The NO PIC NO PROOF installation is an abstract, dramatised and spatialised snapshot where the profiles that represent us on social media take physical form and take reality away from us. When someone at a rock concert holds up their phone and "lives" the event on Facebook, the question is: who is enjoying the concert? Is it them or their Facebook profile?
The S/ALON BUDAPEST design competition provides an annual showcase for national designers, studios and artists to showcase their creative vision around a specific theme.
The theme of this year's competition is light, focusing on its power to organise space. The installations will therefore include different light refraction techniques, coloured light sources, designer lamps, iridescent surfaces and smart lighting solutions. Designs are implemented that treat light as a multifunctional tool, boldly combining different techniques and materials.
The professional team of the event selected the 8 designers or design teams from a selection of well-developed and exciting entries, who were finally able to realise their ideas at the S/ALON BUDAPEST residential trend exhibition 2024, 20-22 September, in the Budapest Arena.
NO PIC NO PROOF: "LIGHT" DESIGN COMPETITION 2024 WINNER
DESIGNERS / Anita Kerezsi X David Blum X Thomas Seres György
Anita Kerezsi his paintings and floral poems have been exhibited in many venues at home and abroad. She is currently an active florist and her work can be seen in prestigious hotels in Budapest.
David Blum his creative work is mostly concerned with 2D animation, painting and the possibilities of performative expression.
Thomas Seres has tried his hand at many different artistic disciplines. She likes unconventional interior design, striking and unique objects.
All three were born in the early 90s, growing up with the internet and social media. They felt natural and never found anything alarming in the convenience and speed of the internet.
They spend so much time "there" that it becomes a reality. Discourse about the world almost requires us to add that we are talking about a virtual or material world. Let there be light! Sunlight or blue light? When something is happening "here" (reality), why do we feel it is so important to make a trace of it "there" (virtual space) by means of blue light? Is the Self that we have created on the social media platforms the same as the Self that is here on the material side?
Break the algorithm:
Their joint installation plays with the idea that the desired breakthrough of playing/exploiting the algorithm takes physical form and the virtual self, the mannequin representing us on the internet, always living a tip-top and exciting life, finally breaks through into reality. Their entertainer is the toilet of Budapest's downtown nightclubs, the birthplace of selfies.
NO PIC NO PROOF is a "law": if you "just" experience the moment, it's not enough, no photo? It didn't happen. Most people don't even want to prove it to others, they take photos/videos to "preserve the moment" for themselves. With our work, we want to draw attention to the fact that forgetting about ourselves, living and melting freely into the moment is a great experience that we should not take away from ourselves, – says Anita Kerezsi.
The elements of the installation are composed of several styles. A digital 3D design was created for the installation, so they had the opportunity to pre-compose the reliefs on the wall. The transformation of the 5 mannequins into a relief/wall lamp was the most time-consuming, but fortunately, they had some experience, the "mirror" above the sink was a previously exhibited work, their first mannequin wall lamp.
In the description of the concept, they wrote: "Our entertainer is the toilet of Budapest's downtown nightclubs, the number one birthplace of selfies." So they needed a scribble/tag/graffiti mass, created over a long period of time, unknown to the city's community, yet collectively, painted freely with minimal direction, most of them really not knowing each other before, so the creation was a wonderful collective experience.
In the lobby, mannequins appeared in full form, dressed in cyberpunk/dieselpunk outfits, adding a little to the associations with the world of tomorrow. The cast iron bathtub is the clear focal point of the space. It includes a TV head sitting in a floral composition reminiscent of a bubble bath. The hydrangeas were watered for the last time at the opening of the exhibition, and as the exhibition progressed, they gradually gave way to decay, as did the installation.
The background tag/graffiti wall had a lot of help, the blending of letters and shapes made it perfectly alive, and it was a great experience.
We really like graffiti, it's the city's expression and communication channel. Our theme was social media and if you think about it, in an ideal world it could have been like street art. It's a lot of different, small details, but together in one picture it's still impressive, – says Anita Kerezsi.
Because the wall itself is a mess, it contains everything the street does: tags, throwups, random messages and one or two more complex sets, – says Saíne.
The graffiti wall was completed in one day, using a combination of can, felt and brush.
Other contributors:
Lighting consultant: Gábor Farkas
Dress: Andrea Lovász
Cyber/Dieselpunk accessories: Ágnes Vadnai Senga
NO PIC NO PROOF:
Everyone is looking for the extreme, yet everyone is running after everyone else. New and old, luxurious and simple. Live for today, but don't forget to upload it online!
