Tomaž Furlan, Wear XIII, photo Robert Ograjenšek, courtesy of the artist
SKC Korotan, Vienna
Tomaž Furlan’s artistic practice has, from its very start, explored topics that address the relations between humans and (their) environment, or, more specifically, the individual (worker) and their engagement with various relationships and systems. Through his artworks, Furlan reflects on social dynamics, the civilised environment and its tools, while also exploring the personal perspective of the average individual and the potential dimensions and distortions that can occur within personal interpretation. The exhibition Right Before the Click brings together two earlier works alongside the most recent series, demonstrating changes in the artist’s working methods, aesthetics, and thematic focus over the past few years. Furlan’s artistic production continues to be conceptual, participatory, and humorous.
Two of the exhibited works are from the Wear series, which the artist has been developing since his student days, specifically since 2005 – Wear XIII (2013) and Wear XVIII (2014). Although the series began with video performances (and without any objects), these two pieces mark a significant shift towards focusing on the object and transforming the spectator’s role into that of a user and co-participant. Wear XIII features an object – a chair – and a video showing the artist demonstrating how to use the object. The chair is designed so that the person sitting can use it to kick people in front of them, and each kick (even into nothing) moves the chair forward. Performing a meaningless gesture brings a sense of playfulness and relaxation to the gallery space, while the duality of roles the visitor can assume suggests reflection on power relations and on the piece itself (activity). On the other hand, Wear XVIII completely removes the video and places the object at the centre, thereby opposing its traditional artistic inviolability. The piece consists of a surface made of car sheet metal (covers) over which the viewer can walk. It is deliberately constructed so that it also produces sound – noise. The interactive playground places the individual in direct physical contact with the work, and walking over the artwork raises questions not only about the relationship to the artwork but also about its value.
The latest series, titled Tumbler (2026), retains a participatory moment but shifts its focus from a collective, social experience to a personal, intimate one. The objects are not made from waste materials but from stones; this choice, along with the production method, makes them more closely resemble typical sculptures. The visible handprint invites the spectator to touch the stone and, at the same time, offers a surprise – one does not feel the expected coldness of stone. The tactile object suggests a contemplative experience through individual interaction (through touch). The process of creating these works and their experience stems from reflection on consumerism and social interactions, where boundaries in the contemporary world are markedly blurred. What does the »click« in the title refer to? We can conclude that the individual is inevitably embedded in a social (and production) routine, which has also been successfully integrated into private space. Nevertheless, it remains ultimately connected to the individual’s choice, which appears personal and free, rather than dictated by external systemic mechanisms.
Nina Skumavc
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Tomaž Furlan graduated in sculpture from the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Ljubljana. He is the recipient of the 2012 OHO Group Award and the 2017 Rihard Jakopič Prize. His work has been showcased in various exhibitions both in Slovenia and abroad, including Videospotting and Videodocument, Gallery 3,14, Bergen Norway (2008); Limited access II, Parkingallery, Tehran (2009); In the loop: Contemporary EU Video Art, Washington, USA (2010); Manifesta 9, Genk, Belgium (2012); U3 – 7th Triennial of Contemporary Slovenian Art, MSUM (2013); Sculpture Today, Centre for Contemporary Arts, Celje (2012); Biennial Port Izmir 3 – IT’S ENOUGH!, Izmir, Turkey (2014); Tomaž Furlan, Wear, Museum of Contemporary Art, Rochechouart, France (2015); Sesto Award 2015, San Vito al Tagliamento, Italy (2015); Crises and New Beginnings: Art in Slovenia 2005–2015, MSUM (2016); WEAR, KGLU – Ravne Gallery, Slovenj Gradec (2016); Breakfast on a Morning Train, ŠKUC Gallery (2019); Until Morning!, Alkatraz Gallery (2020); Under the Surface, ARCOMadrid Art Fair, Spain (2020) – in collaboration with P74 Gallery; Božidar Jakac Gallery, Kostanjevica na Krki (2021); The Mother of All Struggles, City Art Gallery, Ljubljana (2024); A Manual, Škofja Loka Museum (2025); Does it work?, Pivka House of Culture (2026).
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Production: Zavod P.A.R.A.S.I.T.E. / P74 Gallery, Ljubljana
In colaboration with SKC Korotan, Vienna.
