Have you ever stolen from your workplace?

Combo, Venice (IT), 2019

Have you ever stolen from your workplace? is a site-specific installation in the atrium of Combo, a former monastery in Venice, during the Acqua Alta of November 2019 (high tide floods).

Psycho-galvanic skin response causing a 12th century well to speak. Triggered by evasiveness and forgery, an obscure self-engineered lie detector is connected to a speaker on the bottom of the well, which poses questions while the perspiration development data is stored in a suitcase hanging above.

The well conducts problematic inquiries with questions ranging from the fields of moral psychology, social history, Socratic conversation and cold reading. Have you ever stolen from your workplace? shows a perpetuating feedback-loop by a data-hungry void that questions our deontological or utilitarian decision making ways – binding together the archetype of the well and its classic moral dilemmas.

Made possible with the kind support of the Dirty Art Foundation and Microclima.

Part of the group show Hypnequinomagia, during the finissage of the 2019 Venice Biennial.

Dimensions: 250 x 250 x 400cm
Materials: Aluminium (handles), Arduino engineered lie detector, audio, speaker, heavy-duty transport case, suitcases, shrink wrap

With the help and advice of: Gamze Baray, Nicola Baratto, Eurico Sá Fernandes, Kitty Maria, Kees Aafjes