The series explores failed utopias, political experiments, and figures who found themselves on the perceived wrong side of history. It reminds of a time, approximately 30 years ago, when history allegedly ended, all antagonisms were resolved and mankind reached the final stage of its ideological evolution. It is within this context that Bill Clinton‘s iconic campaign slogan from 1992, »It‘s the economy, stupid,« came to symbolize the dawn of a new era. His triumphant proclamation reflected the prevailing belief at the time that the free market, with its self-regulating capacity, held a straightforward solution to the troubles of the 20th century.
Dolls I
2020, single-channel video installation,* 15 min.
»Dolls I« stages a surreal encounter in the afterlife where former political figures such as Mao Zedong and Muammar Gaddafi are brought back to life as mass-produced action figures. The ghosts of a bygone era and their ideologies, declared obsolete in today’s hegemonic mass culture, seem to have become part of the very system they once opposed.
In a humorous conversation filled with pop-cultural and historical references, the defeated Cold War actors come to terms, each in his own way, with the current post-historical reality to which »there is no alternative.«
*scroll down to watch.
Dolls II
2022, single-channel video installation,* 17 min.
In a tragicomic tale, Joseph Stalin and Ernesto Che Guevara, represented as action figures, cross paths with a Frida Kahlo Barbie doll. The irony of their encounter lies in the realization that plastic is unable to decay, and therefore remains eternal. This forces the mass-produced commodities to accept their powerless state in a world devoid of geography and dedicated power centers. Trapped in this eternal post-historical void, they‘re left to ponder the bitter truth that their grand ideologies have fallen short.
*scroll down to watch.
It’s the economy, stupid
2023, 70 letterpress prints (ink on paper), each 43x61 cm.
The work references Bill Clinton’s 1992 campaign slogan, »It’s the economy, stupid.« The statement reflected the spirit of the ideology that took hold around the world after the Cold War. It promised an elegant and straightforward solution to the problems of the past century, founded on the belief in the democratizing and emancipatory power of the free market‘s self-regulating capacity.
The installation consists of 70 letterpress posters displaying anagrams of Clinton‘s slogan. By transforming it into a multitude of accidental jokes, obscene phrases and absurdities, the installation points to the difficulty of finding a universal formula.
Tales from the Dustbin of History: Footnotes
2023, performance.
The performative artist talk "Tales from the Dustbin of History: Footnotes" aims to guide the audience through the references found in the works "Dolls" (2020, 2022) and "It's the economy, stupid" (2023). During the talk, artist Kosta Tonev and curator Aline Lenzhofer engage in a lively conversation, exploring the theoretical and pop-cultural themes present in Tonev's works through a playful game using a deck of trump cards. Each card features a character from the works or someone quoted in them. Throughout the game, these characters are played against each other, sparking discussion and highlighting the deeper themes of the project "Tales from the Dustbin of History."
Late Night in Sorrento
2020, web-based project.
The project is an attempt to reconstruct all major terrorist attacks carried out in Moscow since the collapse of the Soviet Union using the language of modern consumer technologies. A series of selfie videos shot at the sites of the events were edited with video filters and sound effects. The short clips play in sequential order, thus mimicking the appearance of posts on social media. The title comes from the Russian song »Поздний вечер в Сорренто« (»Late Night in Sorrento«) performed by a street musician inside the Moscow metro—a recurrent theme in the video.
The project is developed with the support of Web Residencies by Akademie Schloss Solitude & ZKM | Center for Art and Media.
Visit project at: latenightinsorrento.schloss-post.com
