Spekulativna instalacija Freemium Afterlife predstavlja prihodnost, v kateri je smrt mogoče pretentati z uporabo nove tehnologije, ki omogoča, da zavest po smrti prekopiramo in shranimo na strežnik. A obljubljeni raj se kmalu spremeni v past. Uporaba strežnikov namreč ni brezplačna, zato je posmrtno življenje polno vsiljivih oglasov, ki jih lahko odstraniš le z mesečno naročnino. Namesto naravnih zakonov zdaj veljajo pogoji podjetja, od katerega so mrtvi popolnoma odvisni in prisiljeni opravljati digitalna dela v zameno za večno življenje.
Umetnik Oskar Slabe prosti dostop prikaže kot absurdno izkušnjo, sestavljeno iz digitalnih oglasov, vsebin socialnih omrežji in AI-generiranih podob – nepopolno kopijo življenja, ki predstavlja obupan poskus ubežati končnosti. S tem opozarja, kako nam sodobne tehnoutopične rešitve obljubljajo obvladovanje staranja in smrti, a nas prav ti mehanizmi oddaljujejo od iskrenega soočanja z minljivostjo. Hkrati instalacija odpira vprašanje odnosa do lastnega telesa, ki ga potrošništvo odtuji in reducira na naložbo.
Obiskovalci in obiskovalke so povabljeni, da tehnologijo preizkusijo v živo, njihova izkušnja pa se istočasno prenaša preko umetnikovega Twitch kanala. S tem umetnik obiskovalce vključi v sam sistem – postanejo del komodifikacije spletne platforme, hkrati pa so soočeni z vprašanjem, koliko smo pripravljeni plačati za beg pred neizbežnim.
Oskar Slabe (1996) je magistriral iz grafičnega oblikovanja na Akademiji za likovno umetnost in oblikovanje v Ljubljani. Primarno ustvarja v polju grafičnega oblikovanja in animacije, kjer podobe prepleta s humornimi elementi. V delih odpira vprašanja različnih procesov potrošniške družbe, ki zaznamujejo naš vsakdan. Z umetniškimi instalacijami in grafikami je sodeloval na številnih skupinskih razstavah v galeriji DobraVaga in Galeriji Y, samostojno pa je razstavljal tudi v galeriji Peti štuk, Jalli Jalli AKC Metelkova, Inštitutu Jožefa Štefana in Ulični galeriji TAM-TAM.
(ENG)
The speculative installation Freemium Afterlife depicts a future in which death can be avoided through the use of new technology that allows us to copy and store our consciousness on a server after death. But the promised paradise soon turns into a trap – the use of servers isn't free, so the afterlife is full of intrusive ads that can only be removed with a monthly subscription. Instead of the laws of nature, the terms and conditions of the company now apply; the dead are completely dependent on it and forced to perform digital labor in exchange for eternal life.
Artist Oskar Slabe portrays free access as an absurd experience composed of digital advertisements, social media content, and AI-generated images – an imperfect copy of life that represents a desperate attempt to escape mortality. In doing so, he highlights how contemporary techno-utopian solutions promise to help us manage aging and death, yet it is precisely these mechanisms that distance us from a sincere confrontation with our own mortality. At the same time, the installation raises the question of our relationship to our own bodies, which consumerism alienates and reduces to an investment.
Visitors are invited to try out the technology in person, and their experience is simultaneously streamed via the artist’s Twitch channel. In this way, the artist incorporates visitors into the system itself – they become part of the commodification of the online platform, while at the same time being confronted with the question of how much we are willing to pay to escape the inevitable.
Oskar Slabe (1996) earned his master’s degree in graphic design from the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Ljubljana. He works primarily in the fields of graphic design and animation, where he interweaves imagery with humorous elements. In his works, he explores various processes of consumer society that shape our everyday lives. He has participated in numerous group exhibitions at the DobraVaga Gallery and Y Gallery with his art installations and prints, and has also held solo exhibitions at the Peti štuk Gallery, Jalla Jalla AKC Metelkova, Jožef Štefan Institute, and the TAM-TAM Street Gallery.
