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State of Sabotage (SoS)
Artistic / Cultural Conceptual Micronation |
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Tædivm
Homepage
This
page was made possible by the combined effort of diverse members of the
Unrecognised States Numismatic
Society |
STATE OF SABOTAGE: The State of Sabotage was founded in the ‘90’s by artist Robert
Jelinek as an art collective, dedicated to provoking new thought, breaking of
conventions, spreading unpredictability, sedition and subversion of
expectations within the established order. In 2003, during a performance-art festival in Finland, Robert Jelinek declares the independence of the State of Sabotage (SoS) before an audience, including many representatives of diverse micronations. Although primarily a “guerrilla-art” performance project, a concept state, the State of Sabotage presents itself online and during exhibitions as a full-grown micronation, as a secular, sovereign and democratic state, with passports, a constitution, a flag and an anthem. In the period
following the declaration of independence land is purchased in Australia and
the first territorial claim is a fact; later, more territorial claims follow.
Embassies are opened and presentations made in different countries on the
globe. The original purpose of the art collective is not forgotten and in
2004 a state Art Collection is assembled. Artistic collaboration with various
artists follows, leading to widespread artistic recognition of the SoS. But
even though the SoS steadily gains recognition, the real world is not always
understanding of the artistic project; the Internet domains “stateofsabotage”
are blocked by the USA and while Jelinek enters the USA on his way to an
exhibition in Ohio in 2005, all the SoS passports as well as several of his
private belongings are confiscated; even though the items are returned three
months later, after widespread media coverage, the incident provides Robert
Jelinek with proof of the world-renowned lack of humour of the American
establishment. He vows never again to return to the United States. In 2007 the State of Sabotage issued an aluminium, hand-struck undated Five SoS piece. The coin was first introduced as part of the Sos-exhibit during the "Grow Your Own - Micronations" exhibition at the Palais de Tokyo museum for Contemporary Art in Paris. Visitors at the exhibition could, as part of the SoS exhibit, purchase coin blanks and mint these themselves into coins, using a hammer-operated coin press. Since then, these coins have been issued as part of SoS performance-art exhibits elsewhere. Limited amounts of the coins have been issued in brass, copper and silver as well, this last type only available as part of a presentation set. © 2009 Tædivm
/ C.D. Shiboleth. Information and scans courtesy of State of Sabotage, Erik
McCrea and C.D. Shiboleth. Layout thanks to G. Cruickshank / USNS. |
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