Artur Zmijewski, Them @ Documenta 12, Kassel, German. 2007

(Artur Zmijewski Them, 2007. Courtesy of Foksall Gallery Foundation)

Them documents a social experiment devised by Zmijewski in which representatives from conflicting social groups (conservatives, patriotic Catholics, nationalist Polish youth, leftist socialists, democrats and freedom fighters) are brought together through a series of workshops. Each group is asked to construct a symbolic centre and then to comment and react to the others. Forcing participants to interact: to negotiate, to fight, or to withdraw.

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“Though we often ostensibly apply actual labels to fictive things, we
can hardly apply fictive labels; for a label used exists.”
-Nelson Goodman, Languages of Art

‘I’m starting’ says an old lady in her modest but excited voice. Nobody anticipates the beginning of a battle. She draws a black line, then another, and more.
Four different teams illustrate their four diverse views in simple drawings. A catholic church, a word ‘’ in Hebrew framed in the contour of , Chrobry’s Sword, and the word ‘Freedom’ (in Polish) again framed in the contour of .
Each team’s members come from a different ideological background. As groups supposed to appear representative of the ideology they become stereotypical in themselves. Moreover – they use stereotypes to express their beliefs.
Their illustrations serve as emblems, also in a literal meaning, as they are printed on t-shirts that each group will wear. During the second meeting, dressed in their new outfits they become easily identifiable. Simple rules are set – there are no rules.
Teams begin to correct each other’s expressions, removing or adding elements until the message is in compliance with their own views. They each represent some type of an extreme, not one being a so-called typical Pole. However, it is the very use of stereotypes in which lays the strength of Them.
Their actions are a battle of representations, a war of images, symbols and gestures, which gain their intensity from being simple, direct and most importantly – not always adequate. The extremity escalates as the exchange of fire takes place.
None of the participants are artists; it is only for the sake of the video that they agreed to use visuals. The conflict is spectacular, almost thrilling as the actions develop.
If one ever asks the question whether art can be harmful, this video provides a particularly interesting answer. Only the elderly catholic ladies notice that the tumult is not leading the discussion anywhere. They decide to leave the room. The remaining three groups consisting of much younger people seem too excited to notice that their actions are destructive. The reason for that is as simple as it is peculiar. They have to invent ways of expression that are new to them and that will prove what they consider to be the strength of their argument.
There is no single attempt to explain any belief or the reason behind it. Nobody tries to reach an agreement. Nonetheless, members of each group seem to be satisfied with their doings. Perhaps it is because they are stubborn. But it may also be due to the fact, that they are engaged in a creative process, the most fulfilling act any human can undertake. The godly act of creating easily becomes opium for the brain.

* text by Bartek Kraciuk from the whitehotmagazine.