Installation view of "A Tutorial for Archaeology Today", 2019,
archival pictures by wegiveyougood
to follow the myth, rumor or imaginary (whatever we consider being false) we were heading to great nature amerika. and there, finally, we met the creatures once we dreamt about.
from velk. amerika to mal. amerika is 2.3km. while walking along the water, we had lost most of our feathers.
it’s time to wear the dream.
can we stay in this tunnel a bit?
“on the days between migrations, they spend most of their time looking after reindeer and making repairs. it is mostly too complicated task for a european. i rather stay in the tunnel.”
“i wanted to help with something but an old woman, apparently very respected among the tribe stopped me. as the wet air was getting into my lungs i sort of felt my help would only delay them.”
“however, as we were moving towards the end of the tunnel, i managed to get involved.
“come on, take my hands!”
“Myslela jsem, že jim s něč.m pomůžu, ale stará žena, která vzbuzovala silný respekt u mě i uzbytku kmene, mě zastavila. Vycítila jsem, že bych jim stejně pomoct nedokázala.”
“Teprve u samého konce tunelu se mi povedlo se zapojit - „Pojď, vezmi mě za ruce!”
“Místo aby mi podala kus mýtické rostliny, popadla mě za ruku a mistrovsky rychlým pohybem odtáhlaprostředníček od ukazováčku, aby mě mohla říznout do šlachy mezi prsty. Její
krok byl očividně velice promyšlený, jelikož se z rány začalo řinout obrovské množství krve,
kterou potřebovala pro svůj rituál.. A tohle že budu muset vypít? Nebyla jsem si jistá, jakto celé dopadne. Přemýšlela jsem proč jsem vůbec na takovou spolupráci přistoupila…”
“after all these items had been put into the mortar, she mashed them to a pulp with the same even strokes. at a certain moment, she tipped the mortar over, and with her hand scooped the mixture into an old pot. she stretched out her hand to me, and i thought she wanted me to dry it. instead, she took my left hand and with a very fast motion separated the middle and fourth fingers as far as she could. then, with the point of her knife, she stabbed me right in between the two fingers and ripped downwards on the skin of the fourth finger. she acted with so much skill and speed that when i jerked my hand away it was deeply cut, and the blood was flowing abundantly. she grabbed my hand again, placed it over the pot, and squeezed it to force more blood out. i was fainting!”
it took me quite some time to regain my composure.
a royal marines commando turned explorer of the indigenous tribes
imperial gaze or indigenous pain?
text by vanda michalsk.
Installation view of the exhibition "Can we stay in this tunnel a bit?" at IDEAL Proster
Installation view of "A Tutorial for Archaeology Today", 2019, archival pictures by wegiveyougood
