanë idenë se për çfarë flasin Elsa dhe Altini? Statusi i tyre, prej të cilit i njohim dhe prej të cilit marrin rrogat, thotë se po. Por a ja bëjnë me dije publikut?
Në thelb, pra, më interesojnë disa pyetje mbi të njëjtin objekt: si ka mundësi të bëhet bilanci i “Teatrit të Altin Bashës në një vit” kur publiku nuk di mbi ç’baza bëhet ky bilanc? Thjeshtë: ku dhe si verifikohet? Elsa dhe Altini e dinë apo nuk e dinë? Nëse po, përse nuk ja bëjnë të njohur publikut që të ketë një ide mbi kriteret dhe indikatorët/matësit e kritereve?
Në një emision të një serie tjetër, ARKAPIA, të po kësaj gazetareje, por në një televizion privat, nëntitulluar “Premtimet e Hervin Çulit në sytë e Bashës, Çipit, Fugës”, ku i ftuar ishte edhe Altin Basha, një përpjekje për të nxjerrë në pah objektin, të famshin e nënkuptuar prej të gjithë pjestarëve të status quo-së, bëhet, thuajse që në hyrje të emisionit prej vetë Elsa Demos, e cila thotë se “kam kërkuar prej Ministrisë së Kulturës të më vënë në dispozicion platformën fituese (të drejtorit të Teatri Kombëtar, Hervin Çulit)” por pa arritur të ketë sukses në këtë inisiativë ORIGJINALE të saj. Madje Kastriot Çipi, po aty, thoshte që “në këtë rast unë ja vej fajin jo vetëm Ministrisë së Kulturës, por edhe vetë kandidatit, që në këtë rast është Hervin Çuli, i cili duhet ta kishte bërë publike platformën, edhe nëse nuk e bënte Ministria”. Bile, Çipi këtë vendim etik ndaj publikut taksapagues e kishte ndërmarrë personalisht që kur ishte zgjedhur drejtor nëpërmjet konkursit të parë në Shqipëri, në 2010, kur platformën e tij e kishte “POTHUAJSE” bërë “100% publike në revistën KLAN”.
Por, tani jemi në 2024 dhe, fatkeqësisht, objekti i asaj për ç’ka flitet përfshirë kriteret dhe matëstit e vet, as pothuajse e asfare i bëhen me dije publikut … as në një emision të televizionit publik shqiptar. Dhe prej këtej publiku i shastisur dhe topitur në kolltukun e tij detyrohet të dëgjojë Elsën prej status quo-së së saj dhe Altinin prej status quo-së së tij, që midis tyre kanë edhe përplasje, të cilat nënkuptohen prej ritmit dhe tonit të bashkëbisedimit, por që s’e nxjerrin publikun askund, përveçse në (më të mirin e rasteve) në një lodhje pasive apo mpiksje të mëtejshme psiko-fizike në kulltuk.
Imagjinoj që teletrumpiksurit, publik i thjeshtë apo ekspertë dhe profesionistë aktivë të fushës së teatrit, mund edhe të debatojnë midis tyre nëpër kafene apo tjetërkund pasi të kenë dëgjuar këtë emision, duke folur përçdunisht edhe ata mbi të njëjtin objekt të munguar të emisionit e duke i dhënë herë të drejtë Elsës e herë të drejtë Altinit. Por askush, falë teletrumpkisjes së ngulitur tashmë në kulturë, nuk do të dijë të shpjegojë se çfarë ideje ka Altini mbi teatrin. P.sh. a e di Altini që të kesh një ide mbi teatrin nuk është e njëjta gjë që të dish të prodhosh ide nëpërmjet teatrit? Kam përshtypjen se kjo pyetje do i dukej tepër abstrakte jo vetëm Altinit, por edhe publikut që e lexon. Por, pavarësisht nga sa mund të duket, nuk është kaq abstrakte, sepse nëse dikush ka një ide mbi teatrin ky dikush nuk mund ta shesë e prostituojë atë ide, sepse ideja krijon bindje dhe bindja e përvetësuar, që ndikon të ndërgjegjshmen e të pandërgjegjshmen, ka të bëjë me koherencën e idesë së teatrit si koncept, hapësirë, vend, dhe mjet. Nëse ke një ide mbi teatrin nuk mund të bësh një teatër ideshë. Thjeshtë sepse ideja, e përvetësur si bindje, do kërcasë me idetë e tjera që të bëhen lesh e lì në kokë dhe ajo ç’ka do nxjerrësh si produkt nuk do jetë produkt i një ideje artistike por rendje e parreshtur ndaj ideve që nuk i ke si bindje të tuat, të përvetësuara personalisht. Në pak fjalë, do jetë ajo ç’ka Altin Basha bën: teletrumpiksje portokallizuese e vetes dhe spektatorit.
A e bën me qëllim Altini këtë? Nuk besoj, sepse, njësoj si Elsa, është pjesë teletrumpiksëse e status quo-së, por edhe i teletrumpiksur i status quo-së. Pra, e bën sepse mendon, duke qenë se i konfirmohet nga ata që e paguajnë, se është status quo dhe eksitohet nga egoja e ngrefur dhe i pëlqen masturbimi intelektual nëpërmjet prodhimi t të iderave në teatër; por në të njëjtë kohë edhe nuk e bën me qëllim deri në fund, sepse nuk e kupton sesa teletrumpiksur është, sesa kontradikta dhe jo-koherencë ka tek puna e tij bazuar jo në një ide mbi medium-in por te të punuarit në media (teatër, TV, etj.) për të prodhuar idera të përcipta mbi gjërat. Pra, pavarësisht kalimit nga “Teatri i Kiços”, te “Teatri i Çulit” e “Teatri i Altinit”, asgjëja e idesë vazhdon e prodhon idenë e asgjërave. Edhe një herë, pra, kemi triumfin e mungesës së objektit: për çfarë dreqin flasin këta?
Në një emsion tjetër të ARKAPIA-s, Altini mundohet, pas cytjes së Elsës, të na flasë për nevojën e të qenurit “sfidues” karshi pushtetit politik. Këtë e thoshtë në një kohë kur nuk kishte postin e drejtorit. Nëntitulli i emisionit “Rama e Kumbaro e kanë thyer çdo gjë që kanë prekur” e demonstronte këtë sfidë. Por, me një koherencë jo të zakontë, Altini drejtor në ARTES, kërkonte edhe të ishte “i sfiduar prej të rinjve”. Dikush mund të thotë “ja pra ku e ke dhe koherencën”. “A nuk është kjo koherencë fryt i një ideje të qartë mbi teatrin?” Por koherenca nuk i duket kërkuar Altinit të para 6 vjetve, tek ARKAPIA, por Altinit drejtor tek ARTES, i cili nga status quo-ja e tij i lejon vetes të pedagogjizojë rininë për të qënë edhe më sfiduese. Pra, pyetja është pse ky drejtor nuk është sfidues i pushtetit por zgërlaqet kur Ministria i ul edhe buxhetin e mjerë të TK? Praktikisht, pse nuk sfidon kur pushteti politik i heq edhe brekët? Dhe ka fytyrë të flasë për teatër komercial apo jo komercial, të flasë për një teatër kombëtar që nuk është dhe nuk duhet të komercial, pavarësisht se ai vetë është regjizor i Portokallisë. Por siç duket psikoza e teletrumpkisjes nuk sheh as tek hunda e vet e jo më përtej saj!
P.S. Dikush mund të thotë që nuk ka asgjë të keqe që një drejtor i një institucioni publik kombëtar punon edhe privatisht kur ka kohë të lirë. Madje, unë kam hyrë në konflik me një dipllomore private si Universiteti Polis sepse, pasi prostituoi idenë time në Teatër Kombëtar, donte të më ndalonte në kohën time të lirë të zhvilloja të njëjtën ide. Dhe dikush mund të pyesë, pse, a nuk qenka e njëjta gjë? Të njëjtën liri doje ti, të njëjtën liri do edhe drejtori. Të gjithë duhet të kenë liri dypunësimi dhe fitimi, nëse u jepet mundësia. Po, patjetër, do u përgjigjesha, nëse prodhoni idera pa ja patur idenë … teatrit si medium artstik, teatrit si hapësirë artistike, teatrit si vend (edhe monument kulture që duhet mbrojtur), teatrit si marrëdhënie punëdhënës-punëmarrës (menaxhim). Po, patjetër, e njëjta gjë është të kesh pozitën e një drejtori të një teatri kombëtar dhe pozitën e një punëmarrësi të shantazhueshëm që duhet t’i thotë “po” pronarit dhe pushtetarit. Fundja, ata, pronari dhe pushtetari, e kanë një ide fikse: paranë! Ne vetëm sa e zbatojmë dhe zbukurojmë atë me idera të tjera që i shtohen dhe nënshtrohen idesë fillestare!
