Hungarian Totem • installation • 1993

"Péter Forgács's video work (TOTEM), which was made in Kapolcs, is set in the ex-sanctuary of Kiscelli Church turned into an exhibition hall. This work demonstrates that even if you can't turn a dog into bacon, a pig can be assembled from goulash. Pigsticking is seen to follow an inverse chronology. It is possible to observe in real time the easily identifiable stages of traditional separating spare-ribs into pieces, running a reverse course, from replacing the lard, to pouring back the blood into the vein, up to the pulling out of the knife. One more twist is accompanied to the images of pigsticking: the „viewer" set in front of the monitor is considered as a stuffed swine that, being led back like this, can call up the memory of cast (video)pearls before swine, just as the possibility of narcissistic identification of video and swine."

Miklós Peternák
1995

Permanenet collection of Ludwig Museum LUMU Budapest, Hungary

More info at: http://www.peterforgacs.com

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Hungarian
• Totem
• Installation
• Peter
• Forgacs
• LUMU
• Budapest
• Hungary