Jofre Oliveras and Stefan Krische collaborate for an installation exploring the psychology of Power adopted by the church. In experimentation with scale and media, they attempt a mirroring what they perceive to be the methods used to condition an emotional response.
Using the symbol of the cross, the artists create an imposing icon inside of the chapel at Konvent and present it in a recognizable position understood visually atop the shoulders of the messiah. The structure is constructed with reclaimed wood from the grounds of Konvent to create a facade that is rough, organic, and humble. The hollow insides adopt a contrasting opulent aesthetic with neon light, creating a heavenly glow that radiates from the belly of the cross. The light encourages us to question the value of substance.
The artists explore the tools employed by Religion in order to create a perception of importance. They acknowledge the construction of grand architecture and clean and white spaces. Scale and light are used to replicate these characteristics. In doing so, they are able to elevate the symbol to feel more powerful than it actually is. The assumption here is is that people tend to focus on the superficial, it is the allusion to power that makes the symbol so intimidating.
Standing next to the cross, the viewer feels small, the overbearing presence directly affecting how we feel in its company. This is a reference to the conditioning of people, with the church being an example of an ideology we use to create our respective realities. Our western culture maintains the notion that there is one reality to which we have to conform to. Most people avoid this feeling by accepting an outside reality, because of a fear they feel in confronting their inside reality.
The power of reality is the most political force in the world. Inside our saturated reality, the artists encourage us to consider the absurdity of the construct both physically and metaphorically.