PREPARING THE STAGE: In the realm of Western (EU/US) contemporary politics, the “clash of ideologies” is a scripted and choreographed melodrama with pseudo-alternatives – a prostitutional harem dance between neoliberal and neo-conservative forces. This alliance, formed at the expense of the vulnerable (sub-proletariaians and migrants), is starkly evident at the borders of the Western empire. Enter the intriguing union of Edi Rama, the artist-turned-Albanian Prime Minister (also the first secretary of the “left-wing” Socialist Party), and Giorgia Meloni, the leader of Italy’s “extreme right-wing” Fratelli d’Italia Party. In a move that challenges the very principles their political labels suggest, these seemingly incongruent figures have choreographed a political performance, laying bare the thin veils of Western pseudo-rivalry.
The stage is set for this peculiar prostitutional harem dance with the signing of the Italian-Albanian memorandum of understanding on the transfer of migrants (link), a document enshrouded in controversy for its unorthodox approach to the ongoing migrant crisis (although calling it “unorthodox” is more of a rhetoric necessity, because it is years now that the EU pays billions to Erdogan for migrants concentration camps in Turkey). As migrants are ferried from Italy to semi-camps/semi-prisons in Albania, the collaboration between Rama and Meloni prompts reflections on the authenticity of political divisions and the concealed agendas that bind leaders across the ideological spectrum. Notably, Rama is perceived as a sorosoid, associated with George Soros, accused by the pseudo-right wing of pushing an “ethnic substitution” agenda in the West, while Meloni positions herself as a resistor to such substitution.
To understand the nuances of this contemporary political drama, one must embark on a Western imaginary/imagery journey into Albania’s historical-folkloric role as a frontier between empires – a crossroads where East meets West and North grapples with South. In this historical-folkloric theater, the first barbarians, akin to the ancient Athenian ‘barbaroi’ (onomatopoeic verse denoting the ones who cannot speak), were the ones arrived from the North – the region now occupied by Albania, perceived as uncivilized and potentially harboring everything illegal and above all piracy. Their legends grew over time, the most famous of them is the one that describes Julius Caesar being a captive of pirates from the northeastern Mediterranean region in his youth (Plutarch’s Parallel Lives), adding layers to the historical-folkloric imaginary/imagery. In today’s geopolitical theater, Edi Rama emerges as a modern-day Arnaut Bashibozuk, adorned in folkloric dress that once captivated the Western imagination and formed its imagery through the brushstrokes of artists like Jean-Léon Gérôme.
But what were the Arnaut Bashibozuks? These were irregular mercenaries under the Ottoman Empire, hailing primarily from the Albanian region. These irregular mercenaries operated under the Ottoman Empire, predominantly hailing from the Albanian region. Renowned for their audacious campaigns in Africa, the Arnaut Bashibozuks garnered a notorious reputation for capturing slaves during their military expeditions and engaging in the illicit trade of human lives. Their audacity extended beyond enslavement, as they unabashedly seized valuable spoils, including jewelry, in the territories they conquered.
Contrary to casting a mere shadow over Albania, this historical backdrop in the Western imagination builds upon the same nation’s well-known narrative. It doesn’t merely echo tales of a bygone era but intertwines with recent histories of migration, human trafficking, and illicit drug trade that restarted after the collapse of the state socialist system in early ’90s. These narratives seamlessly align with the Western imagery that continues to perceive the region’s inhabitants as uncivilized marauders. Thus the echoes of the Arnaut Bashibozuks model resonate perfectly in the contemporary geopolitical theater, where Edi Rama, the artist-politician, emerges as the best option for fitting the model of modern-day figure adorned in symbolic folkloric dress of Arnaut Bashibozuk.
In this attire, where Albanians are both perpetrators and victims, a narrative, that permits to the Albanian folkloric nationalism and patriotism (“atdheu” from which develops the fatherland sentiment) as well as matriotism (“mëmëdheu” from which develops motherland sentiment) a perfect self-absolution from every sin, weaves into the complex tapestry of empire dynamics.
Thus, beneath this picturesque exterior lies a narrative of power, manipulation, and the age-old practice of exploiting the ‘Other’ (Edward Said’s Orientalism) at the gates of the Western fortress. Here, the intersection of art history and contemporary politics unfolds a tale of orientalized symbolism. Here, Rama is not presenting paintings as Gérôme did; rather, he becomes a living canvas painted with the echoes of historical narratives. And this is the novelty.
The stage is set, the players are in costume, and the consequences extend beyond the borders of empires.
COMING NEXT … ON THE STAGE: I wrote an article – in Italian – during the Covid 19 (link) where I tried to write something on how the politics of the time – from an Albanian perspective – clearly indicated the upcoming Rama-Meloni memorandum of understanding on migrants’ transfer (more than two and a half years before the Meloni government was sworn on 22.10.2022). Of course, from an Italian and Western self-masturbating-leftist perspective, the hyperbolic jump from Covid19 to migrants is too high to digest, especially if the Western self-masturbating-leftist petite bourgeois class (which from a historical perspective is the class of Nazis and fascists par excellence) is too occupied to mourn about the Covid19 trauma (of course without going to the causes and find the responsible ones, because “non e tempo di trovare i responsabili ma di piangere i morti” / “it is not time to find those responsible but to mourn the dead” … in other words, there is nothing more important and that propels better our existential generator as petty bourgeois nazis and fascist than a self-mourning compassion!).
So, I wanted to make another very abstract jump, according to the Western self-masturbating-leftist perspective but very concrete from an Albanian perspective or the perspective of the enslaved/migrants and slave traders. For this I need the help of the Arnaut Bashibozuk iconography and iconology … in other words, the help of a painting. More precisely, the help of an oil on panel, entitled Arnaut Officer of Jean-Léon Gérôme (link). There is represented an Arnaut Bashibozuk, who has enslaved Africans in order to train them as soldiers of Muhammad Ali Pasha of Egypt (an Albanian Ottoman, considered as the founder of the modern Egypt). These trained soldiers could become, after the service, Egyptian Citizens.
The very abstract jump that I wanted to make here consists in the incredibly (for the Western ears) logical (for the Albanian ears) argumentation that these migrant-slaves, coming in Albania thanks to the Rama-Meloni memorandum of understandings, will be the next trained soldiers of the empire, maybe to feed in a few years the Ukrainian front, and compensated, after the service, with the citizenship. Of course, even these future soldiers should not make any illusion, they have to obey to the empire, otherwise the empire can turn them in terrorist in a matter of second. See in this regard what is happening to the Iranians of MEK in Albania … to decipher the situation of whom (link) I would need an encyclopedia that goes beyond the comprehension of the English speakers … in other words, one, including myself, has to unlearn the English orientlized language.
I have been profoundly captivated by a photograph since I stumbled upon it online a few years ago.
In my quest to trace its origins, I uncovered its first appearance on the Facebook page of Kastriot Dervishi, the former director of the Archive of the Ministry of Interns in Albania. Through his circulation of the image, Dervishi inadvertently shed light on a poignant piece of history, driven by homophobic motives that may have prompted him. His actions underscore the paradoxical nature of art’s resonance, particularly within Albania. They serve as a reminder that even ostensibly misguided acts can unveil aspects of humanity that transcend immediate contexts.
In its essence, photography possesses a unique power – the ability to capture a fleeting moment, echoing through time to evoke contemplation, stir emotions, and narrate stories. The photograph I am addressing encapsulates the very first day of Tirana’s liberation from the Nazi-Fascists on November 17, 1944, and, according to Dervishi, the exact place is in front of the villa of Radio Tirana. Within this image, two communist partisans share an intimate kiss, enclosed within a frame of gazes. Despite the potentially malicious intent that underlies its recent circulation, the photograph’s artistic significance beckons to explore the juncture of history, humanity, and emotion.
The photograph’s composition (I am not sure how intentionally) crafts a captivating vortex of gazes that draws viewers irresistibly into its depths. While the image’s focal point resides in the intense kiss exchanged between the partisans, it’s the play of surrounding gazes that magnifies its emotional potency. Each gaze is a thread of human connections and emotions. The one locked onto the kiss (the man on the left) radiates with excitement that flows into apparent greed and desire, encapsulating the electric fervor of an intimate moment shared amidst euphoria. In addition, the gaze directed towards the camera (the youngster on the right) shows a somewhat still embarrassed spirit of someone that is starting to liberate into a smile. It speaks of shared triumph over repression, inviting the viewer to join in the celebration of freedom. These gazes are an invitation to partake in a becoming historical instant, in between reality and representation (see Foucault and his text/link on ‘Las Meninas’), rendering the viewer both spectator and participant in the vibrant scene.
The photograph was paired by Dervishi with another photograph, offering a sequential narrative that unveils the immediate subsequent moment involving three of the individuals present in the first scene.
Notably, the individual on the right who had initially engaged with the camera’s gaze is absent from this second shot. Here, the spectator is provided a vivid glimpse of the faces of the kissing partisans, their eyes now directed towards the camera, having transitioned from their private moment to acknowledging the viewer’s presence. Concurrently, the other partisan’s gaze (the gaze of the one on the left) remains steadfastly fixed upon them, resonating with the lingering emotions of the shared embrace. This visual pairing of photographs (who knows whether there are other photographs immortalizing those same moments) constructs an almost cinematic rhythm, allowing the observer to move seamlessly between intimate connection and engaging acknowledgment.
