Precarious Rarities and Commodified Oddities
/ Anna Ørberg
Måske vil man i fremtiden beskrive den økonomiske virkelighed fra 70’erne frem til nu med samme forundrede og overlegne afstandtagen, som man i dag beskriver forrige århundreders og anderledes kulturers systemer. Den selvfølgelighed, hvormed en kultur eller tidsalder forholder sig til sin egen logik, kommer til udtryk i udstillingens videoværk. Udstillingens øvrige objekter understreger med titler som “Comm-Oddities”, “Preca-Rarities” og “Flexi-Curiosities” det besynderlige ved vor tids økonomiske selvfølgeligheder.
‘Flexicurity’ var et populært begreb, da man brystede sig af et effektivt sikkerhedsnet. Nu med løbende forringelser, synes begrebet belejligt nok at være trådt lidt i baggrunden. Kravene om fleksibilitet er kun blevet højere, og som bambus skal vi være stærke, smidige og omstillingsparate – og ikke mindst i hurtig vækst.
Sideløbende har det sociologiske begreb ‘prekariat’ vundet indpas i forsøget på at beskrive en voksende social gruppe, hvis livsforhold er truet af privatiseringer og strukturel arbejdsløshed. Som nisser i januar kan man fra den ene dag til den anden blive uønsket og overflødig på arbejdsmarkedet. Og som quinoafrø i Bolivia og Peru kan en handelsvare fra den ene dag til den anden blive så eftertragtet, at bolivianere og peruvianere ikke længere har råd til deres basiskost. Sådan er alt bare så mærkeligt, sært og kuriøst, at man ikke kan konstatere andet end netop det.
REBECCA’S SYSTEM
/ Tina Helen
Rebecca har autisme. Som en hver anden pige på hendes alder går Rebecca op i sit udseende. Rebecca har sit eget system. Hun klæder sig efter ugens syv dage. Hver dag har en specifik farve. Mandag er grøn, tirsdag er lilla, onsdag er orange, osv. Rebecca har ikke oplevet nogen større kriser i sit system. Flere sammenbrud er blevet afværget ved at ty til vasketøjskurven. Rebeccas system er afhængig af Rebeccas mor, men herudover inkluderer det ikke andre mennesker end hende selv. Rebeccas system er rationelt for Rebecca.
Økonomiske systemer er rationelle, men deres rationalitet er socialt og menneskeligt bestemt. Økonomiske systemer er overvejende funderet på gentagelser. Uden disse ville deres strukturer styrte sammen. Økonomiske systemer er underlagt mennesket, ligesom mennesket underligger sig dem. Økonomiske systemer er afhængige af at vi vedligeholder dem gennem måden vi tænker, handler og organiserer os på. Økonomiske systemer er kun virkelige for de der tror på dem. Forsvinder denne tro kollapser de økonomiske systemer. Økonomi er immanent og altomsluttende. Der findes ikke et udenfor økonomien.
Omgivet af børsmæglere, token economy, den postautistiske økonomi bevægelse, kønnet numismatik, autisme som arbejdskraft, eye tracking, en sensorisk tøjkollektion af sømløse strømper, samling, stabling og sortering, og en ængstelig Dustin Hoffman til danseundervisning i Rain Man, forsøger tre økonomer med forskellige udgangspunkt, at adressere en mulig sammenhæng mellem det økonomiske system og Rebeccas personlige system – mellem økonomi og autisme.
I Rebeccas system har hver ugedag en farve. Et gentagende system hvorfra Rebecca møder samtidens foranderlige virkelighed – hvorfra hver dag er et muligt møde mellem hendes system og de utallige systemer derude.
Fernisering fredag d.6 januar kl. 17-20
—————- English version—————
Precarious Rarities and Commodified Oddities
/ Anna Ørberg
Perhaps future tales of the economy from the 1970s to now will be described with the same superior and astonished distancing that we express today when describing previous centuries and other cultures. The truism with which any culture or era perceives its own logic is pointed out in the exhibition video. With titles such as “Comm-Oddities”, “Preca-Rarities” and “Flexi-Curiosities” the additional objects of the exhibition aim to emphasize the peculiarity of the economic structure of our age which can often pass for “natural” or “logical” without further questioning.
‘Flexicurity’ was a popular concept back when society took pride in offering an efficient safety net. With increasing austerity measures this concept has conveniently receded into the background. But the demand for flexibility has only continued to rise and as bamboo plants we are expected to be strong yet flexible and adaptable and, not least, we have to be in an ever accelerating growth.
Simultaneously, the sociological term ‘the precariat’ has gained a foothold in the attempt to describe a growing social group that is threatened by privatizations and structural unemployment. Just as the elfs, the loyal christmas workers, you can from one day to the next become unwanted and redundant to your employer. And as a quinoa seed in Bolivia or Peru a commodity can from one day to the next become so desirable that Bolivians and Peruvians themselves can no longer afford the vitally important food. All in all, everything has become so odd, strange and curious that there is not much else to say than exactly this.
REBECCA’S SYSTEM
/ Tina Helen
Rebecca has autism. Like any other girl her age Rebecca cares about her appearance. Rebecca has her own system. She dresses according to the 7 days of the week. Every day has a specific color. Monday is green, Tuesday is purple, Wednesday is orange and so forth. Rebecca has not experienced any major crises in her system yet. Several breakdowns have been prevented by turning to the laundry basket. Rebecca’s system is dependent on Rebecca’s mother, but apart from that it does not include any other people than Rebecca. Rebecca’s system is rational to Rebecca.
Economic systems are rational, but the rationality is socially or humanly determined. Economic systems are based on a large element of repetition. Without this its structures would disintegrate. Economic systems are subject to humans, but at the same time humans subject themselves to economic systems. Economic systems depend on us to restore them through our ways of thinking, acting and organizing. Economic systems are only real when people believe in them. If this faith disappears economic systems will collapse completely. Economy is immanent and all-embracing. There is no outside the economy.
Boxed in between trading agents, token economy, the Post-Autistic Economics Movement, gendered numismatics, autism as labor, eye tracking, a sensory clothing line of seamless socks, collecting, stacking and sorting, and an anxious Dustin Hoffman learning to dance in Rain Man, three differently positioned economists attempt to address a proposed link between economic systems and Rebecca’s personal system – between economy and autism.
In Rebecca’s system every weekday has a color. A repetitive system from where she meets the changing reality of our contemporary time – and her system becomes just one of many systems out there.
OPENING 6th of January 5 – 8 pm
