Croatian Cultural Tent, 2016
The work is exhibited in a gallery space as a presentation of my own outlook on two polarities; the cultural scene and the government of the Republic of Croatia. By dissecting the work one can observe that there are several components which are bound to each other and, as such, indivisible. The visual impression is limited to only two achromatic colors, two polarities; white and black color, stressing the above stated relationship which I often bring into question in my works. Although whiteness prevails in the work (the sheet of the tent), one can notice that it is actually supported by the black foundation (the poles), of almost negligible quantity, but without which the tent would not be stable, and be what it is. The front entrance into the tent has been sewn shut from the outside with black thread, once again of almost negligible blackness compared to the white sheet of the tent. The black label (Made in Croatia / Property of the Ministry of Culture) reminds us that we are, on more than one level, dependent on the Mother State, as our upbringing and practice tell us. Can a loveless child be a contended child? In other words, can a cultural scene exist without the state and that relationship which becomes more questionable year after year?! The state creates the generally accepted social conditions, considering culture to be a fringe element of national interests, a burden, something redundant, or it does not consider it at all when all is said and done. The snubbing attitude of the state towards culture raises questions such as whether this society needs anything cultural, should we nurture culture, rest our hopes on it, or simply leave it to be its own purpose, and prescribe it in such doses which would ensure that the tent occupants do not protest as they repeat their mantra: “Shut up, things will get better!” On the other hand, is there a limit after which pleasure becomes pain, and I ask myself whether we had already passed it?
Is the state or culture the one with a problem? Or maybe better days will arrive when art will, (un)fortunately, disappear from people’s lives in the Republic of Croatia.
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Hrvatski kulturni šator, 2016.
Rad je postavljen u galerijskom prostoru kao prezentacija vlastitog viđenja dva polariteta; kulturne scene i Vlade Republike Hrvatske. Secirajući rad možemo uvidjeti da ima više komponenti koje su vezane i kao takve nerazdovojive. Vizualni dojam ograničen je isključivo na dvije akromatske boje, dva polariteta; bijelu i crnu boju, naglašavajući gorenavedeni odnos koji često u vlastitim radovima propitujem. Iako prevladava bjelina na radu(plašt šatora), možemo uočiti ipak da ista počiva na crnim osnovama(šipke), gotovo zanemarivim obujmom ali bez istih šator ne bi mogao biti stabilan i ono što jest. Ulaz u šator izvana je zašiven crnim koncem, opet gotovo zanemarivom crninom u odnosu na bijeli plašt šatora. Crna etiketa (Made in Croatia / Property of Ministry of Culture) nas podsjeća da smo na više razina zavisni od Majke Države, jer tako nam odgoj i praksa nalažu. Može li dijete bez ljubavi biti zadovoljno djete? Ili pak, može li kulturna scena egzistirati bez države i tog odnosa koji je iz godine u godinu sve upitniji?! Politika kreira općeprihvaćeno stanje u društvu, kulturu doživljava kao rubni dio državnog interesa, opterećenje, nešto nepotrebno ili u konačnici nedoživljava. Maćehinski odnos države prema kulturi nameće nam pitanja poput treba li išta kulturno ovome društvu, trebamo li odgajati kulturu, polagati nade u istu ili je jednostavano ostaviti da bude dostatna samoj sebi i dozirati je tek toliko da se stanovnici šatora ne bune dok mantrički ponavljaju „Šuti, bit će bolje!“. S druge strane, postoji li granica preko koje ugoda prelazi u bol i pitam se jesmo li to već odavno prešli!?
Ima li problem država ili kultura? Ili će doći bolji dani kada će umjetnost, na (ne)sreću, nestati iz života ljudi u Republici Hrvatskoj.
Mario Matoković 