Patrik Proško

Tumour – site specific permasculpture, 220x80x60cm, concrete, things from the sea, synthetic paint, Pinang Island, Aceh, Indonesia 2022 Dark matter pushing out of a tree stub, flowing down the tree trunk, and solidifying on it. The cap, supposed to keep the matter under the lid, is under heavy pressure and the matter escapes from under it. From the tumour that forms in this process emerge the very causes of its own existence which are, at the same time, the ingredients of its composition. Bottles and containers from various kinds of oils, petrol, thinners, shampoos, ointments, Sprite, Coke, beer, or other drinks, perfumes, detergents, and other pieces of plastic that the sea washed up. The tumour is filled with these toxic things and their bottle caps blossom on its surface like metastasis. It is a slow, long process of ripening. My residency on Pinang Island was closely related to the Permaculture project that is being developed on the island. The core idea of Permaculture is to create an agricultural ecosystem by environmentally friendly means which would enable the island to achieve complete self-sufficiency even though it has infertile soil. The word “permanent” in the name suggests it should be something cyclical that lasts forever. But for it to last forever, it requires constant care because without care everything perishes. During my stay at the island, I had just one goal: to create something permanent there, going directly against my principle of impermanence that I’ve applied to now more than 80 projects all over the world – none of which exist anymore. And so, I approached my work in the same spirit as the Permaculture project and connected the sculpture to a tree stump which became not only a part of the sculpture’s meaning, but also its natural pedestal. That means the sculpture will stand there for as long as the trunk will be able to support the weight of the concrete it’s made of, or for as long as the sculpture will get enough care from the residents for it to stay permanent. A new concept of “permasculpture” has thus crept into my art, a concept closely associated with that of the “site specific”. To create something “permanent” in these conditions was also a completely different and much more challenging process than creating a one-day temporary installation for just one photo without any demands on its durability like on my previous travels. There’s ploughed soil and a building site around the sculpture now, but I chose a great place for it to stand at in the future – along the path to where gardens, banana alleys, and plant beds are going to be planted, right in front of an entrance to a future restaurant.