We had been working together intensely between 2015 and 2019, initiating the setup of arts spaces in both London and Barcelona (Limbo, Actora, Infinita). Often working as part of larger groups, within arts, theatre and music, we would pursue the sculptural and object based activity that these projects would leave behind them. Working with sculptural experiments, costumes and clothing, promotional devices, audiovisual equipment, we would develop the apparatus needed for these events to continue.

Being at Nerv in October 2020 was the first time we have worked together in a year. Nerv is a project space in Hummené, Slovakia, guided by Jana Bercelova since a couple of years ago, stimulating a community and open space to the peoples of the town and further abroad.

Through our time there, we worked on the construction of a ramp. First constructing a cardboard scaffolding to scale, we sliced at increments to allow it to flex, and packed a weave of materials, interwoven for strength: meshed and netted metal, branches from the local river, the garden at Nerv, which was then fossilised in concrete.

The initial latticed triangular form is a direct copy from the ceiling structure from an industrial building between the port and Montjuic mountain in Barcelona. We used this space as a studio in early 2019, entering through an air conditioning unit, which was later able to be secured as an arts space under the name Foc.

Both one of the earliest technological tools, a ramp is one of the six simple machines (alongside the pulley, lever, wedge) to change direction of magnitude of energy. It's etymology comes from the same route as climbing plants (rampicante). We gravitated on the idea of the ramp being a structure that allows the ability to build other things, as well as a technology which enables people and objects to be raised, and an object of physics which amplifies energy.

RAMPA construction photos,
with Victor Ruiz-Colomer
(photos by us and Jana Bercelova)

In residence at NERV platforma, (Humenné, Slovakia)

August 2020