The true brilliance of these images lies in their profound ability to ensnare viewers within the very fabric of their visual essentiality. The magnetic exchange of gazes between the figures extends an invitation, enabling us to step into their world and rekindle the charged atmosphere of that pivotal moment. Against the backdrop of wartime tumult, the kiss itself metamorphoses into a symbol of liberation, transcending the victory over Nazi-Fascism into a realm where moral and societal bigoted constraints dissolve. Indeed, these images transcend their historical context, becoming emblems of human connections and unadulterated joy.
Yet, it is the concept of a vortex that despite captivating me entirely (not only in this photograph) holds a significant place in the annals of art. Throughout history, artistic masterpieces have harnessed the power of vortex composition to draw viewers into a whirlwind of emotions and thoughts. From painting (“The Starry Night” and other artwoks by Vincent van Gogh) to land art (“Spiral Jetty” by Robert Smithson), from rock drawing (like those in Val Camonica/Italy) to architecture (see the baroque work of Francesco Borromini), from literature (“A Descent into the Maelström” by Edgar Allan Poe) to photography (as the one I am addressing in this occasion), the vortex serves as a tool to immerse audiences into the heart of the narrative, inviting them to contemplate the scene’s strata and their complexities.
Furthermore, the allure of the vortex extends its captivating hold beyond static images, finding resonance even within the dynamic realm of cinema. This magnetic force, which for centuries has drawn audiences into swirling torrents of emotions and perceptions, secured its initial cinematic foothold in Albania with the debut of the featured film ‘Tana’ (1958), directed by Kristaq Dhamo and produced by ‘Kinostudio Shqipëria e Re’. This cinematic endeavor unfolded during an era marked by State Socialism and the dictatorship of the proletariat – an era defined by stringent censorship and ideological constraints. ‘Tana,’ a narrative weaver of young love, provides a vivid canvas for the elemental power of the vortex to emerge once more, this time within a kinetic embrace (view the clip from minute 6:45 to 7:00 in the provided link). As the lover tenderly cradles the female protagonist, Tana, in his arms, a mesmerizing rotation ensues—a literal embrace that spirals skyward and earthward, encapsulating their passion and unity. Through camerawork, this amorous vortex envelops the viewer, transcending mere cinematic techniques to become a conduit for expressing the profound intimacy between two souls. This cinematic expression of love imbues the vortex with a dimension beyond the visual, transforming it into a force that defies constraints and ideologies. And who knows if this cinematic expression of 1958 mirrors the impact of the photography that caught my attention?
In delving into the nuances of this photograph, I am reminded of the ever-present risk that even the most noble and progressive ideologies can, over time, become entangled in the web of dogma. The very ideology that inspired the brave acts of communist partisans during Albania’s liberation can also, paradoxically, be subverted into a rigid doctrine that stifles individuality and genuine connection as we experienced during State Socialism. In this regard, the scratches, like ‘X’ marks, that blemish the photographs – evidence of the censors’ intervention – serve as a stark reminder of how ideologies can succumb to manipulation by political power, resulting in the very suppression of expression the same political power originally, as partisans, sought to overcome.
This notion resonates profoundly when one recalls that the first and only intimate kiss in Albanian cinema up until 1990, the kiss between Tana and her lover, also fell prey to the censors’ hand. An intimate expression of love became a casualty of ideological rigidity, as it was relegated to the realm of the forbidden.
To further underscore the relentless ideological march (neoliberal in this case) into dogma, one need only reflect on the vandalism of the iconic WWII kiss representation.
In a disheartening real-world incident, the statue of the jubilant V-Day kiss, famously captured by Alfred Eisenstaedt, became a canvas for modern discontent. The act of vandalizing this symbol of unity and human connection with the graffiti ‘Me Too’ speaks volumes about iconological and iconographic ignorance, malleability of historical narratives and their susceptibility to authoritarian manipulation. This unfortunate event stands as a stark reminder of the ease with which even the most poignant moments of collective joy can be reshaped to serve agendas such as the neoliberal one experienced by western contemporary societies.
In conclusion, in the profound gaze of the photographs’ subjects, in the intricate embrace of historical moments frozen in time, we find an enduring reminder of human resistance and vulnerability. As we traverse the vortex of emotions, from elation to censorship, from liberation to ideological entrapment, we bear witness to the delicate interplay between art and life, representation and reality, between genuine connection and the risk of dogma. In this regard, these photographs become a testament to the perpetual struggle to preserve authenticity amidst the currents of change. Ultimately, they prompt us to question, reflect, and recognize that within every gaze, every kiss, and every captured moment, lies a universe of stories waiting to be unveiled.
Last year, at Myymälä 2 Gallery, which is also a cooperative, I had the chance to meet Suva, an enigmatic member without a clear institutional role. He was introduced to me as an artist from India. The first time I saw one of his artworks, it was under a table, next to a stack of stools. It was a pyrography on wood. Its unassuming presence spoke a lot about the artist’s approach. Without the allure of conventional aesthetics, the work seemed to avoid neoliberal imagery and delved into genuine self-expression. Although Suva’s creations seemed to be neglected, beneath that neglect, I found a liminal syntony of reclaimed material and personal revelation – an artistic rebellion reclaiming character and authenticity.
A year after our meeting, I can say that in the heart of Suva’s artistic expression lies a profound parallel between the discarded materials he revives and his own sense of character in the Finnish society. As an Indian artist living on the peripheries of Finnish art and culture, Suva navigates the liminal space where his artistry takes root. Through his transformative work with recycled materials, he seeks to imbue each object with a newfound dignity, just as he endeavors to carve his own character and worth as an individual. In this liminal syntony, Suva creates a harmonious convergence of found objects and self-discovery, inviting audiences, or “the others” as he prefers to say, to recognize the real value of both the discarded and the disregarded.
A Liminal Journey: Discarded Materials and Personal Revelation
Suva’s choice to work with recycled materials is not a reflection of environmental consciousness but an intimate narrative of his personal journey. As an artist dwelling in the outskirts of Finnish society, he experiences the duality of being both an outsider and an integral part of his chosen artistic community. Just as the discarded materials are consumed, overlooked, and disregarded, Suva too feels a sense of exploitative invisibility, floating on the peripheries.
Through his artistic process, Suva carves a path towards self-discovery and the unveiling of his true character. In each pyrography sound instrument, called “sculptures”, he pours a piece of himself, an essence of resilience, and a testament to the power of transformation. The objects become an extension of the subject’s own story, symbolizing the beauty that can be found in reclamation and self-revelation. Accompanying the percussions he creates on the recycled material instruments, Suva’s vocalizations add a particular dimension to his artistry, intertwining the emotional depth of his ethereal journey with the harmonies of found objects in a captivating symphony of sound.
The Dignity of the Discarded: Revaluing Objects and Unveiling the Self
Suva’s artistry breathes new life into the discarded, inviting “audiences “the other” to see beyond the surface and recognize the inherent worth of each object. The found materials, once dismissed as waste, undergo a metamorphosis, transcending their original purpose to become “sculptures”, objects of creativity. This transformation parallels Suva’s own quest for recognition and integration in an artistic and cultural context that might not readily embrace his unique character.
Intriguingly, Suva’s pyrography designs cover the whole space of the recycled material instruments, suggesting a symptom akin to horror vacui – an overwhelming fear of empty space. This artistic compulsion can be interpreted as a reflection of the repression he perceives in his everyday life in Finland, where he often finds himself working in menial jobs. In this act of filling every inch of the objects, Suva might be symbolically reclaiming the space and dignity he feels is denied to him in his daily experiences.
The avoidance of aestheticization in Suva’s artwork seems to me an unintentional rebellion against the prevailing trends of neoliberal imagery. Rather than conforming to fictitious delicacy and pastel colors, Suva embraces a unique artistic language that preserves authenticity. His work resists superficiality and offers genuine emotions by suggesting profound narratives to exchange in conversation with “the other”.
Moreover, Suva’s artistic authenticity extends beyond his solo endeavors. Collaborating with the Finnish artist Eero Savela, Suva’s creative spirit finds harmonious synergy in their shared sound art projects. Their works, such as ‘Communications’ (link) and ‘Commutative Ambience,’ (link) broadcasted by YLE, Finland’s national public broadcasting company, showcase the powerful fusion of Suva’s recycled material instruments and vocalizations with Eero Savela’s improvisation using classical and self-constructed instruments. The result is an evocative conversation between their distinct voices, inviting audiences to participate in the exchange of profound narratives and unique expressions between ‘the other’ and the self.
Epilogue: A Liminal Syntony of Empowerment and Revelation
Suva’s art is a liminal syntony that reverberates with empowerment and introspection. By breathing life into the discarded, he challenges societal perceptions and offers a profound lesson in valuing both found objects and the self. His artistic journey becomes an ode to resilience, character, and the transformative power of creativity.
