Unfamiliar Area | Daša Vinšek in Karin Vrbek: “The Transient”

21 September 2021 > 21 October 2021 Kindly invited to the mini online exhibition "The Transient" by Daša Vinšek and KArin Vrbek made within Unfamiliar Area project.

 

The Transient is the first part of The Soul Mirror and Void Gatherer Chronicles, stories set in a dystopian world after a catastrophe. The interactive webpage is an insight into the computer of the protagonist, the doctor Zarmutkova. According to the story, it was found in an abandoned building, the viewer does not know anything about those who found the materials, the main focus in on the story, memories, and the work of the doctor, who found herself alone in a post-catastrophic world, and tries to make sense of it in her own, often terrifying ways. The eerie post-apocalyptic atmosphere is added to the work by the sound processing, horrific shots of the interior, and photographic documentation of medical experiments performed by the doctor, with the associated surgical equipment. The whole layout of the page, which is located somewhere between trashy and playful child-like aesthetics, is reminiscent of a computer game, where exploration of the content, rather than collection of points is of utmost importance. The project is an interesting mix of computer game features, which heralds the form of a series, since only the first part has been released. Also, the fact that time is an ally at discovering and understanding the given content, as viewers can watch materials online in their own pace, is more reminiscent of characteristics of television series.

The Transient tackles the topics of death, coping with major changes, and mental health in extreme circumstances. We can draw a parallel with contemporary times, marked by the epidemic of corona virus, which in a similar way alienates, isolates, and haunts. This is also the reason why the rendering in the online format and the commitment to seriality (series) are important markers of the spirit of the time in this thoughtfully conceptualized work of art.

Project web page: https://thetransient.cargo.site/

Ana Grobler and Nina Baznik

 

The Soul Mirror and Void Gatherer Chronicles is an artistic project co-created by Daša Vinšek and Karin Vrbek. Their collaboration began during an Erasmus internship in Slovakia. The first part was released on 14 December 2020.

Daša Vinšek (1998, Slovenj Gradec) is studying at The Academy of Fine Arts and Design, majoring in Applied Arts Design. She is completing her BA dissertation titled Finding Intimacy in a Cup of Tea, for which she is creating a glass tea set and related accessories for Chinese tea ceremony. The exploration of new media, direct contact with the material, and working freedom enable her to broaden her horizons and investigate unknown paths. In 2018, she had a solo exhibition entitled Metanoia in Slovenj Gradec, and she also participated in numerous group exhibitions.

Karin Vrbek (1998, Slovenj Gradec) is an intermedia artist and a final-year student majoring in Video and New Media at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design. In her work, she explores a microcosm of the composition of digital files, construction of digital media, and dismantling and recycling of waste into artistic sculptures. She is interested in combining and interacting media in installations and interactive websites, and electroacoustic music. In 2017, she received the Little Veronika Award for the best poetry.



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Other Unfamiliar Area exhibitions

Nina Baznik: Unfamiliar Area 

and others on the downside of the page

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Proof-reading (Slovene language): Neja Berlič
Translation (to English language): Ana Makuc
Financial support: Ministry for Culture of the Republic of Slovenia, City Council Ljubljana - Department for Culture