RASUTA SLIKA SVETA

Uvodna razmatranja povodom realizacije projekta

Tema regionalnog izdanja časopisa (O)GLED, u saradnji sa Muzejem savremene umjetnosti Republike Srpske, Banja Luka i podržanom od strane British Council-a u okviru projekta Kultura i kreativnost za Zapadni Balkan (CC4WBs), jeste „Umetnost u doba krize”. Složena tema kojoj nastojimo da priđemo adresirajući pojedine fenomene kao simptome perioda krize i mogućnosti njihovog prevazilaženja.

CC4WBs je projekat koji finansira Evropska unija, a usmeren je na podsticanje dijaloga na Zapadnom Balkanu kroz jačanje kulturnih i kreativnih sektora radi povećanog društveno-ekonomskog uticaja. Tokom perioda od 48 mjeseci, projekat CC4WBs ima za cilj unapređenje znanja, vještina i pristupa finansijskoj podršci, s ciljem povećanja konkurentnosti, održavanja koprodukcije i podsticanja prometa roba i usluga na Zapadnom Balkanu.

Časopis o savremenoj umetnosti “(O)GLED” uvek je nastojao da prati savremene društvene fenomene, prateći određene umetničke radove i prakse, te analizirajući posmatrane društvene pojave i društvenu situaciju iz perspektive različitih humanističkih disciplina.

Projekat regionalnog umetničkog časopisa (O)GLED realizujemo u turbulentnom trenutku nove civilizacijske situacije u kojoj se nalazimo – kako u lokalnim okvirima, tako i u najširim svetskim. Mnogi savremeni mislioci i analitičari govore o nultim godinama, koje označavaju kraj prethodnog, odnosno početak novog perioda. Ukoliko ovu situaciju razumemo kao trenutak civilizacijske krize, najpre bi bilo dobro definisati šta podrazumevamo pod tim terminom. Pozivajući se na razmišljanja društvenog kritičara Osa Ginisa (Os Guinness), civilizacijsku krizu obeležava trenutak kada društvo više ne povezuju vrednosti i ideje na čijim osnovama je određena civilizacija nastala. Po ovom misliocu postoje tri moguća odgovora na krizu: 1) obnova vrednosti koje čine osnov date civilizacije; 2) autohtono konstituisanje novog, autentičnog sistema vrednosti, za koje postoji konsenzus u društvu i 3) pad civilizacije.

Iako pravljenje analogija sa prethodnim istorijskim periodima može ponuditi određene orijentire i pravce razmišljanja, ipak su odgovori na krizu u ovom trenutku neizvesni. Ono što jeste, pak izvesno, jeste da se nalazimo usred veoma ozbiljne i sveobuhvatne krize.

Pitanjima krize je moguće prići sa različitih strana. No, nas je tokom rada na ovom projektu inspirisala tradicionalna veština koja potiče iz japanske kulture – Kintsugi. Kintsugi predstavlja reakciju na razbijenost sveta, odnosno, preciznije rečeno, u kontekstu ove kulture, na razbijenost keramičkih posuda. To je drevna japanska tehnika popravljanja polomljenih keramičkih posuda pomoću laka pomešanog sa zlatnim prahom, te samim tim, ovo umeće podrazumeva i određeni pogled na svet i filozofiju, jer zlatnom bojom ističe pukotine i mesta rascepa.

Čuveni kintsugi majstori i danas praktikuju ovu tehniku tako što najpre izvesno vreme provedu sa polomljenim parčićima keramike, poštujući mesta rascepa i pukotina. Tek nakon izvesnog vremena spremni su da posude obnove, spajajući delove i oblažući pukotine lakom sa zlatnim prahom.

Poput kintsugi majstora, i mi se danas nalazimo pred raspuknutim svetom. Svakako pred slikom raspuknutog sveta, koju nastojimo ponovo da sastavimo. Zato verujemo da je dobro da se setimo kintsugi majstora, te da najpre treba da provedemo izvesno vreme sa raspuknutim delovima, da bismo bili spremni da sliku sveta što bolje ponovo sastavimo.

