Srhljiv lajež psov, vihranje vetra, ki prinaša oddaljene človeške krike, vznemirjen konjski galop in škripajoče veje – zmes zvokov se ti iz temnega gozda z veliko naglico približuje iz težko določljive smeri in vate zasadi sekiro. To je Divja Jaga. V starodavnem slovenskem izročilu so verjeli, da so duše nepravičnih ljudi spremenjene v volkove in ujete v gozdovih. Srečanje z njimi je povzročilo nenadno bolečino, ki se je končala le s ponovnim obiskom iste lokacije čez natanko eno leto. Takrat je Divja Jaga izgovorila: »Lani sem dala, letos bom vzela«, iz osebe izpulila zasajeno sekiro in bolečino odvzela – a le tistim, ki so se uspeli vrniti.
knnz je v svojem delu na novo interpretirala to starodavno legendo in ji dala sodoben pomen. Divja Jaga ne pomeni več le grozečih blodečih duš, temveč postane prispodoba za nevidne sile algoritmov, ki oblikujejo našo realnost in usmerjajo vedenje uporabnikov. Igralec se giblje po začrtani poti, kjer vsak odmik, vsaka napačna odločitev ali delovanje zunaj sistema sproži srečanje z Divjo Jago. A posledice se ne razrešujejo linearno; ostajajo odprte, vračajo igralca v stanje zastoja, čakanja in ponavljanja iste točke brez možnosti izhoda ali zaključka. Ujetost v brezizhodno situacijo spominja na delovanje digitalnih sistemov, kjer se pogosto zdi, da ni prostora za delovanje izven vnaprej določenega okvira.
Umetnica s tem delom nadaljuje raziskovanje slovenske mitologije in ljudskih pripovedk, v katerih živali nastopajo kot nosilke simbolnih pomenov. Skozi prispodobe in skrivnostno simboliko jo zanima stanje sodobne družbe ter njen odnos do narave in preteklosti. V Divji Jagi tako razmišlja, kako so se ljudje nekoč soočali z nadnaravnimi pojavi in nevidnimi silami ter to primerja s trenutno izgubljenostjo v svetu algoritmov, ki so prav tako nevidni, neizprosni in vseprisotni. Tako kot v sodobni družbi posamezniki tavajo po gozdu algoritmov in protokolov, se tudi živali v njenem imerzivnem okolju gibljejo skozi prostor poln pastí in nevidnih meja. Knnz skozi to vzporednico odpira vprašanje: ali smo še vedno protagonisti svojih zgodb ali smo že zdavnaj postali zgolj udeleženci v sistemu, kjer vsaka pot vodi nazaj na isti začetek?
Oblikovalka zvoka: Patricia Arh
knnz – Neža Knez (1996) je zaključila dodiplomski program na NTF v smeri Grafične in interaktivne komunikacije ter študij nadaljevala na Akademiji za likovno umetnost in oblikovanje, smer Video, animacija in novi mediji. Njeno ustvarjanje je multidisciplinarno, v delu povezuje CGI (računalniško generirane podobe), animacijo in glasbo. Svoje delo pogosto predstavlja v obliki video instalacij in VJ performansov, kar ji omogoča, da sicer dvodimenzionalna dela prikaže v večprostorskih dimenzijah. Je članica Beam team ter skupnosti V2V, sodeluje pa s tetometo in Uryan, kjer deluje kot VJ-ka in vizualna umetnica.
(ENG)
The eerie barking of dogs, the howling wind carrying distant human screams, the frantic gallop of horses, and the creaking of branches – this mixture of sounds is rapidly approaching you from the dark forest, coming from a direction that is hard to pinpoint, and strikes you like an axe. This is the Wild Hunt. In ancient Slovenian folklore, it was believed that the souls of the unjust were transformed into wolves and trapped in the forests. An encounter with them caused sudden pain that ended only with a return visit to the same location exactly one year later. At that moment, the Wild Hunt would say, “Last year I gave, this year I will take,” pull the embedded axe from the person’s body and relieve the pain – but only for those who managed to return.
knnz has reimagined this ancient legend in her work, giving it a new, contemporary meaning. The Wild Hunt no longer represents only menacing wandering souls, but becomes a metaphor for the invisible forces of algorithms that shape our reality and guide user behaviour. The player moves along a predetermined path, where every deviation, every wrong decision, or action outside the system triggers an encounter with the Wild Hunt. But the consequences do not resolve linearly; they remain open-ended, returning the player to a state of stagnation, waiting, and repeating the same point with no possibility of escape or conclusion. Being trapped in a dead-end situation is reminiscent of how digital systems operate, where it often seems there is no room to act outside a predetermined framework.
With this work, the artist continues her exploration of Slovenian mythology and folk tales, in which animals serve as carriers of symbolic meanings. Through metaphors and mysterious symbolism, she examines the state of contemporary society and its relationship to nature and the past. In Divja Jaga, she reflects on how people once confronted supernatural phenomena and invisible forces, comparing this to our current sense of disorientation in a world of algorithms – which are equally invisible, relentless, and omnipresent. Just as individuals in contemporary society wander through a forest of algorithms and protocols, the animals in her immersive environment also navigate a space filled with traps and invisible boundaries. Through this parallel, knnz raises the question: Are we still the protagonists of our own stories, or have we become mere participants in a system where every path leads back to the same beginning?
Sound design: Patricia Arh
knnz – Neža Knez (1996) completed her bachelor's degree in Graphic and Interactive Communication at the NTF and continued her studies at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design, majoring in Video, Animation and New Media. Her work is multidisciplinary, combining CGI (computer-generated imagery), animation and music. Her work is often presented in the form of video installations and VJ performances, allowing her to show otherwise two-dimensional works in multiple spatial dimensions. She is a member of the Beam Team and the V2V community, and collaborates with Tetometo and Uryan, where she works as a VJ and visual artist.
