Even though artists who take part in the Politricks exhibition do not fight on the barricades, nor do they adopt outspoken political positions, they still try to be critical of current or historical political situations in a subtle, reflective or humorous way. With ethical-political commitment, they pore over the regimes of political leaders, dictators and demagogues. They use videos, installations and paintings to scrutinise the images and representations of heads of state and power structures, whether using imagery which political leaders disseminate or not.
Benj Gerdes (VS) and Mark Wallinger (UK) use television footage of crucial speeches of George Bush and Margaret Thatcher as starting material. By reassembling the material, heads of state are exposed, as it were, and their bodies - seemingly devoid of content - are staged in a silent choreography.
As graphic designers, Ghalia Elskrabi (SY) and Lauren Alexander (ZA) (the artist duo Foundland) visually dissect Bashar al-Assad's pro-regime propaganda, analysing, as they do, the manipulated images which the Syrian Electronic Army propagates to Assad's greater honour and glory.
Marta Popivoda (RS/DE) went through archival material of mass performances (parades, pageants, youth days) before and after Josip Broz Tito’s death and established that a change in ideology affects the collective body of the former Yugoslavia.
Incidentally, the mass choreography is also represented in a large flag installation by performance group Superamas (FR): Politics and patriotism as an exercise in waving flags to the tunes of a grandiose Mozart soundtrack.
Marijke De Roover (BE) goes the extra mile, musically speaking, and presents a brand new, absurd musical in which three women vie for a place in the harem of former American presidential candidate Mitt Romney.
Finally, Annie Kevans (UK) shows a series of delicate and disturbing paintings of seemingly innocent boys. On closer inspection, they appear to be the youthful depictions of dictators. Stalin, Mugabe, Ceausescu etc. look into the camera, wide-eyed, as if they still want to convince us of their innocence.
The installations, videos and paintings of the above artists are displayed on every possible wall or corner of Beursschouwburg. Come ride with us on the crest of heroism and political icons.
