MAKING USE. LIFE IN POSTARTISTIC TIMES IS AN EXHIBITION AND PUBLIC PROGRAM FEATURING MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED PARTICIPANTS

Institute for Model Nations

Institute for Model Nations

Coat of arms, Institute for Model Nations, 2016, design courtesy Krzysztof Pyda.

Declared independent bodies by their founders and afforded no official recognition from other sovereign nations, the Kingdoms of Elgaland-Vargaland (est. 1992), NSK State (est. 1991), State of Sabotage (est. 2003), the Principality of Sealand (est. 1967), and the Republic of Zaqistan (est. 2005) are represented in this exhibition by passport documents and an identity card obtained between November 2015 and January 2016 by a representative of the Instytut Modelowych Narodów (Institute for Model Nations). The Kingdoms of Elgaland-Vargaland, NSK State, State of Sabotage, and the Republic of Zaqistan began as artistic projects (see: 1:1 scale), and each nation-project cultivates its identity through culture and customs, a constitution and citizenship program, and visual identification such as heraldry and flags. In addition to the identification documents, the states are represented by postage stamps (Kingdoms of Elgaland-Vargaland, State of Sabotage); soil (the Republic of Zaqistan); currency (the Principality of Sealand); a flag (the Principality of Sealand); and perfume (State of Sabotage). During the course of exhibition, the national anthem of the Kingdoms of Elgaland-Vargaland will be broadcast daily.

 

The report presented in exhibition consists of  identification documents and paraphernalia purchased by Instytut Modelowych Narodów in November 2015 and January 2016, commissioned by the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw in October 2015.