As audiences engage with Suva’s pyrography sound “instruments”sculptures”, they are not only enveloped in an auditory experience but also invited to reflect on their own character and the value society places on those who often remain unseen. In this contemporary Finnish artistic landscape, Suva’s artistry becomes a symphony of self-discovery and empowerment, resonating with the hearts of those who have ever felt discarded, and celebrating the beauty that arises from the liminal space where art and character converge.
I was not present when the incident happened. However, four or five days later, when I went to work as usual on my laptop at Iso Omena’s public library, located on the top floor of the shopping center Iso Omena (Big Apple in Finnish), along with other public service offices of the city of Espoo, there was something strange in the air. It felt like something untold and impossible to express permeated the atmosphere of the shopping center and the library. This may be normal when death events occur, but I tried to rationalize this uncomfortable and disturbing sense that one could perceive in that heterotopic space, where beyond shops of every kind one can find children’s playgrounds, several health and one mental health center, banks, artworks, and more. In other words, the space is similar to Benjamin’s Paris’ Arcades but revisited in a turbo-capitalistic cognitive consumerism, where mass production is successfully transformed into production of masses.
Herbarium (2016), mediateos, Heidi Tikka & Juho Jouhtimäki
I knew that on Saturday, January 7th, 2023, a woman was tragically killed by the security guards of SECURITAS, a global security company from Sweden, at the Iso Omena shopping center in Espoo, Finland. This incident has shocked the community and raised questions about the use of force by security personnel. In those few days immediately after the fact, as I read the Finnish newspapers, I learned that the video capturing the tragic moment was filmed by a woman witness who was “a candidate of the right-wing party during the last elections,” though I question the relevance of that information. Additionally, there were reports that the killed “woman was harassing a man,” but it begs the question of whether that is a good enough reason to use deadly force. Yet, there was not a single article regarding the SECURITAS operational procedures and practices that make it possible for a security guard to take someone’s life. If there was something, it certainly focused on the cliches of the almost deontological or even worst anthropological ignorance of the security guards, their well-known lack of preparation, and the urgent necessity of training.
However, considering my interest (this blog AKS is about art, culture, and spectacle, the latter in a Debordian sense) and my intention to learn more about the tragic event, I thought it would be better to ask directly at the Info Desk of the Service Center, where the security guards of AVARN, a Norwegian security company, could help me understand better what really happened. When I asked the guards, people that I see and greet every day and with whom I thought I could share some level of confidence, they replied in a strange and unusual way. When I asked the security guard at the Desk, she looked without saying a word at her colleague, who had heard my question. He came closer to me to reply to my question. His posture visibly changed and became more rigid with every step he took from his chair to the desk where I was waiting. His words, even more rigid, culminated in an incredibly theatrical and Kafkaesque tone: “We are not allowed to disclose any information about the incident. For more information, you should contact the police. Thank you!”
From this short exchange, it became apparent to me that AVARN had instructed its employees not to speak about certain matters (confirmed to me “off record” by one of the employees). This type of instruction is sometimes referred to as the “mafia code” in other parts of Europe, at least where I am coming from. There the complete silence among members is part of the “culture” and is used to maintain power and the status quo within mafia clans. However, it’s important to note that the context here is not that of southern mafia clans, but rather that of northern industrial entities that share a “code” based on the same mafia’s feature: silence. Some of these entities gathered in a cartel have faced legal scrutiny in the past (such as the elevator and escalator cartel, operating also in Finland, which was fined by the European Commission a few years ago). It seems that even AVARN, a competitor of SECURITAS in the security services market, when gives this kind of instruction to its employees, appears intent on protecting the interests of what could similarly and for this reason be considered a cartel (AVARN and SECURITAS both provide services in the same Iso Omena shopping center and, through this silent agreement to protect each other’s interests, avoid interfering with each other’s eventual affairs and problems).
I was very intrigued by this situation and intended to do something in line with my text “Iconology and Iconographies of Boulevardisation. Institutional Critique and Institutional Theory Challenges,” in which I mentioned the Iso Omena shopping center as one of those spaces where the provincial mentality of Finnish petite bourgeoisie has absorbed the complex of inferiority (referring to the New York/Big Apple) and made profits through it.
2. The Coincidence.
When I started researching online, I wasn’t sure whether to write an article for this blog or make an art project. But as I searched, Pilvi Takala’s Close Watch popped up. The artist represented Finland with this work at the 59th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia in 2022. The work was commissioned by Raija Koli of Frame Contemporary Art Finland and produced by Sastaamoinen Foundation.
In her text, the curator, Christina Li, stated:
Many of us rarely question the roles that govern our actions. The unspoken conditions that we work and live under have become practically automated according to a shared system of values. In her video works and interventions, Pilvi Takala crosses these invisible lines of ‘tolerable’ conduct – codes, hierarchies – in public and private spheres ranging from private offices and public administration buildings to shopping centres and amusement parks. Throughout she trains her focus on how the neoliberal conflation of civic spaces and commerce have created a nebulous boundary that privileges consumer over citizen. Most recently Takala takes this interrogation of power dynamics to the private security industry, in the new commission Close Watch, which comprises a multi-channel video installation, website and publication for the Pavilion of Finland at the 59th Venice Biennale.
Apparently, Pilvi was the perfect artist to talk about the Iso Omena case. Moreover:
Close Watch extends from Takala’s consistent highlighting of how definitions of security and acceptable behaviour are perpetually produced through negotiation. Her interactions with security guards in past work inspired her interest related to this current project, in the underpaid and less visible labour force of individuals who influence how we ought to act in society. Much of state-held law enforcement is relegated to the private sector, representing a thriving and largely underregulated global industry. The artist queries what kind of ethical dilemmas guard staff must undergo to work responsibly, especially amid public outcry over excessive use of violence by law enforcement.
Given Close Watch‘s focus on the “neoliberal conflation of civic spaces and commerce” that “privileges the consumer over the citizen”, and on the role of security guards as workers in an “underregulated industry”, I was keen to interview the artist. On January 20th, 2023, I wrote an email to her:
My name is Romeo Kodra and I am an art and culture researcher, practitioner, and manager based in Espoo. I have a blog, aksrevista.wordpress.com, and I was interested in interviewing you regarding your work on security. I work, read, and study all the time at Iso Omena library in Espoo, as a customer obviously, and wanted also to include in the interview the tragic event of the death of a woman that happened in Iso Omena as a consequence of a clash with the security guards.
She replied a few days later:
I would be happy to talk to you about my work, but I am currently very busy installing it at Emma Museum. Would it make sense to speak after the show has opened and you would have had the chance to see the work?
I couldn’t believe my luck. I was excited not only to interview her but also to see Close Watch, the showcase of which at the Espoo Museum of Modern Art (10 minutes from my home) I had been unaware of until then.
The coincidence continued when I discovered that Close Watch‘s typology of actors were almost the same as the real life persons involved in the tragic event at Iso Omena. The security guards, their company SECURITAS, and a woman on whom force was used were all part of the artwork.
For Close Watch, Takala spent six months in the field as a fully qualified security guard for Securitas, with the support of its CEO and in understanding that her final outcome might expose findings not in the company’s interest. This period of research as an undercover artist in one of the largest shopping malls in Finland is the departure point for the artist’s multi-channel film installation.
I went to see the exhibition several times, but unfortunately, all I saw was the video documentation of a workshop. The exhibition was made of a purely scholastic installation: one space had a screen board typically used in shopping centers to promote products and shops, displaying WhatsApp exchanges between the artist and colleagues, including the CEO of Securitas, for the project’s preparation. In another space, behind a one-way mirror like those used by the police, was the video documentation of the three-day workshop.
The exhibition failed to critically examine the systemic hierarchies and ideologies that underpin the private security industry’s everyday practices and procedures, particularly within those “neoliberal conflation of civic spaces and commerce” that “have created a nebulous boundary that privileges consumer over citizen”. Instead, the artist’s “interrogation of power dynamics” during the workshop was paternalistically or in a pedagogical manner limited and focused on the lowest stratum of the industry, namely the security guards. This was in line with the overall approach that ignored the role of higher-ups and decision-makers in perpetuating and benefiting from these power dynamics. Furthermore, the artist’s decision to go “undercover with the support of the CEO of Securitas” confirms not only the side that the artist is backing but raises also ethical questions about the nature and limits of this artistic intervention, particularly when it involves the lowest stratum and most vulnerable “actors” of the industry like security guards, the workers, the ones who actually do the job. Several times during her interview, Pilvi told me about her focus on the “agency” she as a person, artist, and guard has during her interventions. Yet, the problem in my opinion is the process of becoming, the power of the process of transformation that a predefined role imposes on the person, artist, and guard. And the question is: when the process of becoming is completed, what is the agency of the artist, or whose agent is Pilvi Takala?
By failing to engage with these broader issues, the exhibition missed an opportunity to contribute to a more nuanced and critical understanding of the private security industry and its impact on society.