U uvodnim razmatranjima ovog zadatka, verujemo da je dobro da imamo i objektivne, neutralne oslonce, koje obično naučni postupci mogu da pruže. Zato se pozivamo na istraživače i naučnike, koji u svom radu inkorporiraju i naučne metode praćenja istorijskih ciklusa i perioda krize.

Tako prema istraživanjima i rečima uticajnog društvenog naučnika, istoričara i matematičara Pitera Turčina (Peter Turchin), objavljenih u knjizi “End Times”, koje ovom prilikom parafraziramo,[1] u okviru cikličnih perioda približavanja krize, same okolnosti koje vode prema njoj nalikuju na ivice tunela koje ne možemo izbeći. Kriza je neminovna. No, nakon suočavanja sa samom krizom, na kraju tog tunela, putevi daljeg razvoja ostaju otvoreni.

Mi se suočavamo sa takvim trenutkom, te razmatramo puteve koji su nas doveli do ove situacije, ali analiziramo i dalje moguće puteve razvoja i društvene imaginacije.

Naginjući se nad ostacima rasute slike sveta pred nama, a inspirisani kintsugi umećem, povodom analize ove teme zamislićemo se nad karakteristikama pojedinih fenomena krize, nad određenim rasutim delovima, pokušavajući da ih bolje razumemo. U tome će nam pomoći pozvani autori, umetnici, kustosi, filozofi, teoretičari umetnosti, koji će u svojim studijama za regionalni broj art časopisa (O)GLED adresirati fenomene rasutosti sveta, u cilju kvaliteta i stabilnosti nove slike, koja će u sebi sadržati i lepotu pukotina i ožiljaka sveta koji je za nama.

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Uvodne beleške – simptomi krize

 Kultura ukidanja – Dvoboji i Damnatio memoriae

Istoričar i matematičar Piter Turčin kao jedan od simptoma ubrzavanja kriza vidi savremenu kulturu ukidanja, odnosno uklanjanja takmaca, koju poredi sa brutalnijim praksama dvoboja u prethodnim ciklusima krize.

Kultura ukidanja, kao savremena forma ostrakizma, podrazumeva isključivanje pojedinaca ili grupa iz javnog života zajednica, najčešće povlačenjem podrške, bojkotom ili posramljivanjem. Iako je ova praksa postojala i ranije, novo doba putem savremenih tehnologija komunikacije omogućilo je dostizanje ukidanja do nivoa „kulture“, te se zato vezuje za 21. vek. Praksa podrazumeva ukidanje podrške na društvenim mrežama, otkazivanja saradnje, i druge forme društvenog uslovljavanja opstanka u okviru postojećih društvenih grupa. 

Crpne pumpe bogatstva

Društva prolaze kroz cikluse nejednakosti i nestabilnosti. Kada crpne pumpe bogatstva kao mehanizmi kontinuiranog crpljenja i transfera resursa od strane najvećeg dela stanovništva prema pripadnicima elitnih grupa postanu posebno izražene, mogu dovesti do situacije u kojoj previše pojedinaca iz elitnih klasa konkuriše za ograničene resurse. Ovo povećanje koncentracije bogatstva dovodi do društvene nestabilnosti, potkopavajući strukturalni integritet sistema, koja može na kraju rezultirati kolapsom ili transformacijom društva.

 Sabranost i rasutost slike sveta

Slika sveta je uvek simbolična, ali obezbeđuje stabilnost, značenje i referentna polja. No u trenucima njene disrupcije, samo pitanje ljudskog identiteta i razumevanja sveta je uzdrmano. Kao što slika pruža koherentan, organizovan prikaz stvarnosti, pogled na svet funkcioniše kao mentalna slika koja usmerava naše vrednosti, percepciju i ponašanje. Kada ova slika kolabira, koherentnost sveta i osećaj razumevanja se raspadaju, što dovodi do konfuzije, straha i ponovne procene vlastitih uverenja. U suštini, to je poput gubitka jasne slike sveta, kada smo ostavljeni sa haotičnim ili fragmentirnim osećajem stvarnosti.

