How can we be multitude again? The Conscious Effort Fort is an environment for reading, writing and mediating tactile perception in gardens and large indoor spaces. Glass/wood surfaces branching out books, writing materials, matts and pillows, all connected by strings, materialize an encounter with books, with reading and with each other. Audible will be the vibration of a human being asleep.

The experience of consciously reading and being again in the presence of others, creates connectivity and unity. The Conscious Effort Fort re-engages its participants into a process of creating connections: between what is printed in the books and what is going on in the space activated by other participants. Creating meaning and knowledge – temporarily, by thinking and being together/apart through books. Writing. Audience members can express and share these connections and ideas in writing on large sheets of paper on a wall of the space. This supertext will become the temporary entity of the work, as people can de-attach sheets to take home. 

conversation between Juan Duque and David Bergé

 

 

The Conscious Effort Fort, 2021
installation by David Bergé
with contributions by Aslı Çiçek, Ioana Mandrescu, Aemilia Papaphilippou
at Zuiderpershuis, Antwerp
May 20 – May 23
thanks to Katrien Reist, Juan Duque
a production by kyklàda.press with the support of the Flemish Government (CAP),
Platform 0090 and PHOTOGRAPHIC EXPANDED PUBLISHING ATHENS