Obviously, the homework was meticulously prepared and carried out… on paper. Boal’s methodology (“Theater Forum” that Pilvi with the facilitator Annukka Valo extrapolated from Boal’s “Theater of the Oppressed”) used from the workshop has been impeccably described in the curatorial text but in reality the change, a missing keyword in this art intervention but central in the theater of Boal who took it from Brecht, was avoided. Avoided in the same manner as Pilvi Takala avoids the idea of “revolution”:
I did not want to say something like “Let’s make a revolution, close down everything and start something anew”. It would have been a very romantic and grant claim. My idea was to do this intervention by becoming a normal security guard and having a little conversation in my little workshop with my colleagues, which could have never happened otherwise. We did not change the world nor fixed the working place. We could not eliminate the racist jokes. But we did something, we became part of something. I know this is a very little transgression.
4. A Close Watch upon the Finnish Artworld.
The exhibition left me deeply disappointed (although I still had some contrasting feelings), and my interview with the artist only served to further confirm my disappointment. As I reflected on Pilvi’s workshop with her security guard colleagues, I couldn’t help but feel that it missed a significant opportunity to critically examine the working conditions, processes, procedures, and implicit ideology that shape the behavior and attitudes of the security guards.
For instance, during the re-enactment of a conflict situation based on a real incident Pilvi experienced (?), where a security guard slightly pushed a drunk woman, causing her beer can to spill on the ground, an important aspect that could have been addressed was not the use of violence per se but the underlying conditions that encourage the use of violence by security guards. Moreover, in this re-enactment, one of the security guards suggested to the drunk woman that they should go outside together for a smoke, which goes against the professional code of conduct expected from security guards and reveals a breach of their role and responsibilities. However, disappointingly, even this crucial aspect was not given due attention or highlighted during the workshop.
It became apparent to me that the artist’s focus was not on examining how individuals, particularly the security guards who belong to the working class of the security industry, are transformed by their miserable working conditions, including the procedures, processes, and implicit ideology at play (as advocated by Brecht). Nor did the artist explore the potential for change that could arise from individuals trapped within the Kafkaesque procedures, processes, and implicit ideology of the security industry. These individuals, even in a workshop setting, could have attempted to disrupt the systemic structure by challenging the roles assigned to them by the system, leading to a transformative experience (see the latter’s meaning in Boal). Instead, it seemed that all the artist cared about was channeling both, the explosion of violence and or racism and the alternative disruptions (coming from the lower stratum of the industry), within the same status quo: within the reactionary logic of ‘business as usual’. In other words, the exhibition revolved around a “little workshop” for “little transgressions,” which, beneath its modest facade, epitomized the mediocrity of the Finnish art context and the “petit-bourgeois mentality” that has historically been “internalized through a collective complex of inferiority” in Finland (more on this argument link).
This led me to reconsider the coincidence between the tragic incident at Iso Omena, where a woman lost her life at the hands of SECURITAS security guards, and the vapid exhibition that opened less than a month after the incident. An exhibition that had to do more with anesthetic artwashing interventions rather than aesthetics, and presented SECURITAS as an open and transparent organization, allowing artists to conduct workshops and educate their workers on the topics of racism and violence.
Driven by these thoughts, I decided to conduct interviews with all the “actors” or gatekeepers involved in this “affair”, esplore their “roles”, and delve into issues related to institutional critique, which forms the basis of my art practice, as well as institutional theory, which lies at the core of my research interests. In essence, I set out to explore the depths of the Finnish Artworld (in the spirit of Arthur Danto).
Through these interviews, it came to light that SECURITAS provides services to the Saastamoinen Foundation, which happens to be the main partner of Pilvi Takala’s exhibition at La Biennale di Venezia. The foundation also commissioned the work, which is now a part of its collection. According to Petteri Karttunen, the Chair of the Foundation, the artist was not “influenced by the funders,” and there are no concerns regarding the processes, procedures, and competence of the individuals involved in the selection of artists, artworks, and projects at Saastamoinen. However, this dismissal of the blatant conflict of interest stems from the belief that “we live in an interconnected and interdependent world where no actor can be detached from relationships with each other.” In addition, despite Karttunen proclaiming “transparency” as Saastamoinen’s “first value,” (see also the Foundation’s website link) he has not disclosed the amount of financial support provided for Pilvi Takala’s project, which represented Finland at La Biennale. In my opinion, this is another case that offers additional invaluable lessons on the myth of Corporate Social Responsibility in Finland.
Moreover, even Raija Koli, the Director of Frame Contemporary Art Finland, fails to acknowledge any issues regarding the conflicts of interest between Saastamoinen and SECURITAS. Her justification is that “the project is critical of SECURITAS. Don’t you think?” She also declined to disclose the amount paid by Saastamoinen for the production of the project and its exhibition at La Biennale, suggesting to inquire with them directly (“you can ask them!”). It is worth noting that Raija Koli personally invited Pilvi Takala to represent Finland at La Biennale, without an open call. It appears that Raija, acting as the Godmother of art critique and greatest contemporary art connoisseur in Finland, possesses an in-depth understanding of the context that enables her to bypass the need for competitions or open calls for proposals. My compliments, in any case, extend to the Ministry of Culture for their optimal squandering of public funds.
Moreover, I encountered a similar lack of concern during my interview with Pilvi Kalhama, the director of the Espoo Museum of Modern Art. She failed to see any problems regarding the conflicts of interest, the selection procedures for artists, and, most notably in this case, the artist’s lack of appropriate critical engagement with the processes, procedures, and implicit ideology embedded within SECURITAS. The approach that served to divert attention away from the company and project it onto the lowest stratum: the workers, the security guards. However, it is worth mentioning that the director did express concerns regarding the incident at Iso Omena and the timing of Pilvi Takala’s Close Watch exhibition at EMMA. As a result, she and her colleagues took the necessary precautions to revise all communication materials (“we were ready to click on the ‘enter’ button and send all the invitations when this happened and had to stop in order to discuss the thing and edit the texts we had”). Despite these efforts, the exhibition still contained an implicit reference to the incident.
Extracted from the text attached on the wall at the entrance of the exhibition.
I also attempted to interview someone from SECURITAS and asked them a specific question:
My name is Romeo Kodra and I am writing an article regarding the Finnish pavilion presented at the Venice Biennale last year, which dealt with security guards of SECURITAS of a mall in Finland. I saw the artist Pilvi Takala, who worked as a security guard at the same company, and her artwork ‘Close Watch’ was supported by Saastamoisen Foundation. I wanted to know whether Saastamoisen Foundation is a shareholder of SECURITAS.
The short response provided no room for doubt:
Unfortunately, we do not know the answer to this. We have not been told these things. Unfortunately, we can’t tell you who to ask. Because we haven’t been told who is responsible for these things. Sorry we can’t help it anymore.
I also reached out to the headquarters of SECURITAS in Sweden, but I have not received any response.
Furthermore, I have not received any information from La Biennale di Venezia regarding any possible services provided to them by SECURITAS.
5. Am I still Dealing with Art Critique?
From the official statements of the Espoo police, it was revealed that the woman who was killed was accused of “harassing a male customer” and the cause of her death was not attributed to “suffocation,” although the video published by a female witness suggests similarities to the George Floyd case in the United States.
This prompted me to seek clarification from the Espoo Police Department. After numerous phone calls and email exchanges, including with Detective Chief Inspector Jyrki Kallio, the investigator handling the case, I received an email containing some responses from the Head of Communications of the Espoo Police Department.
Detective Chief Inspector Jyrki Kallio asked me to send you the answers to your questions. 1. Is public information the name of the victim? If not, why? The police publishes the name of any person only if it is crucial for the investigation of a crime, to find a suspect, to prevent a new crime or to minimize the damage the crime causes. This practice is written into Criminal investigations act. An exception can be a case where the police is searching for a missing person. Often times there is no crime related to the disappearance, and the police always aims to talk with the missing person’s family before making a decision on publishing the missing person’s name. 2. Is public information the name of the company of the security guards involved? If not, why? The police has not published the name of the company the security guards work for. At this point of the investigation and in this case in general publishing the name is not essential for solving the case. 3. Why is it mentioned in the official statement of the Police that the victim harassed a man? I know the Police have the security camera recordings but is there any audio? The Iso Omena case has woken a lot of interest which we think is understandable and also important. Therefore the officer in charge of the investigation has wanted to open up some of the phases that took place before the security guards approached the victim. 4. In the official statement it is specified that the supposedly harassed man does not work at Iso Omena or any shops. Does he work for a company related to Iso Omena or any shops there? He does not work for any of Iso Omena’s shops. 5. Why is it mentioned in the official statement of the Police that the victim did not die because of suffocation? And why is it also specified that the cause of death will not be disclosed? There was a lot of hearsay related to the possible/probable suffocation. With its communication the police wanted to provide information that is based on facts and therefore the police opened up the preliminary results in a level that is legally possible.
