PortfolioMalcolm Kratz

TenigmaInteractive installation / Game2015Shown at Limits of Imitation, Kunst in Kolderveen.

Tenigma is a game that looks like the Chinese puzzle Tangram. There are infinite possibilities and combinations, while there are only limited number of pieces that are obtained by cutting a square in a particular way.

Tenigma starts as the contemporary version of this age-old game, adapted to hyper-competitive societies. You gather an even amount of people (2, 4, 6 or 8). Each individual takes one set of Tangram pieces and tries to solve the puzzles provided in the booklet. The first player to solve the puzzle wins the round.

As the game proceeds and the puzzles increase in complexity, it becomes im-possible to solve them on one’s own. The only way forward is then to break the rules and start cooperating with other players, by sharing pieces or combining them into one big shape.

BoomhutCollaborative installation &audio recording2014The Utrechtse Heuvelrug reminded me of the book The Baron in the Trees byItalo Calvino. It is a story about the enclosure of the woods that resulted in the cutting down of trees to build real estate and made it impossible for rebel groups to hop through the treetops.

The Heuvelrug is meant as a free space —a commons— a natural reserve which can be used as a recreational area to escape the ever-rushing society. Since a few years, the Heuvelrug is also getting privatised. Walking roads, swimming ponds and forest areas are temporarily enclosed and monetised in high season. Parking areas are build, entrance fees are collected at the newly build barriers and events (festivals) and catering are popping up in the most popular spots of this wonderful area. The zone is also used by Staatsbosbeheer (the state’s forest-ry council) to sell wood. Their rule is ‘cut one tree, plant one tree’ yet the mainte-nance of planting the trees are postponed and heavily back on schedule.

I invited a group artists to cooperatively build a shelter in or around a tree where we can enjoy a potluck, symbolically claim back this commons for by using the space and discussing the temporary enclosure and privatisation of the area.

Schilderen met levendebeestjesKidsworkshop2015 Organised at Mediamatic

Kids (and parents) have a lot of times the idea that bacteria are something bad. While in most cases they are not bad or ‘nasty’ at all. In this workshop kids will learn something about the difference between bacteria, yet even more impor-tantly, we’re going to play and paint with the spores of these living creatures! I show how such drawings cultivate, where after the Petri dish can be taken home. After about two weeks (be patient!) the result will be visible. The drawing grows and comes to life.

JoineryInteractive installation / Game2014Joinery - an old building technique - where puzzle like parts are joined together to farm a strong single core. The Shinto temples in Japan are most famous for their precise joinery work. Something that intrigued me a lot.

The installation is a play-field which invites you to join the play. While you play in this field the emphasis will be on collaboration and sharing. As mostly Dutch - kids will remember “samen spelen, samen delen” (playing together, sharing to-gether.

As I explain in my thesis, Redesigning Basisschool, play and collaboration are the two most important aspects for the transition toward a post-capitalistsociety. A multiplicity and mixture of diverse economies. In this game these as-pects are exactly what will be learned.

Play is a huge part of human development - take for example language. Which also directly shows the importance of collaboration.

In addition, the evolution of building structures and techniques took civilization to the next level. From the stacking of the Egyptians to the arching of the Ro-mans. They were literally building a new society.

This generation will be the cornerstone for a full size renewed social structure.A society of compassionate living.

Now it’s our turn to make post-capitalism happening. Let’s build!

SHŌJINShort documentary2014Runtime 12:52 minutes

Toshio Tanahashi, a famous zen chef from Kyoto, Japan, opened a store which sells only one product: Goma-tofu (sesame-tofu). He makes the tofu everymorning, 24 blocks to be precise. A process that takes about 5 hours. Read his vision on human behaviour within the ever rushing capitalist society whilelooking at a portrait of the making of sesame-tofu.

Video: vimeo.com/malcolmkratz/shojin

Sleep is the enemy of capitalVideo installation2015Runtime 2 ~ 6 minutes

That one moment of the day where there are no visuals, sounds or productsconsumed as induces by an ever imposing system of more and moreconsumption.

“This sabotaging of our natural deceleration is the world’s most common psychoactive experience. And for good reason – without caffeine, we would sleep more, and sleep is the enemy of capital.”

Taken from Adbusters,“Sleep is theenemy of capital” by Douglas Haddow.

Kawaii no shuukyou /The religion of cutenessInstallation & Short film2014Runtime 6:10 minutesIn collaboration with Emma Chipperfield.Shown at White Cube, London.

Inspired on the cult(ure) of cute “kawaii” in Japan. Magical girls, Gatchapons (plastic balls that contain little toys) & Purikura (stick on effects for photo and video). What would happen if the system we know today will collapse and the (plastic) things we left behind are found by a new human collective.

Video: vimeo.com/malcolmkratz/kawaii

Utrecht Centraal StationWebsite & Print2013The busiest station which connects all sides of the Netherlands. A station I, and many others, cross every day. Last year CCTV use increased extremely fast. I recorded the cameras of this station that record me and the thousands of others while passing through this station. A project which got me on a watch-list forsuspicious, potential terrorists.

Digital publication:issuu.com/malcolmmarie-clairekratz/docs/utrechtcentraalstationWebsite: utrechtcentraalstation.nl

Climate GamesPoster design2014 In collaboration with Selçuk Balamir (selj.net).Shown at BOOM BUBBLE & BLAST – art against the crisis,Motorenhalle Dresden.

Last year Groen Front organised a direct action game, named the Climate Games, to address and pressure the fossil fuel industry around the harbour of Amsterdam. Not only do we have a heavily used coal powerplant, it’s the sec-ond biggest coal harbour of Europe, the largest gas harbour and still expending. Since the Industrial Revolution we’re playing games with our climate. Fossil fuel companies do not seem to care much about their immoral act.

Inspired by the slogan “may the odds be ever in your favor” of the Hunger Games Selj and I made this poster for the Climate Games.

This year I am involved with the Hackathons for the Climate Games 2015 towards the COP21 in Paris through the Laboratory of Insurrectionary Imagination.#ClimateGames @HackCOP21

MOOA: Rethinking Societywww.RethinkingSociety.org