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Roman Tkachenko (1996) refers to himself as an architectural dramaturg. In his socially engaged practice he immerses himself in stories that are embedded in the public domain. For this he often collaborates with local communities. During this process, it is the dramatist’s job to listen, to understand the problems and challenges, and to subsequently zoom out en initiate proposals from an artistic approach that may lead to new perspectives.
In Lange adem (2024-ongoing) at Prospects, he combines performance with sculptural installation. Central to this work are the public warming sirens that are testes on every first Monday of the month at noon sharp, but will soon be replaced by individualized phone alerts. Tkachenko wonders how this forthcoming discontinuation of a collective moment will impact the community. ‘To me the sirens are cultural heritage, a rare example of something in public life that has been consistent for a very long time,’ says the artist. He appeals to residents and activist to appropriate the alarm. What would happen if this public awareness system, as the artist likes to call it, is transformed from an apparatus of government into an instrument of the people?
At Prospects, Tkachenko makes a first move toward this appropriation of the siren. Every day at noon, performers at the entrance to Art Rotterdam blow a foghorn for the duration of the public warning sirens. Afterwards they make their way to Tkachenko’s installation inside the exhibition. Here a short film, shown next to the sculpture, explores the meaning of the public warning sirens.
Text: Esmee Postma
Translated from Dutch by Marie Louise Schoondergang (The Art of Translation)