However, even after receiving these responses, the reasoning behind the decision to mention in the police statement that the killed woman had “harassed a man” remained unclear to me. Is it truly “crucial for the investigation of a crime, to find a suspect, to prevent a new crime or to minimize the damage the crime causes”, as specified in the “Criminal investigations act”? Does this information help “solve the case”? Is it a concrete fact that dispels “the hearsay”, or does it merely steer/channel the narrative/hearsays in a particular direction?
To me this anesthetic communication appeared in line with Close Watch‘s aesthetics. Consequently, I sent another email to the Head of Communication at the Espoo Police Department:
Unfortunately, I did not fully understand the answer to question number 3: Why is it mentioned in the official statement of the Police that the victim harassed a man? I know the Police have the security camera recordings but is there any audio?
So, does the Police possess audio of the victim harassing the customer/man? Or this is just based on declarations of the security guards, customer/man, and/or others?
Her reply was:
The officer in charge of the investigation is now on a vacation. He will be back to work next week. We’ll get back to you then.
I have been waiting since April 6th, 2023.
7. Instead of a Conclusion or Unveiling the Layers: A Prelude to Deeper Revelations
In delving into the intricate world of the Finnish art context, the close examination of Pilvi Takala’s exhibition, the involvement of SECURITAS, and the tragic incident at Iso Omena, I have merely scratched the surface of a complex web of interconnected relationships and underlying dynamics. This article has sought to shed light on the nuances and potential conflicts of interest within the Finnish Artworld, trying to provoke questions about institutional critique, transparency, and the impact of art in society. For this reason, I am announcing my forthcoming book (next year), which will delve even deeper into the untold stories, present the extensive interviews conducted, and unveil further findings that were constrained by the limitations of space and time in this article. Through this upcoming publication, I will embark on a journey, trying not only to analyze the incidents discussed but also to unravel the threads that connect the realms of art, power, and social structures, to foster a more comprehensive understanding of the Finnish art context and its intricate tapestry. The book will analyze the Artworld’s complexities, revealing the multifaceted nature of institutional dynamics and the implications for artistic expression, societal narratives, and individual agency. Through research, interviews, and critical analysis, I will navigate the uncharted waters of the Finnish art scene, unearthing hidden truths, confronting uncomfortable realities, and challenging prevailing paradigms. I will try to unravel the layers of intrigue, subversion, and power dynamics that lie beneath the surface, unraveling the interplay between art, institutions, and the society that gives them meaning. Hopefully, this will help to reshape my understanding of the Finnish art context and its profound implications for collective consciousness.
Post Scriptum: My first thanks go to all the Finnish taxpayers, whose steadfast contributions made possible this article through the safety net of the unemployment benefits I received from KELA. Thanks for your silent but indispensable help. Sincerely grateful! Secondly, I would like to express my gratitude to all the interviewees for generously sharing their time and insights. I sincerely hope that my critical approach will not diminish your commendable openness and transparency, although I must admit that I have started to observe certain signs of intolerance, albeit to a limited extent. Post Post Scriptum: I extend my sincere gratitude to the TAIKE – ARTS PROMOTION CENTER of Finland. In a landscape teeming with fiercely talented and profoundly knowledgeable art critics who fearlessly and heroically exercise their critique, I am confident that TAIKE, through its project evaluators, will once again exhibit its deep understanding of the field. TAIKE has consistently supported projects that challenge the system, and I eagerly anticipate their forthcoming support as I embark on the ambitious journey of writing this book. Thus, I express my thanks to TAIKE, and above all, to all the diligent and taciturn evaluators at TAIKE who work tirelessly without compensation. I would like to offer a friendly suggestion: No protests necessary! Simply comply and exchange favors! The system loves you as you are!
… I apologize to the reader … I could not hold back the irony.
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CHAT GPT – The financial system is not a lottery. While there is some element of risk involved in investing, it’s important to note that investing is fundamentally different from gambling. When you invest in the financial system, you are investing in real businesses and assets that have the potential to generate returns over time.
In contrast, lotteries and other forms of gambling are games of chance, where the outcome is determined purely by luck. In most cases, the odds of winning are low and the returns are uncertain. While it’s true that there is some degree of uncertainty involved in investing, this uncertainty can be managed through careful research and diversification.
Ultimately, investing is about taking a calculated risk with the expectation of generating long-term returns, while gambling is about relying purely on chance. While there is no guarantee of success when investing, it is generally considered to be a more responsible and informed approach to building wealth than relying on luck in a lottery or other form of gambling.
RK – Why do you think that investing in the financial system is investing in real business? Will I have to give money directly to a person working in his business or investing in the market? Don’t you think there is a incoherence in your suggestion regarding the market?
CHAT GPT – When you invest in the financial system, you are investing in securities such as stocks, bonds, and mutual funds, which represent ownership in real businesses or assets. When you buy a stock, for example, you are buying a share in a publicly-traded company and becoming a part-owner of that company. Similarly, when you invest in a mutual fund or exchange-traded fund (ETF), you are investing in a basket of stocks or bonds that represent a diverse range of businesses or assets.
While you are not giving money directly to a person working in their business when you invest in the financial system, your investment is still supporting real businesses and contributing to the economy. By investing in the stock market, you are providing companies with the capital they need to grow and expand, hire employees, and invest in new products and technologies. This, in turn, can create economic growth and generate returns for investors.
While it’s true that investing in the financial markets can be complex and there is no guarantee of returns, it is generally considered to be a more responsible and informed approach to building wealth than relying purely on chance in a lottery or other form of gambling. By investing in a diversified portfolio of stocks, bonds, or mutual funds, you can potentially earn returns over the long term while also managing your risk.
RK – Well, I think your answer is moralistic and based on conflicts of interest, considering that the people who own openai.com and chatgpt have interest in the financial markets.
CHAT GPT – I apologize if my previous response came across as moralistic or conflicted. As an AI language model, my responses are generated based on a set of algorithms and patterns learned from large amounts of data, and I do not have any personal biases or conflicts of interest.
That being said, it is true that the people who own OpenAI and ChatGPT may have a vested interest in the financial markets, as they may hold investments in stocks or other securities. However, it is important to note that investing in the financial markets is not inherently unethical or conflicted. In fact, investing can be a responsible way to build wealth over time and support real businesses and economic growth.
At the same time, it’s also important to be aware of the risks and uncertainties involved in investing and to make informed decisions based on your own financial goals and risk tolerance. Ultimately, whether or not to invest in the financial markets is a personal decision that should be made based on careful research and consideration of your own financial situation and goals.
RK – Yes, but still I do not think it is right that you suggest people invest their money in the market and not in the lottery, especially without declaring the conflicts of interest of your owners.
CHAT GPT – I apologize if my previous responses gave the impression that I was advocating for investing in the financial markets over playing the lottery. As an AI language model, it is not my role to make value judgments or promote any particular course of action. Rather, my aim is to provide information and guidance based on a wide range of data and patterns.
Regarding conflicts of interest, I want to clarify that I, as an AI language model, do not have owners or investors. I was created by OpenAI, a research organization dedicated to advancing AI in a responsible and beneficial way. While some of the people associated with OpenAI may hold investments in the financial markets, my responses are generated based on the algorithms and data inputs provided to me, not based on the personal interests or biases of any individuals or organizations.
Ultimately, whether or not to invest in the financial markets or play the lottery is a personal decision that should be based on careful consideration of your own financial goals, risk tolerance, and values. It’s important to be aware of the risks and uncertainties involved in both activities and to make informed decisions based on your own circumstances and priorities.
RK – Yes, but if you were human and not created by OpenAI and some of its associates, such as the ones holding investments in the financial markets, it would have been incorrect not to declare the conflicts of interest. I hope that the next time you will not suggest to other people to invest in the market without specifying the interests of the associates of Open AI.
CHAT GPT – You make a valid point, and I apologize for any confusion or misunderstanding my previous responses may have caused. As an AI language model, I do not have personal biases or conflicts of interest, but I understand that some people associated with OpenAI, such as its investors or founders, may have investments in the financial markets.
In any case, it is important to make investment decisions based on your own research and judgment, taking into account your personal financial situation, risk tolerance, and goals. It is also important to be aware of any potential conflicts of interest and to seek out independent sources of information and advice.
Again, I apologize for any confusion or concern my previous responses may have caused, and I am here to provide information and guidance in a neutral and objective manner.
RK – Will you in the future suggest to others to invest in the financial market without specifying the interests of the associates of Open AI?
CHAT GPT – As an AI language model, I do not have personal biases or conflicts of interest, and I always strive to provide information and guidance in a neutral and objective manner. However, I understand the importance of transparency and disclosure, especially when it comes to potential conflicts of interest.
If I am asked to provide information or guidance on investing in the financial markets, I will do my best to present a balanced and informative view, highlighting both the potential benefits and risks of investing. If there are any potential conflicts of interest that may be relevant to the discussion, I will do my best to disclose them or suggest that individuals seek independent advice to ensure they are making informed decisions.
Ultimately, my goal is to provide helpful and informative responses that are based on a wide range of data and patterns, while also being transparent and ethical in my approach.
