Energy=Yes! Quality=No!
critical workshop prepared especially for the "Sense of Safety" exhibition / 2024
With the support of
Photo © Oleksandr Osipov, courtesy of the YermilovCentre 
Photo © Oleksandr Osipov, courtesy of the YermilovCentre 
Photo © Oleksandr Osipov, courtesy of the YermilovCentre 
Photo © Oleksandr Osipov, courtesy of the YermilovCentre
Thomas Hirschhorn is best known for his monumental installations made from everyday, non-elitist materials like tape, cardboard, disposable items, and newspaper clippings. His spatial works are sculptural constructions designed for the viewer's involvement, rather than a mere contemplation. These works are created not just in or for the space, but together with the space, considering all its particularities. The use of these materials offers a way to resist the elitism of art, aligning with the artist's belief that everyone has an innate sense of art. These materials embody the idea of opposing traditional aesthetic criteria, placing 'Energy' at the centre. The creative process is not hidden; the rawness of this approach can also be interpreted as a processual model for building democracy, much like Kharkiv today, where energy and the struggle for democratic values are powerfully intertwined.
Thomas Hirschhorn contributes to the exhibition with a series of workshops Energy = Yes! Quality = No! prioritizing the principle of energy rather than exclusive criteria of quality: "Energy is what counts, energy is what I can grasp, energy is what I can share and energy is what is Universal. Energy: Yes! is a statement for movement, for the dynamic, for invention, for activity, for the activity of thinking," - asserts the artist.
This concept resonates with Kharkiv, a city known for pioneering the splitting of the lithium atom. Just as splitting an atomic nucleus releases energy, the workshops release energy through the exchange of ideas and discussions; yet this scientific invention has had ambivalent consequences.
The workshop's material evidence is a banner with the slogan "Energy=Yes! Quality=No!" that resonates throughout the entire exhibition. Kharkiv, particularly YermilovCentre, is a gathering place and focal point that generates unique energy, which today might help resist terror and fuel hope.
The concept of the Sense of Safety exhibition emerged from the YermilovCentre serving as a shelter, echoing a theme Hirschhorn has been exploring since the first Gulf War in 1990--1991, considering the role and necessity of art in times of war and conflicts. This idea evolved into his long-term project ART=SHELTER. In Hirschhorn's words, "Art generates a dialogue beyond all borders and all disparities." Art as a shelter brings hope for a new life. Hence, the whole exhibition functions as a shelter of hope, fostering dialogue and encouraging reflection on alternative modalities of living.