2016, object placed on the roof of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Skopje

The beginning of the 21st century could be marked by the new wave of nationalistic authoritarian governments on part of the European continent, as the present stage of neoliberalism has brought about a new type of European periphery.

One of them, a particular populist xenophobic authoritarian government, through well-established propaganda machinery and by corrupting its population for already a decade has succeeded in successively degrading and deviating its institutions and all aspects of human existence. The vast majority of this country’s citizens, transformed into a submissive body have nevertheless accepted their corruptive role.

ContraContraBeacon is an object placed on the roof of the Museum of Contemporary Art, one of the highest points of the capital of that country. Emitting light signals at defined time intervals, the museum became a lighthouse, and the light has become a prayer, a mantra and a call for mobilization. In accordance with the rules of Morse code alphabet, it continuously transmits one particular message: “In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy VMRO, start thinking”. *

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* VMRO – acronym with several historical meanings, originally the name of the revolutionary national liberation movement, but currently appropriated as part of the name of the ruling right-wing party of R. Macedonia.

Further reading:

Sculptural, Museum of Contemporary Art, Skopje

onMAPS#3: Trajectories, Roads, Detours, Mobile Archive on Public Space, digital magazine focused on public space, November 2016, pp. 102-107