Title of the compilation: Perfo 2
Title: Komar en Melamid: Urbi et Orbi (Track 20)
Publisher: Lantaren Venster Records, Rotterdam
Date: 1984
Medium: record 30 cm
The piece Urbi et Orbi by the Russian artist duo Komar en Melamid was created following an invitation to the PERFO 2 performance festival organised by the Lantaren Venster Theatre in May 1984. The invited artists were asked to submit a sound art piece, the only specification being the duration: 75 seconds. This footage was used to create Symphonie Perfomanique, which put the pieces together in alphabetical order of the artists' surnames.
Komar en Melamid's contribution is a spoken word piece in which a speaker's voice states the passage "Urbi et Orbi" alternating with various events or personal names. Thus one part of the text reads:
"[...] Urbi et Orbi - Sputnik - Urbi et Orbi - Socialism - Urbi et Orbi - Dissident - Urbi et Orbi - Israel - Urbi et Orbi [...]."
In this way, Komar en Melamid continue their critical way of working, and link politically and socially relevant catchwords or persons with the Christian phrase, which stands for universality and worldwide significance. A tension develops between the events, things or people mentioned and their actual or intended international significance, prominence or influence. The ironic attitude taken by the artists towards the mentions becomes clear at the end of the piece when the speaker's voice turns into an ironic, deliberate and partly diabolical laugh.
PS