Eclectic Electric Collective — Inflatables as Tactical Frivolity
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A conversation with Artúr van Balen and Verena Meyer of the eclectic electric collective about inflatables as tools in strikes and the concept of tactical frivolity. Berlin, April 13th, 2012.
The collective creates giant inflatable objects — hammers, cobblestones, and other symbols — for use at demonstrations and protests. For the Climate Conference in Cancún in 2010, they created a gigantic hammer inspired by the quote ‘Art is not a mirror to hold up to society, but a hammer with which to shape it.’ Protesters threw it over the conference fence — the police tore it to pieces, creating a dramatic media spectacle.
Van Balen and Meyer describe the concept of ‘tactical frivolity’ — using oversized, playful objects to change the atmosphere of protest, make police aggression look absurd, and create compelling media images. The inflatable, by its very nature, cannot be controlled or given instructions. It introduces an element of unpredictability and absurdity into confrontational situations, transforming the visual dynamics of political demonstrations.