The project began with Arthur Neznanows return to Berlin and his attempt to find a way to earn money. The frustration about the regular job market brought him to the idea to sell things from his apartment - until there was only left what he could not part with. When his vacuum cleaner broke and he couldn‘t afford a new one, he decided to try to fix the old one. After a short time, it was functional again. Apparently, he had more talent for this than he thought. Shortly thereafter, Arthur began collecting vacuum cleaners from the street and fixed them. After they were repaired, he sold the devices. Two vacuum cleaners a week were necessary to pay the rent.
One day on a whim, Patrick Langermann, an artist friend, posed with the vacuum cleaners in the promotional photos. This, initially planned as a one-time action, soon developed into an ambitious project in which the photographs became more and more expressive. Patrick looked for outfits to match the vacuum cleaners and Arthur for the locations. In the following years, other artists joined the project in order to present the devices in a classic promotional way. In contrast to the glossy products from the common advertisements, Arthurs and Patricks product range consisted exclusively of electronic garbage from the street that had been refurbished and brought back to life. All the devices shown in the photos were actually sold.
A short time later, the pandemic also reached the two hobby vendors and their vacuum cleaner business. They witnessed how public life increasingly retreated into the digital realm. Websites and social media platforms now formed the equivalent to urban space even more than before. In the increased importance of digital space, Arthur and Patrick saw an opportunity to use it as a new public space to place their vacuum cleaner photos, similar to graffiti. When an ad is clicked, an intimate one-person exhibition begins. Potential buyers become visitors to a small gallery without realizing it. Admission is free and there are no opening hours.
Collaboration with Patrick Langermann (Performance and Costume Design for Berlin & Leipzig Shootings)