KENZI كنزي BENABDALLAH, CONCEPTUAL ARTIST; b. 1989, BATNA, ALGERIA.




   

01

INSTALLATIONS

NICHT GEBOREN AUF DEUTSCHEM GRUND /
NICHT GEBOREN AUS DEUTSCHEM GRUN


"HOW DO LABOUR SYSTEMS TRANSFORM THE BODY IN FRAGILE SITUATIONS?" –

A CENTRAL QUESTION OF MY RESEARCH AND WORK "NICHT GEBOREN AUF DEUTSCHEM GRUND/NICHT GEBOREN AUS DEUTSCHEM GRUND" THAT MATERIALISES INTO A SERIES OF INSTALLATIONS.
 
IT BEGINS WITH PERSONAL STORIES AND ARCHIVAL MATERIAL2 OF MY FATHER AND MOVES INTO THE PRESENT.

THIS WORK TRACES THE HISTORY OF THE MALE ALGERIAN DIASPORA THAT FORMED IN THE GDR AFTER 1975.


THIS WORK TRACES THE HISTORY OF THE MALE ALGERIAN DIASPORA THAT FORMED IN THE GDR AFTER 1975.






AN OFFICE CHAIR AS THE VISUAL LANGUAGE OF PRODUCTIVITY, MADE FROM CASTED ALUMINIUM. THE SPIKE AT ITS CENTRE RENDERS IT A REVERSAL OF ITS OWN FUNCTION – AND THEREFORE UNUSABLE.

THE BODY FINDS NO PLACE HERE. EXPLOITATIVE SYSTEMS, LIKE THAT OF CONTRACT LABOUR, CONTINUE TO EXIST IN DIFFERENT FORMS TODAY. IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THIS HISTORY IN ORDER TO RECOGNISE ITS PARALLELS IN CONTEMPORARY FORMS OF THE SYSTEMATIC EXPLOITATION OF PEOPLE IN FRAGILE LIFE SITUATIONS.



CREATIVE SERVICES AND CONSULTING FOR MUSIC, ART AND FASHION COMMUNICATION.
















02

60 x 50 CM

VINTAGE BLACK LEATHER BELTS, METAL FRAME, SILVER BELT BUCKLE

“SHAYTANشَيْطَان”



A BELT.


A RITUALISED PERFORMANCE OF MALE AUTHORITY.

A SYMBOL OF POWER AND AGGRESSION.
A FORM OF ‘DISCIPLINE’ IN THE MEMORY OF THE ARTIST.
THESE BELTS, WORN BY MEN IN THE 1990S IN ALGERIA, FORM THE ENTIRE CANVAS. THE WORD “SHAYTAN” (ARABIC: ‘DEVIL’) IS IMPRINTED ON A SILVER LEATHER BELT BUCKLE.
THE WORD WAS USED AS PART OF THE RITUAL TO SIGNAL ANGER AND AGGRESSION.

LANGUAGE AND OBJECT CONVERGE:
THE WORD NAMES THE FORCE WHILE THE BELT PERFORMS IT.

IN THIS RITUAL, A BELT WAS REMOVED FROM THE WAIST, SNAPPED IN THE AIR, ITS LEATHER CUTTING THROUGH SILENCE LIKE A WARNING. A WAY FOR MEN TO SHOW THEIR STRENGTH AND PRACTICE THEIR AUTHORITY IN A MASCULINE HIERCHARCHY.

FREEDOM IS GAINED BY REJECTING PERFORMED RITUALS OF MASCULINITIES. REFUSING INHERITED GESTURES AND CHOOSING NOT TO REPEAT THEM.








03

60 x 50 CM

VINTAGE BLACK LEATHER BELTS, METAL FRAME, SILVER BELT BUCKLE

HARAM TYPE