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VILNIUS AT WORK
IN FRONT OF THE SCREENInterview with Pakui Hardware
by Romuald Demidenko |
Pakui Hardware's logo by Norman Orro (Music For Your Plants)
When I arrived in Vilnius I figured out, all at once, that I am going to stay at the studio at Rupert which was previously occupied by the creative duo Pakui Hardware. Their recent shows at Kaunas Biennial, Exo Exo in Paris, CAC Vilnius or the upcoming exhibition in New York (on the day after our conversation!) and the bigger scale solo exhibition in MUMOK, Vienna - all prove that they have produced an incredible amount of work recently. We met in the CAC Cafe to discuss how much time they spend with their devices
Marshall McLuhan claimed that all tools and engines are somehow the extensions to our bodies that also recreate our habits and reflexes. In your work there are many aspects of human body and its extensions. Does it also refer to our activity as users of technology?
I guess for us it has become quite interesting from reading a lot about transhumanism back in 2013, and we are also influenced by the ideas of Bernard Stiegler who speaks about Prometheus and Epimetheus. To be human is actually to be dependent on external aid because according to the myth of Prometheus and the Epimetheus the human did not have features that could help him or her to sustain in their environment and the world so (s)he has to use a device or technology, a kind of externalized material aid. And that is being human - being externalized from the beginning, and I guess now it's becoming an interesting situation: when technologies and externalization are becoming internalized, or ‘interiorized’ if one could say so. It colonizes our bodies more and more. So for us it's interesting to ascertain the balance between the inhuman and the human and if this is such a tragic or terrible thing or if it's interesting as not as a step in evolution but another thread in the history. And there's another thread that's also interesting for us - the capital and the capitalism, and the economy.
How do the technology and capital shape the human body, and its behaviour, through bodies and materials?
The installation in Frankfurt for instance - The Shapeshifter, Heartbreaker at Jenifer Nails – was dealing with the phenomenon of High-Frequency Trading and algorithms that no human can comprehend. They create these autonomous ecologies. It's becoming more and more separated and abstracted from the human. At the same time, this somehow shapes the economy and therefore reality through the financial economy. We were interested in how virtual and real features merge because there are these cables and the information is travelling through the distances, how the perception of time has changed. It creates this interesting assemblage between technology, economy and human, physical spaces and distances. Then in Riga was the further development of this idea of digital ecologies or organisms. We moved the digital organisms to organisms that are designed by digital means. Because if you know anything about synthetic biology: the idea is an aim to create synthetic forms of life through code that are inserted into some protein bodies. But it's basically about making the given, about trying to create something that already exists in one form or another. It is also an interesting case study of how design and biology intertwine, which is very young field of study, and it gives us some area to speculate on, to imagine what these new forms of life would look like. That's why we refer to the human bodies but also we are meditating on synthetic predatory plants and limbs and chewing gum (laughs). We’re thinking about something really synthetic.
At our upcoming show in MUMOK we will develop this idea further with synthetic biology, it’s already used in colonizing outer space because they want to create a type of bacteria, microorganisms that could live in ‘hardcore’ or extreme conditions but potentially also change the surface of the celestial bodies and metabolize these kind of useful metals or materials. The Asteroid Act, passed by US congress allows corporations to mine the asteroids. There was this treaty from 1967 by the UN that forbids anyone to make any claim over celestial bodies but there was no indication about the natural resources of these celestial bodies so it was possible to bypass this treaty. It shows also how through corporate greed, microorganisms and synthetic biology can be connected and how, essentially, the Anthropocene is moving further towards impacting on, and colonising another planet. It’s like - 'We fucked up here? OK. Let's move elsewhere'. So now they want to experiment on asteroids and also there are ideas about using microorganisms to change the surface of Mars and these specific microorganisms would actually be able to produce oxygen through the process of photosynthesis and basically accelerate evolution. So this is the evolution of our thoughts.
I guess for us it has become quite interesting from reading a lot about transhumanism back in 2013, and we are also influenced by the ideas of Bernard Stiegler who speaks about Prometheus and Epimetheus. To be human is actually to be dependent on external aid because according to the myth of Prometheus and the Epimetheus the human did not have features that could help him or her to sustain in their environment and the world so (s)he has to use a device or technology, a kind of externalized material aid. And that is being human - being externalized from the beginning, and I guess now it's becoming an interesting situation: when technologies and externalization are becoming internalized, or ‘interiorized’ if one could say so. It colonizes our bodies more and more. So for us it's interesting to ascertain the balance between the inhuman and the human and if this is such a tragic or terrible thing or if it's interesting as not as a step in evolution but another thread in the history. And there's another thread that's also interesting for us - the capital and the capitalism, and the economy.
