'Black Market' by Andrej Škufca at MGLC, Ljubljana

Black Market by Andrej Škufca is a sculptural installation based on modular iterations. Its body represents a futuristic animal composed of our contemporary biotechnical debris – of oil pipelines, ocean fibre optic cables, eels, exoskeletons and the earliest forms of tubular multicellular micro-organisms. It encapsulates theories of modular design and self-assembly, described as “spatial software” by Keller Easterling. The sculptures represent a substance that is transformed into endless combinations, a sleek black substance reminiscent of Reza Negarestani’s description of the “black corpse of the Sun”. It is rooted in science-fiction narratives while embodying the biotechnical corpus of the latest speculative design and theory. Andrej Škufca’s work presents itself as a complex system characterised by high-end design, industrial production processes and synthetic materials. He does not merely combine technological and fictional elements in his installations, but also shapes immersive and seemingly animated environments in which human agents no longer play a central role. This spatial universe is imagined as an unfolding narrative for the spectator to traverse. Between theory and sculpture, the perceptions that emerge paint the scenario of a terrifying but open future.