AUDIO BSR (Berlin Sanitation Department), 1986. Official street cleaner uniforms with vacuum cleaner sounds and vacuum cleaner parts.
Die Anweisung Festival Berlin.

In 1986 I started installing the audio corsets inside other standard uniforms (for example Berlin sanitation worker uniforms) and having them play their own particular sound — for example the recorded sound of a vacuum cleaner. This consternated passersby because of the contradiction of a non-“working” sound (vacuum cleaner noise) with that of a “normal” working clothing (sanitation worker overalls). People are confronted withthe problem of “hearing” with “seeing”. One sees something normal, but it behaves in a completely unlogical way: Where is the motor? Where is the vacuum cleaner bag? Are they actually cleaning? Does this machine actually work?

 

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