Zimoun: 28 prepared dc-motors, 168 m hemp cord, 279 m² paper, 2018

If you happen to be in Zagreb, Croatia this week, make sure to stop by the large hall of the former Jedinstvo factory for the latest large-scale site-specific installation "28 prepared dc-motors, 168 m hemp cord, 279 m² paper" by Swiss artist Zimoun.

Check out the fascinating installation video (turn up your sound!) and a description from the Kontejner curatorial team below:

"The story behind the space is key to this installation, as well as to Zimoun's work in its entirety. The characteristics of the spaces in which Zimoun presents his installations, their acoustic and visual features, the character and historical identity of these venues are always the starting point for his work. The 400 m² black hall located at the Sava river bank, with its acoustic imperfections, industrial character and tremendous importance for the preservation and the development of the independent cultural scene of the city of Zagreb, is the inspiration for this specific installation. It is a result of thorough research of the space and its possibilities and challenges, of testing, selection of material and prototyping.

Like all of Zimoun's installations, this one as well is recognizable by the repetitive use of identical elements in the architectural structure. There is something obsessive and seductive about this repetition and reduction, the monotonous sequencing of the same form, material, size, structure and mechanism. This overemphasized uniformity highlights the essence of Zimoun’s work – coincidence and unpredictable behaviour atypical for such a surgically precise arranged system. From this sea of uniformity, an unexpected difference arises in the endless variations, and the installation starts to behave organically, arbitrarily, like a living organism. The sound becomes more familiar, it reminds us of nature, noise, ecosystems, swarming. Although Zimoun’s aesthetic is profoundly minimalistic, there is this vitality and poetics that always emerges. [...]

In his first presentation to the Croatian audience, Zimoun will contrast the industrial character of the Pogon Jedinstvo black hall to the fragility of big white paper sheets in motion. The work is produced exclusively for Pogon Jedinstvo, but at the same time, it reflects Zimoun’s recognizable artistic expression. Although the form gives a monumental impact, this installation is as well playful and charming, with movement and sound becoming the centre of this vivid energy."

Don't miss it—the show ends this Friday, April 27.