Godina Nulta

Termin koji često metaforički označava trenutak radikalne promene, kada društvo ili civilizacija prolaze kroz značajnu transformaciju ili potpuni raskid sa prošlošću. Simbolizuje početnu tačku za novu eru i odbacivanje prethodnih sistema. U širem smislu označava potrebu za ponovnom procenom uverenja ili načina života. Svakako označava trenutak duboke promene koji često uključuju potpunu transformaciju postojećeg stanja.

 Kintsugi

Kintsugi predstavlja japansku tehniku restauracije polomljene keramike koja koristi zlatnu, srebrnu ili platinastu smolu za spajanje slomljenih delova. Umesto da sakrije pukotine, ova tehnika ih ističe, koristeće ih kao centralni umetnički problem. Kintsugi ne predstavlja samo tehniku i veštinu popravke, već i filozofiju koja simbolizuje lepotu prolaznosti i prevazilaženja traumatičnih događaja. Prema ovoj filozofiji, slomljeno nije nešto što treba da se odbaci, već nešto što se može transformisati i učiniti još vrednijim kroz proces izlečenja i restauracije.

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 BROKEN IMAGE OF THE WORLD

Introductory considerations regarding the implementation of the project

The theme of the Regional edition of the magazine (O)GLED, in collaboration with the Museum of Contemporary Art of the Republic of Srpska, Banja Luka, and supported by the British Council within the project „Culture and Creativity for the Western Balkans (CC4WBs),“ is „Art in the Time of Crisis.“ This complex theme aims to approach the subject by addressing specific phenomena as symptoms of a crisis period and the possibilities for overcoming them.

CC4WBs is a project funded by the European Union, and it focuses on fostering dialogue in the Western Balkans by enhancing the cultural and creative sectors for increased socio-economic impact. Over a 48-month period. The CC4WBs project aims to improve the performance of the cultural and creative sectors in order to enhance skills, knowledge, access to financial aid to increase competitiveness and sustain co-production and circulation of goods and services in the Western Balkans.

The contemporary art magazine „(O)GLED“ has always strived to follow contemporary social phenomena, tracking certain artistic works and practices, and analyzing observed social phenomena and the social situation from the perspective of various humanities disciplines.

The project of the regional art magazine (O)GLED is being realized at a turbulent moment of a new civilizational situation we find ourselves in – both in local contexts and in the broader global scope. Many contemporary thinkers and analysts speak of the zero years, which signify the end of the previous period and the beginning of a new one. If we understand this situation as a moment of civilizational crisis, it would first be good to define what we mean by this term. Referring to the thoughts of social critic Os Guinness, a civilizational crisis is marked by the moment when society is no longer connected by the values and ideas on which the civilization was founded. According to this thinker, there are three possible responses to the crisis: 1) the restoration of the values that form the foundation of the given civilization; 2) the constitution of a new, authentic value system that has consensus in society; and 3) the decline of civilization.

Although making analogies with previous historical periods can offer certain guidelines and directions for thought, the responses to the crisis at this moment remain uncertain. What is certain, however, is that we are in the midst of a very serious and comprehensive crisis.

Crisis-related issues can be approached from various angles. However, while working on this project, we were inspired by a traditional skill from Japanese culture – Kintsugi. Kintsugi represents a response to the brokenness of the world, or more precisely, in the context of this culture, to the brokenness of ceramic vessels. It is an ancient Japanese technique of repairing broken ceramic vessels using lacquer mixed with gold powder, thus this art also implies a certain worldview and philosophy, as the gold color highlights cracks and points of rupture.

Famous kintsugi masters still practice this technique by first spending some time with the broken pieces of ceramics, respecting the points of rupture and cracks. Only after some time are they ready to restore the vessels, joining the parts and coating the cracks with lacquer mixed with gold powder.

Like kintsugi masters, we today find ourselves before a shattered world. Certainly, we face the image of a broken world that we are trying to put back together. Therefore, we believe it is important to remember the kintsugi masters and that we should first spend some time with the broken pieces to be ready to reassemble the world’s image as best as possible.

