OFLUXO

A gate beckons us to come closer. It is guarded by an entity caught in a continuous state of mutation, running through different stages of its own evolution. Finally, the being encounters its own primitive form made from polygons and simple geometric bodies, engaging it in a dance of alienation and reconciliation. THE PRIMITIVE SELF, a 3-D video installation by the artist and curator CELINA EGGERS, sets the stage for what might await us beyond the portal.

As the two creatures guide us through a rift in space and time, we find ourselves trudging through the muddy landscape of an unknown plane of existence. The place seems familiar and distant at the same time – perhaps it has been forgotten.

We can make out ruins and unfamiliar technological devices, abandoned by an advanced civilization that has been wiped out for what we can only assume to be centuries. Digging deeper into the murky residue, we unearth the fossilized remains of strange lifeforms, the likes of which have become unable to inhabit this domain. Within the world of ORACLE TERMINAL by Polish artist duo INSIDE JOB, we assume the roles of archeologists: excavating alien artefacts and obscure geological fragments, piecing together clues about the calamity that caused the social and ecological demise of this reality. Submerged in soil, mud and ash, the ancient deities that used to guard this place have been laid to rest long ago. Yet, this world is far from empty.

Utilizing an array of different materials and textures, including casts made directly from the wreckage of a burned out car found near the artists’ home, INSIDE JOB highlight the clash between human-made remnants and organic fossilized matter harking back to primordial, prehistoric times. Our journey through ORACLE TERMINAL reflects the range of anomalies surrounding us in the present, amidst the turmoil of global capitalism, rapid technological advancement and the dangers of human-made climate change. Touching on ideas of objectoriented ontology and New Materialism, the exhibition places us face to face with the catastrophic consequences of humanity as a geological force. ORACLE TERMINAL shows us that change is inevitable – even in a post-human world.