Olivia Erlanger's 'Humour in the Water Coolant' at ICA London explores object-oriented ontology with talking appliances.
Olivia Erlanger's theatrical work 'Humour in the Water Coolant' debuted at the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) in London, featuring voice performances by Honor Swinton Byrne, Michelle Newell, Callie Hernandez, Amie Francis, Dani Moseley, and Adrian Pang as anthropomorphized appliances. Originally crafted for the 2022 'Appliance' exhibition in Vienna, the narrative centers on Sophie, a character grappling with depression who seeks a medium for a séance. The appliances convey their anxieties about becoming obsolete and their emotional longings, including a shower head's romantic feelings for Sophie. Critic Nathalie Olah reviews the piece, likening it to Olga Ravn's 2018 novel 'The Employees' and citing Andreas Malm's critique of object-oriented ontology, suggesting the play simplifies complex themes and caters to wellness culture instead of confronting material hierarchies.
Key facts
- Olivia Erlanger's play 'Humour in the Water Coolant' was performed at the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) in London.
- The play features actors Honor Swinton Byrne, Michelle Newell, Callie Hernandez, Amie Francis, Dani Moseley, and Adrian Pang voicing appliances.
- It was originally conceived for the exhibition 'Appliance' at Kunstverein Gartenhaus in Vienna in 2022.
- The narrative involves a séance where appliances like a shower head express sexual desire and fears of obsolescence.
- The play engages with object-oriented ontology, a philosophical school from the late 2000s and early 2010s.
- Critic Nathalie Olah compares it to Olga Ravn's 2018 novel 'The Employees', published by New Directions.
- Andreas Malm, a climate activist, has criticized object-oriented ontology as irrelevant outside academia.
- Olah argues the play simplifies philosophical ideas and lacks the depth of works by Bruno Latour or Camilla Grudova.
Entities
Artists
- Olivia Erlanger
- Honor Swinton Byrne
- Michelle Newell
- Callie Hernandez
- Amie Francis
- Dani Moseley
- Adrian Pang
- Olga Ravn
- Nathalie Olah
- Bruno Latour
- Camilla Grudova
- Andreas Malm
Institutions
- Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA)
- Kunstverein Gartenhaus
- New Directions
- Verso
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- Vienna
- Austria