Fragment Cloud explores themes of centralisation and decentralisation through the digital reconstruction and dispersal of a demolished Stalin statue. Originally erected in 1951 as a symbol of centralised authority, the statue was dramatically destroyed and fragmented during Hungary's 1956 Revolution, with its pieces scattered throughout the city.
The artwork involves three performative stages, each reflecting a significant historical moment. First, István László assumes the role of the original sculptor, meticulously recreating the monument digitally based on archival photographs, capturing its scale and material details. Second, embodying the revolutionary crowd, he digitally reproduces the damage and graffiti inflicted upon the statue after its downfall, emphasising its transformation into a medium for political expression. Lastly, László enacts the decentralisation process by digitally breaking the monument apart, allowing participants to disperse these fragments across the internet.
Viewers actively engage with the artwork by requesting and receiving digital fragments of the statue, generating a continuously evolving video documentation of this dispersal. Each fragment removal triggers a new recording, capturing the digital monument's fragmentation in real time. Participants agree to share their geographic location on Google Maps, visually documenting the spread of fragments and prompting reflections on contemporary issues around data privacy, personal information sharing, and the broader implications of information control in our digital age.
To acquire a digital fragment of the statue contact
