December 2005
a brief characteristic instead of a photograph:
a green anorak (MAKYTA Púchov), corduroys (PRAGODĚV), sweater (LOANA Rožnov), trekking boots (BOPO Třebíč); slightly wavy hair, shoulder length, several days' growth of beard; several years ago he resigned (unreasonably, many thought) from his post in a foreign trade company; he manages to get the obligatory stamps in his ID in different ways; his last job: a night watchman in Náprstek Museum; he listens to: Black Sabbath
- since 1971 he has staged ACTIONS, alone or with a small circle of friends (cf. Pavlína Morganová, Action Art. Votobia, Praha 1999, p. 86.); despite the emphasis he puts on direct experience (here and now), he equips their photographic documentation with a brief description.
Bells
20.09.1975
Outside an unknown block of flats, I pressed the buzzers of all tenants at the same time. I waited at the speaker of the house telephone. I tried to keep a dialogue going with the first tenant who answered for as long as possible. I directed the conversation towards general questions. I repeated the action several times. Then I slowly left.
...In his actions from the middle of the 70's, Svoboda systematically handles the questions of communication that can be considered as manipulation in many cases. (...) In the action called Bells (1975), he uses a favourite entertainment of teenagers and drunkards. To press all the bells at the front door at once and run away – which one of us has never done it at least once in our lives, and how many times have we also fallen victims to this? The decision n o t t o r u n a w a y changes the imbecile roguery into the act of social interaction. Svoboda manipulates a randomly disturbed person into a conversation that he or she didn't expect; it is thus unprepared on both sides. Unlike "hidden camera" TV programmes, Svoboda never lets his counterpart know that it is a part of an artistic concept. The ideal, but the least probable conclusion to the ringing of bells that the author, as we know Svoboda, would not even intend, would be the establishment of a longer term relationship (friendship, love) between the two participants. We will leave the possibility of the offer of a romantic flirt on the side of the "rang" person to the world of pornography. (...) The oscillation between an anecdote brought to a conclusion, and the consciously-suppressed social activism, was characteristic of most of Svoboda's actions at that time..."
(Ondřej Chrobák, Several Notes on the Actions of Tomáš Svoboda. Výtvarné umění, II, 1991. no. 4, p. 14.)
© 2007, etc. galerie
Kateřinská 20, Praha 2, Czech Republic / info@etcgalerie.cz
