THE LAST GREAT SMOKE
Adna Muslija, Curator of Gallery Manifesto, 2024
The exhibition “The Last Great Smoke” at Manifesto Gallery opens at a time that, unfortunately – and yet again – highlights the pressing relevance of its themes. Just a month after floods, caused by capitalist prioritization of profit over responsible resource management, claimed dozens of lives in Jablanica, and only weeks after similarly devastating floods took hundreds of lives in Valencia, the relationship between humans and nature has taken on an undeniably dystopian tone. This is the same tone that echoes in the title of Mladen Miljanović and Wolfgang Lehrner’s solo exhibition.The phrase “the last great” can be seen as a prefix that signifies defining epochs in human civilization. For instance, the 19th century might be called “the last great revolution,” the 20th “the last great ideological clash,” while our current age – through the self-aware and self-critical lens of the artists – could be termed “the era of the last great smoke.” In this context, however, “smoke” isn’t just literal. Unlike “revolution” and “ideology” from previous epochs, smoke is neither a cause nor a consequence; it is a symptom– a reflection of complex interactions bet- ween human activity and nature.
Smoke, as material broken down into particles and vapor, sounds almost poetic, even mystical. Just like the natural water cycle. Humanity has long exploited the ability of water and other substances to shift states, initially unknowingly and now heedlessly, ignoring that such a resource might one day demand repayment. Miljanović and Lehrner delve into these state shifts, exploring the movement of matter from phenomenological, sociological, and ecological perspectives.
Miljanović’s installation, Stone Whispers Smoke Signals, is based on statistical data about air pollution across several global cities, including Sarajevo. Air pollution, as a byproduct of combustion, is rendered both literally and symbolically. Stone blocks, shaped like statistical strip graphs, emit smoke, recalling factory chimneys and urban landscapes – both symbols of humanity’s disregard for the atmosphere. Miljanović’s installation thus becomes a confrontation with the causes and consequences on both micro and macro levels.
Lehrner’s multi-channel video installation juxtaposes natural and artificially modified climates. Close-ups of water dripping and flowing, produced by artificial air cooling, initially appear meditative but soon, through sound, provoke discomfort. Air conditioning units – perhaps the clearest expression of humanity’s desire for comfort and control over climate – emerge as sources of unease. Lehrner’s work suggests that artificial water cycles may carry costs far greater than just the electric bill.
The Last Great Smoke is not a bleak prophecy but a warning and a call to action. Smoke does not signal decline; with a collective commitment to change, it could instead mark a rebirth for both nature and humanity.