Studio17, Stavanger
20.-23.3.14
Bureaucracy art
While the current exhibition at Galleri Sult by Katerina Nordbotn focuses on the suffering when the public services do not serve the people, Kanslibyrån does the opposite: it makes fun of non-functioning bureaucracy. Bureaucracy is a way of organising the public service so that everyone will be treated fairly, justly, according to the law, and according to the general expectations. This is a system that works so well we do not notice it when it works. But we do notice those cases when it does not work as expected in some cases. These cases have turned the term Bureaucracy into something negative, a term depicting unfairness, inhumanity and fragmentation of responsibility. Something that is frustrating and exhausting, but Kanslibyrån and their associates managed to turn this into humour using irony.
Marte Hogne Haugen: Missed Calls
A woman is constantly trying to call someone, but she is constantly rejected by herself saying "the number is not in use", "the line is busy at the moment" and so on, in that terrible, inhuman voice we all hate. On top of it is a dramatic soundtrack forcing us to believe that the caller has something very important to call about, but as her call is never accepted, the tension is never released, and the problem is never solved. The fact that the same person is both calling and "answering", makes this an eternal loop.
Kanslibyrån: Office Clock + Medal of merit + Edible rejection + Modified pen + Donations box
Kanslibyrån has on display several items for bureacratial use. A donations box as a proposal for the Swedish Tax Agency to ensure good stability in the state finances, a modified pen as a proposal for Municipal Offices to allow for more freedom, a proposal for the Swedish Social Insurance Administration for an edible letter when sickness compensation are denied, a medal of merit as a proposal for the National Board of Health and Welfare for encouragement to social workers upholding the regulations in challenging times, and an office clock showing only the time 9 and 5 as a proposal for the Employment Agency.
Minna Henriksson: Communication
These photos have been taken in the Helsinki Immigration Police office, showing closeups of messages scratched into the benches by waiting immigrants, and interiors and message posters saying "Door!!! Watch out!!!" and "Do you want to be a police officer?"
Ulf Lundin: 5-9
In this video we become the voyeur, as the camera watches over an office building after working hours. There are still people left there, finishing a meeting, cleaning, meeting someone, minding their own business. As the camera zoom in we see stories fold out in front of us, almost making us feel we take part in the stores. How can such a boring building be so interesting?
Ruben Wätte: Societal problems
Rough MC guys wear as uncool logos as the Employment Office, the Migration Office, and the Insurance Office. And I wonder if this makes the offices tougher or the guys softer. Or maybe this is how the visitors view these office workers, like tough guys you do not want to mess with.
