TOBIAS PUTRIH

Inspired by historical practices, the exhibition addresses the problem of participatory play and interaction by observing and documenting visitors’ gestures and behaviour to create an image archive that forms a basis for further exploration and analysis.

On display in the gallery is a group of framed wooden panels, recycled stage boards from the largest Slovenian theatre stage, Gallus Hall, built in the 1970s and renovated in 2010. Putrih bought the discarded boards, trimmed their edges and used these trims to assemble wall panels. The patterns on these trims date back to the 1970s when the stage was constructed and spills of black paint accidentally penetrated the cracks between stage boards. The assembled panels therefore symbolically represent an “invisible” part of the theatre stage and will serve anew as a background to the visitors’ engagement.

The participatory part of the show is based on a series of simple instructions:

• Visitors can play with the objects, i.e. long, soft poles that correspond with wall panels, made out of foam with a bendable copper core and upholstered with fabric. They can bend the objects into any form they desire.
• Groups of visitors holding the pole objects are encouraged to pose in front of a green screen, reminiscent of a special effects set-up in digital movie-making, and have their photos taken by the gallery staff.
• They are also encouraged to fill in a short multiple choice survey.
• Afterwards one copy of the image/portrait is inserted in the archive, another copy is sent to the artist, who reconfigures the image and returns it to the photographed visitor.