Skyline (FRAC Alsace, 2009)
Mounir Fatmi, 2007, VHS tapes, 800 cm x 365 cm, © 2007, courtesy of ADN Galeria and the artist, photo: Jean-Paul Senn
Mounir Fatmi
Mounir Fatmi is a Moroccan artist whose provocative installations address social, political and environmental issues. Fatmi employs a variety of unconventional media in his work, appropriating familiar objects for use in conceptual narratives. In “Skyline,” Fatmi uses VHS tapes, an obsolete means of copying content, to construct shapes that resemble the silhouettes of modern cityscapes. These vaguely-familiar, yet generic skylines represent cities throughout the world that have been propagated from the building blocks of minimalist architecture. Fatmi’s sleek skylines are disrupted by the cascading flow of magnetic tape, which has breached containment. This combination of constructed order and unruly entropy is a commentary on the global spread of consumerism, fueled by a capitalist system that has failed to contain its social and environmental spillover effects. Fatmi continues this theme in “Oil, Oil, Oil, Oil,” in which he depicts the menacing fallout from humanity’s addiction to petroleum-based products. In Fatmi’s work, we witness the side effects of excessive consumption, and begin to understand the social and political systems that drive these unsustainable behaviors.
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Skyline (Te Papa Museum, 2008)
Mounir Fatmi, 2007, VHS tapes, 800 cm x 365 cm, © 2007, courtesy of ADN Galeria and the artist, photo: Te Papa Museum
Skyline (Le Creux de l'Enfer, 2008)
Mounir Fatmi, 2007, VHS tapes, 800 cm x 365 cm, © 2007, courtesy of ADN Galeria and the artist, photo: Matt Hill
In his “Skyline” series, Mounir Fatmi creates site-specific installations from VHS cassettes, an iconic symbol of obsolescence. Fatmi uses this medium as a metaphor for the misguided, and increasingly obsolete, priorities of global consumerism. Obsolescence is an endemic problem in the current era of rapid innovation and profit-driven design. Obsolescence can be caused by many factors, including positive factors, such as new technologies, or harmful factors, such as planned obsolescence. Learn more about obsolescence in this informative BBC post.
Oil, Oil, Oil, Oil
Mounir Fatmi, 2011, agals and black paint, dimensions variable, © 2011, courtesy of Jane Lombard Gallery and the artist
In “Oil, Oil, Oil, Oil,” Fatmi uses agals, which are headbands worn by Arab men to hold the traditional keffiyeh headdress in place. He soaks the agals in black paint and hangs them on the wall, generating patterns that resemble a series of nooses. This ominous installation connects the consumption of petroleum to the history of conflict in the Middle East. Conflicts over oil have exacted an extraordinary human toll throughout history. Learn more about this history of conflict in this slide show presentation by Michael T. Klare.
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Mounir Fatmi’s work addresses the adverse impacts of global consumerism, and the social and political systems that propel its unsustainable growth. If you are inspired by his work, you can take action in your own life. Select one or more pledges listed below and spread the word. You can also learn more by visiting our Pledge Center. Let’s #EndOvershoot and save our #OneEarth.