POV: I'm on Vacation, Brno 2024

text installation and videos

In her project "pov: I’m on vacation," Viktoriia Shakhnovich delves into the theme of fragile family relationships, which constantly oscillate between "expectation" and "reality." Shakhnovich has chosen to perceive this situation as an opportunity for analysis and contemplation of potential developments and reference points that influenced its outcome. However, the question remains the same - is it a happy ending?

This isn't the first time Shakhnovich has worked with cases and stories, whether fictional or real. However, it is her first foray into the realm of family lore, which ambiguously binds and repels us. The backbone of the narrative is guided by a three-part storytelling structure, mirroring the composition of a film plot. The connection to a film script may raise questions about the authenticity and realism of the events described. The auto-fictional potential of the script serves as a memory and a means of depersonalization through a third-person perspective. The title of the work simultaneously explains this detachment from the lyrical heroine and also refers to internet linguistic aesthetics, where texts are written in a schematic format. The medium is inseparably linked to the concept, aiming to build upon the tendency of her mutual influence from previous works.

The technical solution and presentation of the project utilize stark graphical representation of the scheme, contrasting with its ironic content. The scale of elements and visual agitation are connected to the impression of a meeting with an uncle. Witness-objects (a player, a clock) present a more active content, but due to their size, they transfer the dominant role to the texts. On the iPod, positioned at the beginning of the story, a video sequence of memes related to the narrative can be observed. The video on the iWatch partially follows the script, serving as a cocktail of personal mythology and memories, sometimes featuring details and objects described in the text. The internet language, with its abbreviations, references, meta-levels, and quotes, is rich but leaves gray areas in the story where anything can happen, whether in the auto-fictional development of the plot or in the shadows of oppressive details.

"pov: I’m on vacation" by Viktoriia Shakhnovich is a complex project open to interpretation.