31. Cappuccino

The video explores the relationship between individual perception and the socio-political environment in which it is formed. The work focuses on how systematic influences become normalized and embedded in everyday behavior, often remaining unseen even when they are directly experienced.

Ideologies in power have historically shaped not only political structures, but also values, beliefs, economies, architecture, and art. Over time, these influences become invisible, absorbed into what is perceived as normal. As we follow the routine of an individual moving through an urban landscape, a place that she actively inhabits yet persistently avoids seeing, we aim to question how aware we truly are of the environment we live in and what role we take in it.

The individual wears a gas mask that creates a physical and psychological distance between her and her surroundings. Wearing the mask, the subject does not deny the existence of danger; on the contrary, the mask confirms it. However, instead of prompting action or resistance, the mask enables adaptation. It becomes a tool for normalization, allowing the subject to participate in daily routines without confronting the underlying reality. Although inspired by recent blockades in Serbia, the project takes on a universal form recognized beyond a specific place or moment. Ultimately, the project functions as an open question: how aware are we of the systems that shape our reality, and how do we choose to react or not to react to them?