The wall installation that we carried out as part of the exhibition 24/7: Work between Meaning and Imbalance in Kunsthaus Graz, was conceived as a process of exploration and an attempt to find answers to some of the questions that emerged from our reflection on the concept of work. We approached this theme through the motif of laziness, which throughout the history of Western civilization has often been portrayed in a negative context, as a form of destructive behavior (for example, in Christianity, Sloth—one of the seven deadly sins—carries multiple meanings, including laziness). In contemporary late-capitalist society and the attention economy, there are few activities one can engage in that are neither productive nor tied to some form of monetization. We are continuously exposed to suggestions on how to make our free time more productive, how to engage in “active relaxation,” and how to combat boredom. Hobbies are increasingly transformed into opportunities for additional earnings. Thus, there is an expectation that every activity and every movement be productive, while leisure time is expected to be used for learning and self-improvement, allowing us to discover the best version of ourselves. What would happen if we were to do nothing? Is it even possible in contemporary conditions? Are we allowed to be lazy? For whom, or for what purpose, do we work so much and constantly produce new goods and new content? Is laziness a problem, or could it be understood as a way in which our bodies and minds attempt to resist imposed productivity and burnout?
These are just some of the questions that preoccupy us and point to something being amiss in our relationship with a society that continues to advance technologically while producing more, and at an ever faster pace.
Contrary to past expectations that technological advancement would bring prosperity to all people, we are witnessing growing class inequality. Through research for this project, we encountered the same paradox: although it takes less time and energy to fulfill basic needs, we seem to have even less time to focus our attention on ourselves and our immediate surroundings. We have the impression that the concept of work is being taken for granted and that it is assumed we should work and create throughout our entire lives, without questioning. Therefore, we sought to free work, leisure, and laziness from imposed meanings by opening up these questions and seeking answers across different epochs and geographical spaces.
For us, the creation of this mural in phases during the exhibition was, first and foremost, a learning process. Starting from several key texts related to the question of work, through three phases of painting, we gradually developed both the visual composition and our understanding. Throughout the duration of the exhibition, we continued to add layers to the installation what we believed was essential to the contemplation of the concept of work.
*On bourgeois belief, poem by Bertolt Brecht
The exhibition lasted from 01.05.2024 to 19.01.2025. Exhibition curator Katia Huemer, co-curator Martin Grabner.
Artists:Maja Bajević, Julien Berthier, Louisa Clement, Manuel Correa & Marina Otero Verzier, Jeremy Deller, Antje Ehmann & Harun Farocki, Aldo Giannotti, Liam Gillick, Lisa Großkopf, Andreas Gursky, Theresa Hattinger & Michael Hieslmair & Michael Zinganel, Tehching Hsieh, Johanna Kandl, Peter Kogler, KURS (Miloš Miletić, Mirjana Radovanović), Luiza Margan, Pia Mayrwöger, Sam Meech, Michail Michailov, Elisa Giardina Papa, Nika Radić, Martha Rosler, Sebastian Schmieg & Silvio Lorusso, Christoph Schwarz, Selma Selman, Santiago Sierra, Lia Sudermann & Simon Nagy, Oliver Walker