Re-thinking Production – Danilo Prnjat

community based art, 2019.

How do we collaborate to overcome boundaries? How do our means of production become commonplace? And what do we create with them? In the small factory “Minipogon”, in the heart of Vienna’s Favoriten district, not only plastic is recycled, but an economy without capitalism is put to the test.

A miniature factory at the Viktor Adler market in Vienna. What is produced here? New beautiful objects from discarded plastic and the stories that emerge during their production, about work and economy, materials and waste. The idea of the factory was born in Belgrade, where minipogon installed small production units in a refugee shelter. Firstly, something tangible was produced and, secondly, the time spent collecting, shredding, melting, shaping and using plastic objects was used to talk about money, the division of labour, individual and collective economy – and life itself.

In the ReThinking Production project, anyone could become a minidrive factory worker! As part of the Wienwoche festival, the art group opened a factory in Favoriten. In a joint opening event, everyone present agreed on what the next working days should look like: what they will produce, how they will work, who will be in charge of maintaining the machines, and who will provide the supplies? However, there was no talk of flexible working hours: a 6-hour working day was valid for a mini-plant! At noon, canteen discussions were held with invited guests about plastic as a material, means of production as “open hardware”, workplace organization, as well as social added value.

program

Sat, 15. 9., 12:00 – 15:00

Minipogon: Introductory Event

Stand 129, Viktor-Adler-Markt 129, 1100 Wien

demonstration of the machines (shredder, compressor and extruder-injector) + introduction of the topics and people + joint planning of 5 days of working process, assigning tasks and responsibilities + during all working days production process is jointly performed through simultaneous tasks, while we use breaks to discuss proposed day topics with various invited guests …