How do the technology and capital shape the human body, and its behaviour, through bodies and materials?
The installation in Frankfurt for instance - The Shapeshifter, Heartbreaker at Jenifer Nails – was dealing with the phenomenon of High-Frequency Trading and algorithms that no human can comprehend. They create these autonomous ecologies. It's becoming more and more separated and abstracted from the human. At the same time, this somehow shapes the economy and therefore reality through the financial economy. We were interested in how virtual and real features merge because there are these cables and the information is travelling through the distances, how the perception of time has changed. It creates this interesting assemblage between technology, economy and human, physical spaces and distances. Then in Riga was the further development of this idea of digital ecologies or organisms. We moved the digital organisms to organisms that are designed by digital means. Because if you know anything about synthetic biology: the idea is an aim to create synthetic forms of life through code that are inserted into some protein bodies. But it's basically about making the given, about trying to create something that already exists in one form or another. It is also an interesting case study of how design and biology intertwine, which is very young field of study, and it gives us some area to speculate on, to imagine what these new forms of life would look like. That's why we refer to the human bodies but also we are meditating on synthetic predatory plants and limbs and chewing gum (laughs). We’re thinking about something really synthetic.
At our upcoming show in MUMOK we will develop this idea further with synthetic biology, it’s already used in colonizing outer space because they want to create a type of bacteria, microorganisms that could live in ‘hardcore’ or extreme conditions but potentially also change the surface of the celestial bodies and metabolize these kind of useful metals or materials. The Asteroid Act, passed by US congress allows corporations to mine the asteroids. There was this treaty from 1967 by the UN that forbids anyone to make any claim over celestial bodies but there was no indication about the natural resources of these celestial bodies so it was possible to bypass this treaty. It shows also how through corporate greed, microorganisms and synthetic biology can be connected and how, essentially, the Anthropocene is moving further towards impacting on, and colonising another planet. It’s like - 'We fucked up here? OK. Let's move elsewhere'. So now they want to experiment on asteroids and also there are ideas about using microorganisms to change the surface of Mars and these specific microorganisms would actually be able to produce oxygen through the process of photosynthesis and basically accelerate evolution. So this is the evolution of our thoughts.
It's quite interesting to observe how you weave with scientific narration into the aesthetics of an exhibition, like in this case.
There is always this question of how you translate these ideas into the form of an exhibition and the concept of design is very important for us, because also design is this field where economy or commerce and human interactions or human bodies interplay. And in the case of synthetic biology, design comes out almost as an ontological category. In a way you are going to design a lifeform. That creates a new kind of paradigm. We use a lot of design in our work. We relied on it as a point of departure in the case of the Frankfurt installation which was inspired by the Frankfurt stock market trading floor design. They use tables shaped in semi circles and we made them into a total circle to contemplate a circumstance where the human is not invited any longer and it becomes an unsettling situation, a world where humans are no longer welcome at the technological table they invented.
And in Riga there is also a design that looks a bit like a semi-laboratory or a dysfunctional garden in a sense. And now in Vienna, we are working with architects for the first time because we have been always doing everything ourselves. Petras Išora and Ona Lozuraityte have worked recently on The Baltic Pavilion in Venice or Laure Prouvost's exhibition at Rupert. It's exciting because they have different kind of knowledge and sensation of materials, materiality, space and scale. It's interesting to what they see and hear what they can propose. And also we work with the designer of the catalogue which will be an integral part of what we are doing, and he might also design some textures or patterns that could be used within the exhibition space. We want to also use some scent in the catalogue that would be used in space, which could enable visitors to take away a part of the show with them; so that's something we look forward also. There are so many things in between, so many projects and shows that we still have to think over before June. For example tomorrow we are part of a group show in Brooklyn which also deals interestingly with ideas of how technology basically creates these specific codes for behaviour or the choreography of your body, or the interface as this kind of invisible structure that conducts you. So they invited a lot of performers, students from schools because they really are “digital kids”. So we are representing a totally new piece that we haven't even seen yet because everything is assembled there.
There is always this question of how you translate these ideas into the form of an exhibition and the concept of design is very important for us, because also design is this field where economy or commerce and human interactions or human bodies interplay. And in the case of synthetic biology, design comes out almost as an ontological category. In a way you are going to design a lifeform. That creates a new kind of paradigm. We use a lot of design in our work. We relied on it as a point of departure in the case of the Frankfurt installation which was inspired by the Frankfurt stock market trading floor design. They use tables shaped in semi circles and we made them into a total circle to contemplate a circumstance where the human is not invited any longer and it becomes an unsettling situation, a world where humans are no longer welcome at the technological table they invented.
