Námestie slobody
Polish artist, Paweł Althamer (1967) undertook a task to disenchant ideologically burdened space of the square Námestie slobody in Bratislava through pure children energy. He decided to create a spacious sandpit out of non-functioning fountain Družba. The purpose of this project is an encounter and communication link among school and pre-school kids via playing with sand, drawing and a collective reading of the book Little King Martin I. by Janusz Korczak.
The reunion should be a celebration of children and adults and should evoke relaxed atmosphere of a freedom at the square. Althamer’s vision inspired by the book Little King Martin I., is that adults become “servants” of children.
Paweł Althamer event brings new dimension of art in the public space to Bratislava and at the same time draws passers-by to participate to play with kids. The project Námestie slobody is the first one that the civil association Verejný podstavec is organizing within a wider-ranging project “Dočasná autonómna zóna umenia” (Temporary autonomous art zone) – “BOD 0” (ZERO POINT).
- We met a year ago in Warsaw00:00:31.207
- 00:00:31.207
- where you outlined your ideas about the Freedom Square.00:00:36.837
- 00:00:36.837
- Back then you spontaneously came up with an idea00:00:43.390
- 00:00:43.390
- one day before our arrival.00:00:47.438
- 00:00:47.438
- One year has passed and the fountain is full of sand.00:00:51.131
- 00:00:51.131
- How do you feel after yesterday,00:00:55.200
- 00:00:55.200
- when 500 children ran around the fountain,00:00:58.500
- 00:00:58.500
- the whole square livened up and gained a new face and value?00:01:03.200
- 00:01:03.200
- I think the most important thing00:01:09.343
- 00:01:09.343
- is to follow your ideas00:01:12.858
- 00:01:12.858
- even though they sometimes fill people with unrest00:01:16.200
- 00:01:16.200
- and anxiety.00:01:23.067
- 00:01:23.067
- Some people are afraid00:01:25.903
- 00:01:25.903
- that they cannot get these ideas across in precise manner.00:01:28.468
- 00:01:28.468
- We can only go for an idea, and get rid of the fear.00:01:33.279
- 00:01:33.279
- As Zmijewski says,00:01:37.461
- 00:01:37.461
- it is necessary to simply forget the fear,00:01:39.388
- 00:01:39.388
- and start following your vision.00:01:42.353
- 00:01:42.353
- When we watch children playing in the sand,00:01:44.483
- 00:01:44.483
- we see them making their ideas real.00:01:47.268
- 00:01:47.268
- They don't sit down and prepare a budget plan.00:01:51.302
- 00:01:51.302
- They do not let their brains plan ahead,00:01:55.268
- 00:01:55.268
- they just follow their vision.00:01:59.377
- 00:01:59.377
- It is a phenomenon.00:02:01.920
- 00:02:01.920
- There is only a few of us “children”00:02:03.336
- 00:02:03.336
- but that will change.00:02:07.370
- 00:02:07.370
- The system based on rationalism began to stagnate.00:02:11.090
- 00:02:11.090
- It does not mean that the number of stupid decisions will drop.00:02:15.645
- 00:02:15.645
- Stupidity was an outcome of projects00:02:20.460
- 00:02:20.460
- where fear played an integral part.00:02:24.034
- 00:02:24.034
- You don't work with fear when you are following your idea,00:02:26.719
- 00:02:26.719
- you work with the idea.00:02:32.682
- 00:02:32.682
- What is the relation between the idea and bringing it to life?00:02:35.232
- 00:02:35.232
- Isn't the idea more valuable than its actual development?00:02:39.755
- 00:02:39.755
- For every one of us, the idea is something so natural and quickly forgettable00:02:44.031
- 00:02:44.031
- that no space exists between that and its fulfilment.00:02:50.912
- 00:02:50.912
- The whole time we are going after the idea,00:02:54.656
- 00:02:54.656
- and the idea is nothing else than something00:02:58.698
- 00:02:58.698
- we somewhat unpopularly call the soul.00:03:00.703
- 00:03:00.703
- It is necessary to return to normality.00:03:37.387
- 00:03:37.387
- The events on the sandpit are in fact a normal situation.00:03:39.901
- 00:03:39.901
- Play, exchange, communication stripped of fear.00:03:43.478
- 00:03:43.478
- The most difficult thing is to show “normality”00:03:49.217
- 00:03:49.217
- as Katerina Šedá says00:03:54.150
- 00:03:54.150
- normality in life, art and public space.00:03:56.561
- 00:03:56.561
- Yes, but I am very pleased that I can take part in it.00:04:04.197
- 00:04:04.197
- The simple things are returning00:04:08.828
- 00:04:08.828
- because our feelings and communication go hand in hand.00:04:11.622
- 00:04:11.622
- When someone alienates from himself,00:04:18.013
- 00:04:18.013
- and is self-searching, he is playing his game.00:04:21.128
- 00:04:21.128
- He will find everything in the right place at the end.00:04:27.360
- 00:04:27.360
- And what about the spiritual side of your art?00:04:31.670
- 00:04:31.670
- How do you engage people in your works?00:04:40.061
- 00:04:40.061
- It is very simple.00:04:43.991
- 00:04:43.991
- People need reminding that they should be themselves.00:04:45.382
- 00:04:45.382
- To return to themselves and to establish contact with themselves00:04:49.031
- 00:04:49.031
- in being inside their bodies here and now.00:04:53.367
- 00:04:53.367
- We do not suggest to someone to jump out of their body00:04:58.069
- 00:04:58.069
- and fly into space.00:05:02.418
- 00:05:02.418
- Nor we promise a paradise after death.00:05:04.186
- 00:05:04.186
- We are saying: “Man, I am not promising you paradise,00:05:07.495
- 00:05:07.495
- but I say to you: "Be yourself for a while,00:05:11.443
- 00:05:11.443
- and you will see it is alright."00:05:14.727