In the introductory reflections on this task, we believe it is good to have objective, neutral support, which scientific methods can usually provide. Therefore, we call upon researchers and scholars who incorporate scientific methods of tracking historical cycles and periods of crisis in their work.

According to the research and words of influential social scientist, historian, and mathematician Peter Turchin, published in his book „End Times,“ which we paraphrase here, in the cyclical periods approaching a crisis, the circumstances leading toward it resemble the edges of tunnels we cannot avoid. The crisis is inevitable. However, after confronting the crisis, at the end of that tunnel, the paths for further development remain open.

We face such a moment and are considering the paths that have led us to this situation, but also analyzing the possible future paths of development and societal imagination.

Leaning over the remains of the scattered image of the world before us, and inspired by the kintsugi art, in the analysis of this theme, we will contemplate the characteristics of certain crisis phenomena, certain scattered parts, trying to better understand them. In this, we will be assisted by invited authors, artists, curators, philosophers, and art theorists, who, in their studies for the regional issue of the art magazine (O)GLED, will address the phenomena of the fragmented world, aiming for the quality and stability of a new image, one that will contain the beauty of the cracks and scars of the world that is behind us.

Introductory Notes – Symptoms of Crisis

Cancel Culture – Duels and Damnatio Memoriae

Historian and mathematician Peter Turchin sees contemporary cancel culture, or the removal of competitors, as a symptom of accelerating crises, comparing it to the brutal practices of duels in previous crisis cycles.

Cancel culture, as a modern form of ostracism, involves excluding individuals or groups from public life, most often by withdrawing support, boycotting, or shaming. While this practice existed earlier, the new era, through modern communication technologies, has enabled the „cancellation“ to reach the level of a „culture,“ thus associating it with the 21st century. The practice involves withdrawing support on social media, canceling collaborations, and other forms of social conditioning for survival within existing social groups.

Wealth Pumps

Societies go through cycles of inequality and instability. When wealth pumping mechanisms—systems of continuous extraction and transfer of resources from the majority of the population to elite groups—become particularly pronounced, it can lead to a situation where too many individuals from elite classes compete for limited resources. This increase in wealth concentration leads to social instability, undermining the structural integrity of the system, which can ultimately result in the collapse or transformation of society.

Scattered Image of the World

The image of the world is always symbolic but provides stability, meaning, and reference points. However, in moments of its disruption, the very question of human identity and understanding of the world is shaken. Just as an image provides a coherent, organized depiction of reality, a worldview functions as a mental image that directs our values, perceptions, and behavior. When this image collapses, the coherence of the world and the sense of understanding disintegrate, leading to confusion, fear, and a re-evaluation of our beliefs. Essentially, it is like losing a clear image of the world when we are left with a chaotic or fragmented sense of reality.

Year Zero

The term often metaphorically denotes a moment of radical change, when society or civilization undergoes a significant transformation or a complete break from the past. It symbolizes the starting point for a new era and the rejection of previous systems. In a broader sense, it indicates the need for a re-evaluation of beliefs or ways of life. It certainly marks a moment of profound change that often includes a complete transformation of the current state.

Kintsugi

Kintsugi is a Japanese technique for restoring broken ceramics using lacquer mixed with gold, silver, or platinum powder to join the broken parts. Instead of hiding the cracks, this technique highlights them, using them as the central artistic challenge. Kintsugi is not just a technique and a skill of repair, but also a philosophy that symbolizes the beauty of impermanence and overcoming traumatic events. According to this philosophy, brokenness is not something to be discarded but something that can be transformed and made even more valuable through the process of healing and restoration.

[1] Videti više u knjizi “End Times: Elites, Counter-Elites, and the Path of Political Disintegration”, Penguin Random Hause, 2023. ili u okviru intervjua koji je imao na kanalu Novara Media, na adresi https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=C7rLZejDznI&pp=ygUXcGV0ZXIgdHVyY2hpbiBlbmQgdGltZXM%3D