And in Riga there is also a design that looks a bit like a semi-laboratory or a dysfunctional garden in a sense. And now in Vienna, we are working with architects for the first time because we have been always doing everything ourselves. Petras Išora and Ona Lozuraityte have worked recently on The Baltic Pavilion in Venice or Laure Prouvost's exhibition at Rupert. It's exciting because they have different kind of knowledge and sensation of materials, materiality, space and scale. It's interesting to what they see and hear what they can propose. And also we work with the designer of the catalogue which will be an integral part of what we are doing, and he might also design some textures or patterns that could be used within the exhibition space. We want to also use some scent in the catalogue that would be used in space, which could enable visitors to take away a part of the show with them; so that's something we look forward also. There are so many things in between, so many projects and shows that we still have to think over before June. For example tomorrow we are part of a group show in Brooklyn which also deals interestingly with ideas of how technology basically creates these specific codes for behaviour or the choreography of your body, or the interface as this kind of invisible structure that conducts you. So they invited a lot of performers, students from schools because they really are “digital kids”. So we are representing a totally new piece that we haven't even seen yet because everything is assembled there.
Crave that Mineral, a project in Threads: Fantasmagoria about Distance, group show curated by Nicolas Bourriaud, Kaunas Biennial, 2015
Crave that Mineral, a project in Threads: Fantasmagoria about Distance, group show curated by Nicolas Bourriaud, Kaunas Biennial, 2015
Crave that Mineral, a project in Threads: Fantasmagoria about Distance, group show curated by Nicolas Bourriaud, Kaunas Biennial, 2015
'Sometimes physical proximity doesn't necessarily mean that you really have to be in close relationship with people just because you're forced to be in the same location'
I would like to ask you if you sometimes struggle with this feeling of being ‘overwhelmed’ by technology that you use on daily basis as Pakui Hardware. Do you have a schedule that helps you control things, so that a daily routine activity like working on social media and email networking could be more useful in terms of having more time for yourself, or do you rather feel like working more and more wherever you find wi-fi access? Do you spend a lot of time in front of your screens?
Not much, compared to some kids that are playing all the time during the day! (laughs). So not literally 24 hours but we do not think it would be a bad thing since we see it as a good tool for working. We totally experience FOMO, we always regret it if we’ve missed something, especially when we see something on Instagram. However, Instagram itself is like a newspaper; it's not just images or pictures, but more your friends, galleries or institutions that you follow. For us technology has really helped in a sense that it allows us to enter this network of people that probably we haven't met in person, but there's extreme affinity that we feel to each other, something that we haven't experienced before. When we started up Pakui Hardware, it took off in 2014 and now it's becoming stronger and stronger and at some point you meet those people one way or another and you feel like saying - 'Are you even real?'. There's just so much of this “avatar communication” of love and emojis and then you meet them and we have not been disappointed with anyone we’ve met that we were digital friends with before meeting. This really helps you to feel supported and not to lose belief in what you do because sometimes you might feel insecure because the scene is really different here and so for us it's more based on the strength of all these relationships with others from this vaster world. These people are from anywhere, from Mexico to anywhere else and this is very important. Being always online, always available is so important because we have such an extremely busy schedule at the moment and you have to answer all these messages all the time. It can be a little embarrassing in front of your parents for example, because you're always at a computer and you feel guilty because you don't seem to be paying much attention sometimes, but in the end they understand that it's just your work.
When you stay in Vilnius for so long it isn’t too inspiring, so being online also helps to accelerate your time between one place to another and when you are taking the same boring routes. Sometimes physical proximity doesn't necessarily mean that you really have to be in close relationship with people just because you're forced to be in the same location. Now with this option of being totally separated in physical terms yet still connected all the time has really liberated a lot things for us.
Not much, compared to some kids that are playing all the time during the day! (laughs). So not literally 24 hours but we do not think it would be a bad thing since we see it as a good tool for working. We totally experience FOMO, we always regret it if we’ve missed something, especially when we see something on Instagram. However, Instagram itself is like a newspaper; it's not just images or pictures, but more your friends, galleries or institutions that you follow. For us technology has really helped in a sense that it allows us to enter this network of people that probably we haven't met in person, but there's extreme affinity that we feel to each other, something that we haven't experienced before. When we started up Pakui Hardware, it took off in 2014 and now it's becoming stronger and stronger and at some point you meet those people one way or another and you feel like saying - 'Are you even real?'. There's just so much of this “avatar communication” of love and emojis and then you meet them and we have not been disappointed with anyone we’ve met that we were digital friends with before meeting. This really helps you to feel supported and not to lose belief in what you do because sometimes you might feel insecure because the scene is really different here and so for us it's more based on the strength of all these relationships with others from this vaster world. These people are from anywhere, from Mexico to anywhere else and this is very important. Being always online, always available is so important because we have such an extremely busy schedule at the moment and you have to answer all these messages all the time. It can be a little embarrassing in front of your parents for example, because you're always at a computer and you feel guilty because you don't seem to be paying much attention sometimes, but in the end they understand that it's just your work.
