Fueled by an economic system that evaluates each individual based on their productivity, humans and machines are in competition with each other. In an effort to improve in order to stay relevant and benefit the society they belong to, they find themselves in a constant mode of self-exploitation. One works because one can, and not because one must. But due to an anomaly a robot abandons the assembly lines to explore an idle and independent existence.

The video series Retraining Laziness follows a conversation between a human worker and a malfunctioning robot as they discuss unhealthy production conditions and their own relationship to work and time.

T(n)C developed Retraining Laziness in 2022 during their residency at FACT (UK).

T(n)C was founded in 2017 by Agnes Varnai and Tina Kult. They live and work in Vienna and experiment with a wide range of media, including virtual reality, 3D, installation, sculpture and film. By combining the different disciplines, they are researching immersive experiences to connect the digital and physical levels of realities. T(n)C’s aim is to expand the practices of collective storytelling. The works of T(n)C have been exhibited at various venues: Kunstraum Niederoesterreich (AT), WRO Biennale 2023 (PL), WIENWOCHE (AT), Vienna Design Week (AT), Rencontres Internationales Paris/Berlin (FR/DE), re;publica (DE). In 2022 they participated in the European Media Art Platform Residency Program at FACT in Liverpool.

Concept and realization: T(n)C
Sound artist: M T Hall
Voices: Aila Ben Franken, Caroline Baas
Vocal recording: Daniel Bucher
Additional 3D and animation: Péter Várnai
3D scan / puppet: Chris Harrison
Text and graphic support: Sebastian Grande, Ráhel Anna Molnár
Thanks to: Benedikt Scheitnagl
With borrowed texts by: André Rauch, Harun Farocki, Catalina Schröder/Hans Rusinek/Deutschlandfunk Kultur, Quora users, Youtube comments, Sinneswandel podcast, Elon Musk

Funded by the European Media Arts Platform (EMAP) and hosted by FACT (UK).

Images: courtesy of the artists