Barbora Prekopová in conversation with Micha Bardy

In your diploma work you are showing a windsock, which is typically used at airpors to indicate the direction and strength of the wind to pilots. The English translation of german word "Windsack" is "Windsock". You have changed the shape of the "Sack" into "sock". It seems that you play with the meaning of the words. Could you explain what is your current work about?
With this work, I want to sensitize the common people for the common ground. To exactly sensitize the people to public space. The main goal of this piece is the same as the main goal of Peter Regli's Reality Hackings. These being to induce an exploration of the threshold of perception between seeing and overlooking. Some interesting questions are: At what point does perception become conscious? When does a visual stimulus succeed in attracting attention?

How important are people's reactions for you?
Of course I am curious about the reactions of the spectators. I am interested in, how are the reactions of pilots going to be like. But the most important thing for me is that people interpret or misinterpret my installation on their own.

Is it true, that you initially wanted to install your artwork on the rooftop of Children's hospital in Zürich?
Yes, that's true. I am still working on this idea. But getting permission from the representatives of public institutions is an artwork in itself; this process takes time.

If I understand correctly, the most difficult thing about this artwork is to get permission to intervene in public space? How do you go about getting permission from the authorities?
You're correct. The most important thing is to be transparent, to take people seriously, and try to communicate what I have in my mind.

Is the task of getting permission from the authorities a part of your artistic act?
I wouldn’t say it like this. Convincing the people is for me a part of the game.

The students and teachers know you as Barbora Prekopová. You said to me and you are the same person?
Exactly.

Holy shit. Why did you change your name for the diploma exhibition?
Actually, as an artist, I am working under a pseudonym since my first exhibitionin 2012. In that time I studied in Germany, where did I became the feeling, as if the Berlin wall haven't not yet fallen. So I decided to work under an artist's name, which sounds some kind of neutral. Neutral from the origin, and from the gender.

Where does your artist's name come from?
Michal Bardy was my grandfather. He had six daughters, which all married and took the names from their husbands. I decided to use his first name as well, I have chosen shortcut Micha, which I was thinking, that could be a shortcut of the female version - Michaela. In Slovakia, all names which end with the letter A are female names. In Switzerland, where I am currently working, Micha is a males' name. This sometimes leads to confusion.