When you stay in Vilnius for so long it isn’t too inspiring, so being online also helps to accelerate your time between one place to another and when you are taking the same boring routes. Sometimes physical proximity doesn't necessarily mean that you really have to be in close relationship with people just because you're forced to be in the same location. Now with this option of being totally separated in physical terms yet still connected all the time has really liberated a lot things for us.
Do you think people are very much networking on the internet and in real life here in Vilnius and as well in New York?
We kept saying that New York is kind of the internet turned into a physical reality because everything that you keep watching or observing on your screen you go and experience it in reality - all the shows, all the artists, parties, gigs etc. So I guess that's the main point that here life can be almost ‘virtualised’ in the sense that we spend a lot of time on the internet seeing what's going on outside, not necessarily New York but it can be anywhere. Vilnius does offer a lot of interesting events but perhaps they are not always suited to our interests, or taste. But we always go to events here in order to support the people because it's a very different relationship for us. There's this community of artists who all really support each other but sometimes it's just not that we're not at the same page in terms of ideas. They are interested in one thing or in another but it doesn't mean we are antagonising each other. And in New York I guess it's the best that there are a lot of communities that are based on specific kinds of interests and similar ideas. You are not connected upon the fact that you live in Vilnius or just by the fact that you live in New York but because 'I'm interested in this'. There are so many communities, for example performers, but in the performance community there're sub-communities. You can share the ideas that you're interested in, more than here. You can have really good fun in Vilnius because it's a really cool place, you can hang out with people forever. You can also go to some parties that artists don't usually attend. We also spent some time this past autumn in Berlin to consider if we could maybe move there as there's this pretty big scene of art communities or music scene. We might do it after the MUMOK exhibition. That'd be great. It's such a great place, makes you feel so comfortable. You just feel nice. Except the fact that it is becoming more and more expensive and the rents are increasing. Yesterday we also checked it in New York and still not long ago you could rent a room for $600 and now it's $900, for a room. And it's not in the centre, it's in deep Brooklyn.
We kept saying that New York is kind of the internet turned into a physical reality because everything that you keep watching or observing on your screen you go and experience it in reality - all the shows, all the artists, parties, gigs etc. So I guess that's the main point that here life can be almost ‘virtualised’ in the sense that we spend a lot of time on the internet seeing what's going on outside, not necessarily New York but it can be anywhere. Vilnius does offer a lot of interesting events but perhaps they are not always suited to our interests, or taste. But we always go to events here in order to support the people because it's a very different relationship for us. There's this community of artists who all really support each other but sometimes it's just not that we're not at the same page in terms of ideas. They are interested in one thing or in another but it doesn't mean we are antagonising each other. And in New York I guess it's the best that there are a lot of communities that are based on specific kinds of interests and similar ideas. You are not connected upon the fact that you live in Vilnius or just by the fact that you live in New York but because 'I'm interested in this'. There are so many communities, for example performers, but in the performance community there're sub-communities. You can share the ideas that you're interested in, more than here. You can have really good fun in Vilnius because it's a really cool place, you can hang out with people forever. You can also go to some parties that artists don't usually attend. We also spent some time this past autumn in Berlin to consider if we could maybe move there as there's this pretty big scene of art communities or music scene. We might do it after the MUMOK exhibition. That'd be great. It's such a great place, makes you feel so comfortable. You just feel nice. Except the fact that it is becoming more and more expensive and the rents are increasing. Yesterday we also checked it in New York and still not long ago you could rent a room for $600 and now it's $900, for a room. And it's not in the centre, it's in deep Brooklyn.
The Metaphysics of The Runner, solo exhibition, Contemporary Art Centre (CAC), Vilnius, 2014
Pakui Hardware is the name coined by curator Alex Ross (NY) for the collaborative artist duo Neringa Cerniauskaite and Ugnius Gelguda, which began in 2014. The title Pakui Hardware refers to Pakui – special attendant of Hawaiian Goddess, who could circle Oahu island six times in a day. Thus Pakui Hardware is high-speed and brand politics as mythic semio-commodity as well as the desire to transcend the material limitations. Semio-Capital meets materiality.
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The conversation with Pakui Hardware is part of the project Vilnius at Work, newartcenter.info's residency at Rupert, Vilnius.
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Images courtesy of Pakui Hardware
Thank you to Neringa Cerniauskaite, Ugnius Gelguda & Naomi Langan
Thank you to Neringa Cerniauskaite, Ugnius Gelguda & Naomi Langan
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