in collaboration with Martin Honzik and Carola Unterberger-Probst
supported by Zollamt Linz Wels, Reisswolf und Komptech
The Vernichtungsaktion targeted the aspect of value, brand value and imitation. The real value of an item apparently no longer bears even the slightest relation to the value that the brand claims for an "original".
Pictures: source: rubra
Video: camera: Sigrid Nagele, editig: Ramsy Gsenger, sound design: Thomas Rohrauer aka DJ TWANG (c)Ars Electronica Linz GmbH 2008
The Vernichtungsaktion was a one day event I realized in collaboration with Martin Honzik and Carola Unterberger-Probst for the Ars Electonica Festival 2008 - A New Cultural Economy.
Amidst the weekly flea market, we raised a cordoned area which kept a massive shredder and a shipping container full of knock-offs of brand-name merchandise, which were seized by austrian customs. In the course of the day, 16.962 pieces of garment and 47.920 cigarettes - a total of more than 7 tons of goods, were given into the maw of the shredder and left it in pieces without any commercial value. A process that usually takes place behind closed doors and out of public sight.
more information about Ars Electonica Festival 2008 - A New Cultural Economy and the project Vernichtungsaktion
Thanks to Aigner Michael, Brandstätter Martin, Meisenbichler Reinhard, Niedermayr Wolfgang, Possega Tassilo, Roth Andreas, Schiller Rainer, Siviloglu Ekrem, Stöttinger Paul and all other people involved.