Alarm II in Ajka, Hungary
By Worth Attention on 13-Jun-11 09:47:04 PM
I have just read this report on the website of the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, and I quote:
On Oct. 4, 2010, the northwest corner of the dam at the No. 10 reservoir of the Ajka alumina plant collapsed, flooding the nearby towns of Kolontar and Devecser with 35 million cubic feet of red mud. The mud is a waste product of the process by which bauxite is refined into alumina, a form of aluminium oxide. As a result of the spill, 10 people were killed, more than 100 injured, and many left homeless. Six months later, nearby residents remain uncertain of their safety.
When I first saw images of this disaster on TV - with the river of red mud - I was instantly reminded of Joseph Beuys' installation 'Alarm II'. A translation of the text accompanying the photograph of the installation in the book 'Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen Düsseldorf, Joseph Beuys, Werke aua der Sammlung Ulbricht' reads:
'Alarm II is the second of the two vitrines of this title in the Ulrich collection. The effect of this work results from the use of colour and the extensive character illustrated by the tubes laid over each other in loops. In form the arrangement is reminiscent of the minimalistic works of the American artist Eve Hesse from the 1960s, however it follows a concept of aesthetics and contents of its own. As is evident from its components, Alarm II describes a human life-threatening situation. The utensils – crucible, clamps, infusion tubes and bag – originate from emergency medical equipment used when life-saving assistance is given. A strange effect is achieved by the luminous red colour in which the vessels are covered and the intense blue of the mussel.
The circulation of the tubes to and from the crucible containing the mussel makes it clear that Alarm II concerns the dependency of different systems. The components used have healing but also dangerously harmful qualities. The red cinnabar (vermilion), also called mercury sulphide, is a compound of mercury and sulphur. In ancient times it was regarded as a combination of masculine and feminine principles. The mussel is embedded in this system. It has come out of the water, which is at the same time its natural habitat. As a creature in existence since primeval times the mussel represents the early days of our planet, the basic requirements of life and the future of the earth. Beuys has dipped it in copper sulphate, a life-threatening poison, and in doing so has exposed it to destruction. The luminous blue substance, a combination of copper, sulphur, hydrogen and oxygen, represents forcefully the poisoning of plants used against pests in modern agriculture. It affects materials powerfully; in humans an oral overdose can cause damage to the liver and kidneys. Thus Alarm II presents the effect of necessary and at the same time dangerous substances, and should be understood as a warning. For only by dealing with these materials with care can our world be saved from the threat of destruction'.
I have highlighted the last two sentences - they seem very pertinent.
