A Worker in Protest
exhibition by Vladimir Miladinović
A worker in protest
exhibition by Vladimir Miladinović October 25, 2011
“Worker in protest” is a series of artworks dealing with examples of neoliberal censorship where every form of protest is presented in such a way that its essential demand actually remains invisible. The source of satisfaction in the modern neoliberal system is the ability of the masses to consume. Showing the protest in the form of a spectacle turns it into a consumer artefact purged of any potential critical thinking. What unites the masses in contemporary neoliberal capitalism is precisely the power of consumerism – instead of criticizing, we should consume. Thus, the workers’ protests are presented in the way that it is expected that they will be “bought” in the best way. Such media representations actually create a field of political and cultural sterility where the idea that nothing new can happen and that any action is hopeless dominates. The point is that this image of hopelessness actually benefits the ruling elites. Its purpose is to completely passivate us and make us dominated by emotions.
Vladimir Miladinović
Vladimir Miladinović is a visual artist, a member of the group “The Four Faces of Omarska”, a student of the Interdisciplinary Doctoral Studies at the University of Arts in Belgrade, Department of Theory of Art and Media. He graduated from the Faculty of Applied Arts in Belgrade. Currently, he deals with socially and politically engaged topics, which he tries to visualize through different media. The program is held within the Belgrade independent culture festival “Na sopstveni pogon” (seecult.org/blogs/na-sopstveni-pogon).
The exhibition is realized as part of the project Context in the local community..