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Špela Trošt: This is not my workUpcomingArchive

Špela Trošt: This is not my work

Two dance solos
Work of the opus Let’s Work! (2022–2023) by Loup Abramovici, Tomaž Grom, Teja Reba, Špela Trošt

Author: Špela Trošt
Choreographers: Mateja Bučar and Matjaž Farič
Dancer: Loup Abramovici
Sound design: Tomaž Grom
Selection of the musice: Matjaž Farič

Production: Teja Reba
Co-production: Zavod Sploh
Partner: Zavod Bunker, Ljubljana, DUM – Društvo umetnikov
Financial support: the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia and the Municipality of Ljubljana - Department of Culture.

24. 4. 2023, Old Power Station – Elektro Ljubljana
25. 4. 2023, Old Power Station – Elektro Ljubljana
9. 9. 2023, festival Venere in teatro, Forte Maghera, Mestre-Venezia, Italy
2. 12. 2023, Celjski dom, Celje
2.–3. 2. 2024, Hangar teatri, Triest, Italy
18. 5. 2024, Inkubator, Maribor


This is not my work wants to demystify art as a gift from God.

By affirming the belief I do not work, I am an artist, the artist affirms the »freedom« and »autonomy« of work and renounces the economy of work. But despite the free and autonomous economic devaluation of his own work, or rather because of it, the artist is a slave and captive of the system. A system which, sometimes more openly, sometimes more covertly, perceives him at the same time as an idealized Exceptional Individual and a parasite.

»He who does not work, let him not eat!« breathed the Minister of the Economy, Zdravko Počivalšek, at a banquet after the National Awards for Culture at Cankarjev dom on 7thFebruary 2018.

»The next time you are persuaded that Slovenian modern art is also color spots on a canvas or carrots in a vagina and an ass, know that they are not doing it because they are worried about our 'cultural lack of insight'. They do it because they want us to continue to fund it and fill their troughs,« wrote Minister of the Interior Aleš Hojs on Twitter on 30 August 2022. 

This is not my work, is the work of four ideal parasites, a complete mutual abuse and subjugation at the same time.

Let’s Work! (20222023) deals with the problem of work. It invites us, through various artistic situations set in specific environments, to reflect on the meaning and value of work, the ways in which we experience work in everyday life, and how art is at work. In the first chapter (2022), artworks are contextualized in locations that play a constructive role in society in terms of the formulation of labor policies, and more specifically the formulation of strategies in the field of cultural labor, in public services that respond to labor problems, in institutions that educate the upcoming workforce, and in spaces that play a role in contemporary art practices. The spatial and temporal positioning of works for (re)viewing by both institutional staff and invited and casual visitors aims to widen the field of visibility of the artwork and its reception. In the second chapter (2023), the artworks will be presented in their entirety in exhibition and performance formats.

25.4.2023

Teja Reba, Špela Trošt: Praznik dela, Stara mestna elektrarna

24. 4. at 18h, Stara mestna elektrarna
25. 4. at 20h, Stara mestna elektrarna

Why are you working?

1. I can’t not work. For me, it is a commitment dictated not by rationality, but by instinct and inner need.
2. I work to survive.
3. To find beauty
4. I work because I have to maintain this system in order to survive in the society in which I live. Otherwise, I would be considered a fool, a chump, I would be put in an madhouse for life, at the expense of my fellow citizens, my fellow brothers, who pay a lot of taxes to keep me at a menatl hospital.
5. Because I have to live.
6. I don’t work, I am a painter.
7. Because I am in a system that I cannot get out of.
8. Because I like what I do.
9. I think the point of work is to contribute to society.

Concept and direction: Teja Reba and Špela Trošt
Co-authors: Loup Abramovici, Mateja Bučar, Matjaž Farič, Tomaž Grom, Katja Legin, Lana Zdravković
Performed by: Loup Abramovici, Dimitra Alfirević Srhoj, Mary Anne Blanche, Vesna Godler, Tomaž Grom, Katja Legin, Liana Kalčina, Marjeta Kamnikar, Svarun Košir, Čarna Košir, Marija Pantić, Kalvin Radivojević, Bela Reba Abramovici, Pika Redžić, Špela Trošt, Iva Vidmar, Lana Zdravković

Lighting design: Špela Škulj
Sound design: Tomaž Grom
Selection of the music: Matjaž Farič, Katja Legin, Tomaž Grom, Lana Zdravković
Cover photo: Marcandrea
Technical team: Igor Remeta, Andrej Petrovčič, Duško Pušica, Manca Vukelič, Vid Starman
Cleaners: Marjeta Pogačnik, Darinka Županec Ivanovski

Production: Teja Reba
Co-Production: Sploh Institute
Partners: Bunker Institute, Ljubljana, En-Knap Institute, DUM – Association of Artists, MG+MSUM, Associazione Culturale YANVII
Financial support: Ministry of Culture and City of Ljubljana

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