Hence Strength and Security

An exhibition at Köttinspektionen in Uppsala presenting experimental strategies from the alternative sides of bureaucracy and the undercurrents of administration. The show deals with the struggle that public servants have with different administrative systems. New protective measures are presented: various attempts to ward off feelings of powerlessness and ethical stress.

The title of the exhibition is borrowed from the Swedish Riksbank: the motto “Hinc robur et securitas”, is a form of incantation intended to guarantee the value of the Swedish krona. In this and other ways, institutions and companies use words of power to fortify themselves, embody and summon themselves into our everyday life. Sometimes in unpleasant forms.

A counter-movement is proposed here – a twilight bureaucratic community of acting officials and clerks who invent various techniques to escape frustration, create safe spaces, take over the words of power and pour warmth into the institutional operations.

The works in the exhibition are small-scale, nonetheless powerful, ceremonial acts presented in an educational format.

The opening of the show is 5th of October and it is up until the 20th
Artist talk 19 Oct at 16.00

In the exhibition there is a video describing the construction of light blue lumps for guidance, here is the link to the PDF with instructions:
Making Your Own Lump for Guidance – The complete manual


More information about the show at Köttinspektionens website