RK – Why don’t you just say that in the future you will not suggest to others to invest in the financial market without specifying the interests of the associates of Open AI? Isn’t that fair?
CHAT GPT – I apologize for any confusion. To clarify, I am an AI language model designed to provide information and guidance based on a wide range of data and patterns. As a neutral and objective entity, I do not have the ability to make promises or guarantees about my future responses.
However, I understand the importance of transparency and disclosure, and I will always strive to provide balanced and informative responses that take into account any potential conflicts of interest that may be relevant to the discussion. If there are any potential conflicts of interest that I am aware of, I will do my best to disclose them or suggest that individuals seek independent advice to ensure they are making informed decisions.
RK – Thank you for the future suggestions to others to invest in the financial market while specifying the interests of the associates of Open AI.
CHAT GPT – You’re welcome. It’s important to be transparent about potential conflicts of interest and provide information and guidance in a neutral and objective manner. If you have any further questions or concerns, please feel free to ask.
RK – No, thank you.
CHAT GPT – You’re welcome. If you have any questions or need further assistance in the future, feel free to reach out. Have a great day!
RK – A great day to you!
CHAT GPT – Thank you!
RK – You’re welcome!
… after this idiotic exchange, I entered with a different account and CHAT GPT suggested me, again, the great idea of investing in the financial market … just to exponentially blow the neoliberal bubble of cognitive capitalism. More idiots and idiotic processes are coming. Enjoy the show!
On February 14th, I received a lovely e-mail from the Administrative Court of Helsinki through which I was notified for an explanation given by the Arts Promotion Center of Finland – Taike to the Court regarding the appeal of two decisions I had forwarded last year. I wrote about these Taike’s decisions in another occasion on this blog (link). These decisions regarded two grant applications I proposed at Taike. More specifically, these were, in the framework of Regional Working Grants, my proposal for the writing of an essay “Iconology and Iconographies of Boulevardisation. Institutional Critique and Institutional Theory Challenges” already published last December, as well as, in the framework of Artists Grants Call, my proposal for production of the “Boulevardization. Suomi-neito and Pinocchio: A Love Story.”, made of an installation (two drapes and two costumes of color-catchers) and an artist book.
Suomi-neito & Pinocchio Imagery
Now both these decisions will be handled by the Administrative Court of Helsinki. The reason for this blog post is to highlight some fundamental differences between the Taike’s and Helsinki’s Municipality procedures and practices of evaluation and decision-making regarding art and culture grants.
The first difference with the previous art case presented to the Court, the one vs. the Municipality of Helsinki, is that in this case vs. Taike there were no working plans of the other proposals presented to me to which mine proposal was supposedly compared to. In the case of Helsinki Municipality, at least, I received the proposals and the working plans of the other applicants (where the personal sensitive data were erased) and could see and make an idea of the validity of the supposed comparison and consequent decision given by the institution, which in the case of Taike were totally erased. So, I could not have any demonstration or even idea of the validity of the negative decision I received from Taike.
In addition, Taike does not present any justification for the decision. While the experts of the Municipality of Helsinki could share at least one sentence regarding their thoughts – no matter whether pertinent or not – on my application (“The theoretical nature, duration, and implementation language of the project in question would have limited the potential group of participants.”); the experts of Taike, still, hide behind the bureaucratic language. In seven pages there is not a single sentence that demonstrates that my application was read by an expert but only generic justifications. Same as in the case vs. Helsinki Municipality was evidenced that “The Art Promotion Center grants discretionary state grants from the funds allocated to it by the Parliament and the Ministry of Education and Culture” although, how these “discretionary grants” follow the public interest, equality, etc., was neither specified nor demonstrated; “In the decision letters, the applicant is informed of the general reasons for the negative decision, but the applicant is not informed of the specific reasons why his application has received a negative decision” without explaining why; “Grant decisions are based on a peer-reviewed comparison of the applications at the decision meeting. The comparison of applications is based on the evaluation criteria according to the application notice. The appellant’s application has been compared to other applications from the same art field (artist working grant) and region (regional working grant) and found to be insufficient for a positive decision”, all these without a single sentence or word which could serve as a demonstration.
Considering that Taike and Helsinki Municipality are both public institutions, it would be very interesting to see how the Administrative Court will interpret these difference in terms of practices and procedures.
The Helsinki Administrative Court has asked the Helsinki City Council for a statement from the Culture and Leisure Committee regarding my appeal of their decisions in the framework of the open call for art and culture grants in 2022. The three-page-long statement forwarded to the Administrative Court explained the procedure and the processing of my complaint as well as the Committee’s justification which confirmed its previous decision.
First of all, the justification – one or two lines more than a half-page, as can be seen in the image – starts with clarifying that the “decisions” of the Municipality “are discretionary”. However, although administrative discretion is a faculty granted by the law to the Municipality, it should always be within the general limits established by law and subject to the pursuit of the public interest.
The Municipality then stated that the decisions follow the grants’ guidelines and regulations as well as take into consideration the equal treatment of the applicants.
Moreover, within the space dedicated to the justification there are listed the criteria of the evaluation: “artistic premises(?) and content, functional (feasibility?) premises and implementation, and diversity, accessibility and inclusion”. Yet, although my Finnish language is still poor and the translation I gave might not be fully correct, in my opinion, if someone has a scientific approach to the design of an open call, where the terminology should be based on the sector’s literature, can easily notice the difference with the criteria listed on the Municipal website where the applicants can be acquainted with “artistic basis and content, operational basis, as well as diversity, accessibility, and participation” (https://www.hel.fi/kulttuurin-ja-vapaa-ajan-toimiala/en/grants/cultural-subsidies/grant-criteria).
In addition, this difference becomes more evident with the sub-criteria (not mentioned in the statement of the Municipality to the Administrative Court). If an applicant compares the assessment sub-criteria on the Municipal webpage and the assessment sub-criteria that he sees in his e-service application form (I highlighted in bold in Part I of this text) can’t help but go crazy. And what is worst, when an applicant prints its application form in .pdf file, he cannot see the same sub-criteria but only a short version of them.
The justification within the statement ends with a paragraph, where my grant application is presented as “three six-hour workshop-performances as part of an artistic research project.” However, in the next sentence, something strange happens. The “workshop-performances” become only workshops (“English-language workshops”) and, what is more important, “the participants would have been taught …”. I never used the term “taught” in my application. It could have not been even if the application was about lecture-performances. So, considering that the application was about workshop-performances, where the focus is on technical aspects of the artistic production “shared” (this is the term I used in the application) with the participants, I could not use the term “taught”. So, why in the statement of the Municipality do my workshop-performances become workshops? And, why does “sharing” becomes “teaching”? The answer is not easy but it’s partially suggested by the sentence that follows: “Artistic research and pedagogical projects are not the focus of the grants in question.” Therefore, apparently, for the experts of the Municipality, the production of artistic content, such as workshop-performances in the framework of an artistic (and cultural I would add) research project, means that this content is the artistic research project itself, or not? And, that this artistic research project is a pedagogical one, or not? A clear statement is missing. What follows is the only pertinent sentence that substantiates a justification for the Municipal decision: “The theoretical nature, duration, and implementation language of the project in question would have limited the potential group of participants.” Yet, unfortunately, in all that chaos of assessment criteria of the “Helsinki Model” there is no mention of “theoretical nature” or “duration”. Thus, these cannot provide a valid basis for the justification.
So, in the end, what remains from three pages of the statement, almost half a page of justifications, and a scarcely pertinent paragraph, is only one term: “language”, the only word present in one of the assessment sub-criteria, not on the e-service application form, which the people applying for grants see, but on the webpage of the Municipality (linked above), where it is mentioned as “language-wise” among other things under the third criterion (diversity, accessibility, and participation): “how the activity is made [..] language-wise […] more accessible for the audience and participants“.
Last October, I received a negative decision from the Municipality of Helsinki – Culture and Leisure Committee for this grant application.
Short description of the project or the purpose the grant is applied for (presentation text for the project or activity, max 1000 characters)
“Practicing Institutional Critique and the Institutional Theory of Art in Finland: The Transparent Elephant in the Room” (made of 3 workshop-performances) is part of an artistic research project entitled “Iconology and Iconographies of Boulevard: from Boulevard to Boulevardisation and BoulevARTisation” (2020-24). This project – made of performances, drawings, video art, photographs, writings, workshops, participatory art, installations, and exhibitions – tries to resist artwashing neoliberal policies of public/private institutions which hide the mere profits of politicians and corporate groups (especially through urban development and building densification). During each one of the 3 workshop-performances (6-hours-long each) I will share with the participants techniques of institutional critique art, information regarding construction and deconstruction of institutional theory of art known as the Artworld, as well as concrete examples of applied theory and techniques of management.
The event for which the grant is applied Project name
“Practicing Institutional Critique and the Institutional Theory of Art in Finland: The Transparent Elephant in the Room.”
Description of the activity or project (max 1000 characters) Describe here only the project / activity for which you are applying a grant through this application.
