The history of pseudo-events in the corners of the virtual world is not identical to the historical trajectory of electronic technology. In the realm of fairytales, transformations are everyday phenomena, which require no tools, only some imagination. Contact between worlds constructed on the planes of the existent and the imagined create a symbiotic condition, in which human consciousness is threatened by dissension. The conflicted mental image, however, can only overcome etheric obstacles, in physical reality it usually fails and is forced to resort to tricks: it wishes to survive by the means of manipulation. In Hungarian “abuse” translates into the word “visszaélés”: “vissza” meaning “back” and “élés” meaning “living.” So can it be thus viewed as living backwards? Is it a single-edged blade or a double-edged sword? Does it merely serve to deceive others, or can it mislead or “con” the actor himself to the point where he is capable of imagining, or even experiencing, the change in consciousness? But here we are already reaching the boundaries of insanity, and suddenly the world of clones begins to emerge from the mist.
We do not have to go quite so far in case of the installation titled “Abuse” by Sebestyén Kodolányi and Csaba Uglár, which balances on the borderline between the liveable and the imagined existence, or, to be more exact: which makes a parody of this balancing act. The projected motion picture allows its viewers a glance at the everyday rituals of a religious-spiritual community, in which men dressed in monastic clothing perform spiritual exercises followed by a ritual public procession. The thus set up visual trap is accompanied by Far Eastern sacral music, while the electronic accessories – the visual and sound recording equipment – are also adequately camouflaged in accordance with the appearance of geographical geographic origin. Appearances, however, are only temporary as we slowly begin to realise that we are faced with a simulated scenario. Just as fast as we fell in, we now try to break loose of the cleverly set up trap as quickly as possible. As our senses and consciousness have been taken advantage of, the initial empathy of entering into the spirit of what is seen is replaced by distanced observation. But by this time, the procession of monks are marching along with the eccentric hustle and bustle of the Love Parade, a circumstance in which the spectacle of their appearance seems less dramatic than it was in the spiritual atmosphere of closed space. Here, the context proves to be an almost obligatory straight jacket saturated with substantial naiveté.
I could have, of course, used the word pseudo-spiritualism above. Because, in fact, it is very difficult to determine how seriously the participants take the game – or themselves. It is just as possible to play with the greatest solemnity, as it is to take part irresponsibly and with self-irony. We don’t have to be orthodox Buddhists to fathom ourselves, for even an hour or a day, in a fictive situation and indulge in its objectively given opportunities. It is all a matter of imagination and attitude.
There is an important element given here, however, which stirs the story in a philosophical direction: a few of the bogus monks carry huge mirrors on their backs, which reflect, from above, the image of the camera. The mirror thus confronts the camera with itself; the illusion of the perceived world folds back on itself. The trap becomes double. What else would this be, I ask, if not the perspective of deception, as long as I take the intention to fool me – this attempt at “abuse” of me – seriously? The way here and back, approach and withdrawal, sharpening and obscuring, reality and imagination; a myriad of possible oppositions at the end of which stands the one of certainty and uncertainty. What is more important for us and where, which role do we feel better in? Many, no doubt, think: in the underworld, where the distorted horizons of reality are reflected like a conclave mirror. “Abuse” examines the extensiveness of this underworld and this fake role.
It goes without saying that all material proof of this distorted reality is shown in manipulated lighting at the exhibition as well. Certain costumes, the equipment used for recording image and sound as well as other requisites used at the shoot are displayed in a dimly lit showcase with murky walls, which are only occasionally illuminated by bright, exposing artificial light. Thus, the dilemma is not missing here either, the tension between the real and the unreal is constant, the realms of the real and the virtual are mutually manipulation-dependent. This is an unsettling instance of identifying findings, with an atmosphere that, nevertheless, does not collapse into the cesspool of hopelessness.