EN

Michael Mouyal — In Equilibrium



In Equilibrium imagines potentially legal possibilities for Julian Assange’s escape from the Ecuadorian Embassy, where he has been in refuge/asylum since June 2012. The objects and performance do not aim to solve Assange's case but to challenge blurred legal definitions of borders, presenting four absurd Escape Scenarios:

  1. Can architecture stretch borders?
    Ecuador could buy every building between the embassy and the Thames and Assange could make his escape to the water by passing through the walls. 
     
  2. Can a territory be in movement?
    Turn a black cab into an Ecuadorian mobile embassy. 
     
  3. Ecuadorian air
    “If he tries to leave the building by helicopter, British authorities could force him to come down after he enters British airspace” Does breathing British air mean being in British airspace? If he breathes Ecuadorian air from a canister? What if he opens the embassy window and breathes British air?
     
  4. How thin can a border be? 
    Julian Assange can’t set foot on British soil. Interpreting the soil as part of the territory that has contact with Julian’s foot, the Ecuadorian territory is shifted into a pair of socks. 

 

FR

Michael Mouyal — In Equilibrium



In Equilibrium imagine des moyens d’évasions potentiellement légal pour Julian Assange, réfugié dans l’ambassade d’Équateur de Londres depuis Juin 2012. Les objets et la performance ne vise pas à résoudre son cas mais questionnent les définitions vagues de frontière à travers quatre hypothèses d’évasion absurdes:

  1. L’architecture peut-elle étendre les frontières?
    L’ambassadeur d’Équateur achète tous les immeubles qui se situent entre l’emplacement actuel de l’ambassade et la Tamise, permettant ainsi à Julian Assange de s’échapper en se déplacant à travers les murs.
     
  2. Un territoire peut-il être en mouvement?
    Transformer un taxi londonien en ambassade équatorienne mobile. 
     
  3. Air équatorien
    «Si Julian Assange tente de s’échapper en hélicoptère, les autorités anglaises l’arrêteront immédiatement.» Si respirer de l’air anglais revient à être littéralement placé dans l’air anglais, une bouteille d’air équatorien permettrait à Assange de rejoindre sans encombre les eaux internationales tout en restant en Équateur.
     
  4. Quelle est la plus petite épaisseur d’une frontière?
    Julian Assange n’a pas le droit de poser le pied sur le sol anglais. En considérant que le sol n’est pas britannique, mais représente une partie du territoire qui est en contact avec la plante des pieds, Assange pourra porter une paire de chaussettes aux couleurs du passeport équatorien redéfinissant ainsi le territoire équatorien.

In Equilibrium focuses on Julian Assange, held captive in London’s Ecuadorian Embassy since June 2012. The performance plays with the legal possibilities of his escape from London and redefines the very notion of frontier and territory.  "Julian Assange, 41, took refuge in Ecuador's tiny embassy in London last June to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he is wanted for questioning over sex assault and rape allegations. He denies the allegations. Ecuador's socialist president, Rafael Correa, angered the UK, by granting Assange asylum in August on concerns that the former hacker might be further extradited from Sweden to the United States. Ecuador argues that Assange's deportation to Sweden is part of a scheme by the US government to have the former computer hacker extradited to American soil so that he can face charges over WikiLeaks' release of thousands of US diplomatic cables." (1) Embassies are landlocked countries that are located in buildings. Ambassadors rent them, buy them, and sometimes sell them. This process is the result of an agreement between diplomatic corps and special real estate agencies. Besides official agreement, what makes Ecuador's embassy and Ecuadorian territory? In Equilibrium offers absurd solutions to shift current Ecuador's embassy in London into mobile or volatile devices. The objects and performance presented here do not aim to solve Assange's case, but challenge the blurred definition of a border. 1.The Guardian, Wednesday 29 May 2013. Online: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2013/ may/29/julian-assange-human-rights-ecuador —————— Michaël Mouyal’s graduation project in MA design Space and Communication course at Head-Geneva in June 2013, under the direction of Maki Suzuki.

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Further reading:

In Equilibrium

In Equilibrium, 2013



Moving Out:
Printed ticket on 120g plotter paper, 90 x 89728 mm (x1)

Mobile Embassy:
Black Austin FX4 London cab, 1:24, 180 x 70 x 60 mm (x1)
Silver 3d printed key, 50 x 60 mm (x1)

Ecuadorian Air:
Gas bottle, 370 x 90 mm (x1)
Black mask, 100 x 130 x 70 mm (x1)
Plastic transparent pipe, 2100 x 5 mm (x1)
Black 3d printed pressure meter 60 x 10 x 30 mm (x1)

Territorial Socks:
Black leather Church’s shoes, 297 mm (x2)
Gold screen printed logo on purple cotton socks, 297 mm (x2)

Ecuadorian Embassy Carpet:
Red and yellow carpet, 1500 x 5100 mm (x1)

In Equilibrium Film:
10:51 min, 1920 x1080 px

Photography: 
© Mario Simon

Video: 
© HEAD — Genève / Sandra Pointet

Acting:
Aude Bourrier

Voice:
Andrew Bering

Video editing:
Camille De Dieu

Writing:
Iska Bitoun

Passport images courtesy of Passport Index

Performances / screenings: 
9 Mar to 17 Sep 2017 — Popcorn art, design and cinema, Musée d’Art Contemporain, St Etienne
13 May 2016 — Designers screening Mad Museum of Arts and Design, New York
20 to 21 Mar 2015 — Abécédarium du design, Les Arts décoratifs, Paris
26, 27, 28, 29 Sep 2013 — Design Days, HEAD—Genève, Pavillon Sicli, Geneva

Publications:
2015 — Multiplexer, Issue ZERO, Vehicles for Experimental Practice & Goldsmiths Design Department
2014 — Étapes, 218, Fiction et Anticipation

 

Cv:
2016 to present — Malte Martin’s graphic workshop and various projects involving design research, graphic design and research/action
2013 to present — Freelance designer


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