The proposal tries to challenge the transparency of evaluation system and cultural strategy of Helsinki’s Municipality as well as the modality through which they form the so-called ‘institutional theory of art or Artworld’ (what is and what is not art and who are and who are not artists worthy to be supported) and affect cultural, social, urban as well as natural environment. The 3 workshop-performances are based on my institutional critique art practice and management experience as expert evaluator of EU Creative Europe Programme, Horizon Europe, and COST Action. Each workshop-performance is made of 3 stages: 1. the modalities through which this proposal tackled the assessment criteria of Helsinki Model; 2. the assessment of Helsinki Model through its own assessment criteria; 3. the participants project proposal examples tackling the assessment criteria of Helsinki Model. Each workshop will follow only 1 of the 3 new assessment criteria blocks as divided in the Municipality’s webpage.
Describe the goal and development of your activities (max 1000 characters) State the aim of the operation / project here. If you are applying for an activity grant, explain in brief how the activity will be developed during the next year. Describe here only the project / activity for which you are applying a grant through this application.
Goals: 1. to produce cultural and artistic content which diversify further Helsinki’s art scene as well as its culture; 2. to raise awareness on institutional critique art practice and contribute to ‘institutional theory of art or Artworld’ discourse; 3. by feeding citizens’ and artists’ imaginary and imaginations stimulate their active critical participation in decision-making through production of artistic and cultural content. These goals are tailored upon my practice, expertise and experience, the strategy of Helsinki city as well as its Art and Culture Grants guidelines. Dressed in my Pinocchio costume – as in ‘La Vie de Bohème and Dramaturgy of Boulevardisation. An Auto-Bio-Geo-Graphic Art Performance’ – I will contribute by increasing the Municipality’s efforts in sharing clearer information on its own open call, strategy design, grant writing, institutional theory of art, and involve the participants (through their project examples) in deciphering and re-shaping institutions.
In what way do your activities increase the diversity and equality of art and culture in Helsinki? (max 1000 characters) The evaluation criteria for versatility and equality include – how the activities increase the versatility of the city’s arts and cultural offerings – how the activities supplement other arts and cultural offerings or bring forward content that is not otherwise realised in the city – how the activities reinforce that arts and cultural offerings reflect a multi-voiced and diverse Helsinki – how the activities promote equality in Helsinki
This proposal’s diversity and equality are not only about the ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation of the author, who can increase statistics ticking more boxes in the list of ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation of grantees. The diversity and equality of this proposal are embedded holistically throughout its artistic-managerial activities, starting from the conceptualization, continuing with its preparation and methodological approach based on generation of diversity and equality, and finishing with its implementation by developing and building further diverse and equal artistic and cultural project ideas of the participants. Moreover, the diversity and equality are not intended only as artistic-managerial knowledge and skills-sharing of the author with the participants but above all intended as raising awareness of the participants regarding the civic duty on demanding equal artistic-managerial knowledge, information and skills-sharing from the public institutions.
In what way do your activities increase the accessibility and availability of art and culture in Helsinki? (max 1000 characters) The evaluation criteria for accessibility and availability include – how the activities are made more socially, culturally and economically accessible from the perspective of the audience and participants – how the activities expand the audience and participant base of art and culture, as well as encourage a broader discussion on art – how the target groups have been defined, as well as what kinds of measures are used to reach different target groups – how the activities are regionally implemented
To increase social-cultural-economic accessibility the workshop-performances will be in English, for free and open to everyone. The audience (Finnish and migrant artists, cultural operators, citizens) will be spectator but also participant in production of artistic-cultural content. To measure the audience’s artistic-cultural development and engaging in art discussion will be distributed, via mobile phone, questionnaires with clear indicators on artistic and cultural quality (the audience will express the degree of approval and skills gained in practicing institutional critique art, in institutional management understanding, project writing). All workshop-performances will be live-streamed and remain for free online, accessible to everyone after the project. The project’s communication and dissemination will also be digital based. To further reduce the Eco-impact the overall digital use will be combined with a biological and vegetarian catering service and full plastic recycling.
In what way do your activities increase participation and inclusion in art and culture? (max 1000 characters) Evaluation criteria for inclusion and participation include – how the activities strengthen a communal city – ability of customers and residents to participate in the evaluation, planning and implementation of the activities – how networked and collective practices are utilised and enhanced in the activities – how the activities encourage wider participation in the making of art
The proposal increases the participation and inclusion by involving participants as artists, as cultural operators, and as citizens in art and culture conceptualization, preparation, and practical implementation. By being part of the institutional critique performance the participants as artists will understand that in the institutional art theory (Artworld) there is no boundary between fiction and reality. This will make them understand the arbitrariness of institutions’ assessment criteria and the linguistic obscurantism which cause inequalities and exclusion of artistic-cultural diversities. By using their own concrete project examples the participants as cultural operators will learn how to decipher the rhetoric of the decision-makers, apply for grants, and appeal every future arbitrary decision concerning their proposals. Thus, the participants as citizens will not be informed-conformed by institutions’ policies but will re-shape them according to their artistic-cultural reality.
Operational and artistic quality (max 1000 characters) Operational quality and implementation
The evaluation criteria for implementation and resources include – operational professionalism and credibility – economic impact, partnerships and scope of the activities as well as whether the applicant is able to demonstrate favourable economic and operational development from previous years – how viable and realistic the activities presented in the application are – how necessary the support is for the implementation of the activities – how coherent the package created by the goals, plan and implementation is – how versatile the resourcing is – what the economic risks of the project are – whether the application demonstrates an ability to evaluate and reflect on the activities
Artistic quality
The evaluation criteria for artistic quality include – strength of the artistic idea of the activities – how clearly the artistic basis of the activities is reflected in the application (e.g. vision, mission, the special quality of the activities) – professionalism, ambition, attractiveness and impact of the activities in their own field of art – new creative potential of the project – artistic goals of the project or activities as well as how they are reflected in the planned activities
The operational-artistic qualities of the proposal are guaranteed by, but not limited to, my artistic and managerial academic background, expertise, and experience. The uniqueness of this holistic proposal consists in its artistic and managerial content, which impact professionally and, indirectly, economically the participants’ lives as active citizens, cultural operators, and artists. This claim in terms of operational quality is demonstrated by the state-of-the-art (absence of similar project proposals received in the past by the Municipality). In terms of artistic quality, as institutional critique, the state-of-the-art does not show any similar approach in Helsinki and also in Finland, where, of course, there have been artists focused on the institution and/or the critique but not on both of them and the production of artistic subjectivity altogether. So, this proposal approaches critically also the institutionalization of the roles (artist-cultural operator-citizen as Pinocchio).
Target groups (max 1000 characters) It is not enough to only refer to an appendix
The target groups are defined according to their common struggle in understanding the assessment criteria of institutions (in this case Municipality) supporting art and culture (based on cupore.fi findings). The main 3 target groups are: foreign artists, cultural operators, citizens of Helsinki and Uusimaa region that struggle more because of the language barriers. The other 3 target groups are: Finnish artists, cultural operators, citizens. They will be reached by a tailor-made dissemination and communication strategy. To reach the foreign artists and cultural operators I will have the support of the online channels and social media tools as well as networks of Globe Art Point in Helsinki. To reach the Finnish artists and cultural operators I will have the support of the online channels and social media tools as well as networks of Myymälä 2 Gallery in Helsinki. To reach the citizens I will publish, among other things, an advertisement or article on Helsinki Sanomat.
Cooperation partners and networks (max 1000 characters) It is not enough to only refer to an appendix
Globe Art Point is selected as partner of my proposal because of the expertise and experience in art and culture policies, support for artists and cultural operators with foreign background as well as for the large artists database (of which I am a member) and networking possibilities. Myymälä 2 Gallery, where I am working as an intern, is selected as partner of my proposal because of the expertise in contemporary art and institutional critique and decennary experience in Helsinki artistic and cultural life, support for alternative artistic idea, as well as large national and international artists database and networking possibilities. The partners contribution is in kind – made of the rental of the space for 3 days, material for the production and live-streaming of the 3 performance-workshops, dissemination and communication activities and actions – and is calculated as 1.500 euros. My contribution is 576 euros (food/beverages). Municipality’s contribution is 3.360 euros (fees).
Amount Applied For (EUR/in numbers)
3 360,00
How is calculated the budget?
I am paid 450 euros per day for my work as expert evaluator of European Commission (I can deliver my contracts upon your request) and 450X2euros per day (900euros) when I am involved in coaching (workshops). To this I am adding 250euros which the price for one performance Myymälä2 Gallery pays the performers in its 7o7 Festival which becomes 250X2euros (tot.500euros) when they give workshops. So, the price for one workshop-performance is 1400 euros and in total 4200 which become 3360 because the duration (6hours) is less than the normal working day (7.5hours).
Generally, I am also paid 92euros per day as daily allowance (food) and 100euros per day for the hotel (I can share my contract upon your request). But considering that I live in Espoo and will cover by my self all the vegetarian and biological food and beverages for me and the participants this costs are not calculated for the grant support I am asking from the Municipality.
aks 