Buttplug Manifest:

Art is a medium that allows us to understand and reflect on the complexity of our world. The role of art that we, Patrick Alan Banfield and Mimi Kohler, wish to see can be seen as a response to the turbulent and frightening times in which we live. Slavoj Žižek speaks of the four apocalyptic horsemen of our time: the metaphor of capitalism as a virus that inexorably infects us; destabilisation through war and populism; hunger manifested in climate change and social inequality; and finally, the threat of advancing technological developments that could penetrate the very core of our thinking and feeling. Each of these horsemen poses a challenge to individual and collective freedom.

Our artistic work aims to address these apocalyptic challenges and encourage audiences to engage critically with them. It asks questions about freedom, desire and fear, and challenges us to re-evaluate the ways in which we move. Art is a response to the world around us and a tool for shaping our understanding of it. It should not be seen as a mere aesthetic object, but as an act of reflection and interaction with our reality. By addressing these dark issues, we seek to initiate a dialogue about the complex and often contradictory aspects of our common life.

In a threatened world, art can and should play a crucial role in shaping our future. It can help us think critically about our society and its threats, and encourage us to seek innovative solutions. After all, it is art that allows us to imagine a different life, a life that is humane.