APPARATUS 22
Apparatus 22 (RO/BE/Suprainfinit utopian realm) is a collective of daydreamers, citizens of many realms, researchers, poetic activists and (failed) futurologists founded in January 2011 by current members Erika Olea, Maria Farcas, Dragos Olea together with Ioana Nemes (1979 – 2011) in Bucharest, Romania. Since early 2015 they have been working between Bucharest, Brussels and SUPRAINFINIT utopian universe.
7 Uncertain Scripts
2014, installation: immersive lightbox of 900 cm x 300 cm x 300 cm (metal, black and white backlit print, neons), video of 8’34’’, wood benches, courtesy the artists, The Contemporary Art Museum Bucharest and Suprainfinit Gallery
Morpheus Buyback
2011 – ongoing, durational performance (from 2 to 30 days) in immersive installation | performance at Drodesera art Festival (Dro, IT), photo: Alessandro Sala, courtesy the artists
THE CONTINUUM BROADCAST
2016- 2023, installation: five channels sound installation (vintage radio and 2 speakers, mini-computer, acrylic paint; duration: r1: 10'32'', r2: 20'20'', r3: 13'31'', r4: 15'24'', r5: 12’) plus two red neons (120cm each), the work includes guest contributions by Simon Asencio and Irina Bujor, courtesy the artists and Suprainfinit Gallery
Discipline
installation, performance
VISTAS, MIST AND CLARITY
2017 | installation: textiles with twelve painted texts, acrylic paint, metal, width: 60 cm, length: 170 cm, height: 190 cm, photo: Ioana Parvan, courtesy the artists and Suprainfinit Gallery
In their very diverse works – installations, performances, text based-shapes –, reality is mixed with fiction and storytelling and all merge with a critical approach drawing knowledge & experience from design, sociology, literature and economics.
The work of Apparatus 22 was recently presented in SMAK Gent (BE), Bundeskunsthalle, Bonn (DE) Contemporary Art Museum (MNAC), Bucharest (RO), Kunsthalle Mannheim (DE), Contemporary Art Museum Roskilde (DK), West, Den Hague (NL), Kunsthal Gent (BE), etc.
AS GOOD AS GOLD
2014, immersive Installation with five elements: light, marble, rubber, jute, flour, wood, glitter, sound, courtesy the artist
TRINITY, TRIANGLE, THREESOME no. 2
2020, installation: transformed vintage black leather jackets, oil paint, acrylic paint, three vintage tripods
Photos: Isabelle Arthuis, courtesy the artists and Suprainfinit Gallery (Bucharest)
exhibition view M series (speculative still life)
2016, installation / each: textile, acrylic and UV paint, neon UV light, 148 x 100cm, neon 60cm,
photo: Ioana Parvan, courtesy the artists and Suprainfinit Gallery
Sex Tape VIII (Atletica Ideal x The Scream by Edvard Munch)
2022, still from video, courtesy the artists and Suprainfinit Gallery
Project during the Borderland Residency
Year of participation
2024
Fueled by the very specific context of Ludwig Forum Aachen, during the residency Apparatus 22 collective will work on a set of major questions in their long term “Positive Tension (in the air)” series aiming to open critical conversations and peculiar thinking, daydreaming and changing processes about art institutions.
Instagram
Dragos Olea: @dragosolea
Erika Olea: @erikaolea_xyz
Maria Farkas: @_misha_shura