The Catharsis of Neptun

The Catharsis of Neptun

2011

THE CATHARSIS OF NEPTUN was a site-specific* performance-based installation presented within Komiža New Media Port (Video Vortex Summer School) 2011 in Komiža, Vis, Croatia on 30.8.2011. After delivering a pilot performance at the „Boris Mardešić“ town gallery with drinking 0,7 liters of seawater, the installation was presented at the seafront riva, both in the Komiža dialect and in English, following these (Fluxus-inspired) guidelines:

(English:)
Take seawater on the Neptun factory waterfront. Gather good people from across Komiza, make them sit in half circle. Take a seat facing them, give each one a cup, take one yourself. Fill cups with seawater. Looking straight into people's eyes, dip finger into your cup and draw a tiny circle in the middle of your forehead ten times. Lick finger clean.  Repeat such circling two times: between nose and upper lip, and below lower lip, always licking finger clean. Then raise cup, cheering to the people, still looking straight into their eyes. Drink the entire cup in small sips. Drink up two more cups of seawater, remain in eyecontact. Make sure all empty cups are immediately filled up again. While drinking, play the hit song "More, more" by Meri Cetinić. Finish drinking when song stops. Secure enough drinking water from Kamenice beach, and toilets nearby.«

(Croatian/Komižan):
»Vazmi more na Mlin, pol fabriku. Skupi dobre jude iz cile Komiže i reci jim da sedu kolo mene. Sedi na katridu tako da jih gledoš u joci i doj svakome po žmul, a onda i ti vazmi žmul. Napuni žmule moren. Dok gledoš jude rovno u joci, umoci parst u svuj žmul i napravi deset puti moli kružić posri cela. Onda poliži parst! Ucini istu stvor izmeju nosa i gurnje pešnje, a onda i ispol dulnje pešnje, tako da ti parst uvik bude cist. Onda dvini žmul i nazdravi sa svitom tako da jih nastaviš gledot rovno u joci. Popij cili žmul u molin gucojima. Popij još dvo žmula mora i ostani ih gledot u joci. Stoj atento da se svi prozni žmuli olma napune. Dok piješ, neka sviro pisma ol Meri “More, More”. Prestani pit kal fini pisma. Osiguroj se nika bude vode is Kamenic po potribi i nika se nojde koji kondut.

* "Neptun" was the biggest factory in Komiža, presently its dilapidated premises are owned by an international investment company. The fish-processing plant had united several smaller local companies, reaching back to a rich fishing history and know-how, it used to be the economic pride of Komiža...

See photo documentary on the side ((click picture to open gallery and list)) and take a look at the short fly-thru videos: the installation on the riva, or the context of the Komiža New Media Port evening.

Concept and delivery by pETER Purg, in collaboration with Ivana Franičević.

Special thanks to Anja Sušanj and Dinko Božanić for valuable assistance, as well as Sandra Sterle for inspiration.

 

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In July 2012 this piece has seen a site-specific development from the "The Return of Neptun" video work, incl. a short performance, all within the 2012 Komiža New Media Port international summer school, where the author of this work also took part as mentor. Both were presented in(front of) the Komiža town reading room (Čitaona). In September 2013 "The Neptun Trilogy" by pETER Purg concluded with "The Absence of Neptun".