(Performance in public space, video, and immersive installation)

Smile Sisyphus reinterprets the mythological figure of Sisyphus through a performative engagement with public space in Hildesheim, linking ancient myth to contemporary internet meme culture. Long understood as a metaphor for endless labor and the absurdity of human existence, the myth has found renewed relevance online. In memes, Sisyphus appears as a figure of exhaustion and persistence, reflecting the search for meaning in a fast-paced digital environment shaped by constant information and ongoing demands.

The work originated as a multi-day performance in public space in which the figure of Sisyphus was embodied through the continuous act of pushing a “stone” forward. This repetitive gesture translates the logic of the meme into physical reality, shifting Sisyphus from a digital image into a bodily experience.

By embodying Sisyphus through a female-read body, the figure is detached from its traditionally male framing. This opens associations with invisible care labor that is cyclical and often overlooked.

From the documented performance, a video work emerged. In the exhibition space, the stone itself is physically present and partially blocks the projection. Viewers must keep the stone in motion to see the video in full, repeating the same action as the mythological figure and becoming part of the work’s ongoing cycle.

The work was part of Alicia Agustín's solo exhibition Funny yes but not Funny Haha at Kunstverein Hildesheim. (26.10.2024 - 15.12.2024)                                     

https://www.kunstverein-hildesheim.de/ausstellungen/funny-yes-but-not-funny-haha/

Funny yes but not Funny Haha was conceived as a site-specific work and developed collaboratively.                        

Concept, Performance, Direction, Edit: Alicia Agustín                                                                                                                                                                      

Artistic collaboration, exhibition design, production management: Charlotte Rosengarth
Project collaboration: Polly Bruchlos
Sound design, composition: Gabor Csongradi                                                         Camera: Leo Adass                                                                                                                                                                                                

📸 Frederik Preuschoft