Nomination
Revolution Refridge is both an artwork and a domestic technology that responds to local conditions in Rojava, North East Syria.
Electricity provision is poor in Rojava, due to war-damage and scarcity of fuel. Ongoing bombing campaigns by the Turkish military have destroyed the power grid. ‘European-style’ refrigerators can only be operated with a large solar system that costs the equivalent of a year’s income or more. Especially during the extreme summer heat, the absence of adequate cooling systems has detrimental effects on the quality of life. At the same time, many people are not keen to explore alternatives that are associated with historical methods; any technology that falls outside of the Euro-American visions of the future tends to be perceived as ‘primitive’.
Photo: Rojava Center for Democratic Technologies, Dani Ploeger
Photo: Rojava Center for Democratic Technologies, Dani Ploeger
Photo: Rojava Center for Democratic Technologies, Dani Ploeger
Photo: Rojava Center for Democratic Technologies, Dani Ploeger
Photo: Rojava Center for Democratic Technologies, Dani Ploeger
Revolution Refridge reponds to both these aspects: Firstly, the device combines a historical, vaporization-based cooling method with a bottom-end contemporary solar system. Secondly, its design suggests an alternative, regionalist futurity, fusing sci-fi idioms with regional heritage. The shape of the unit is inspired by space exploration rockets and historical regional architecture. The unit is covered in fragments of Kurdish carpets and its golden colour connects to both traditional jewelry and high-tech circuitry.
Credits
Rojava Center for Democratic Technologies (Basil, Ciwana, Dani, Jihan, Khalil, Siham)
With support from: University of Rojava (Qamishlo, Autonomous Adminstration of North and East Syria), The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (University of London, UK)
Biographies
The Rojava Center for Democratic Technologies (SY) is formed by a fluid group of artists and engineers working in the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES). It was initiated by Dutch artist and cultural critic Dani Ploeger (NL) in 2022. Combining art and engineering, the center investigates and develops visions and practices for a postcolonial technological culture that builds on the principles of democratic confederalism. Democratic confederalism is a form of libertarian socialism that constitutes the backbone of the Rojava Revolution. It is based on decentralized, stateless governance, gender equality, cooperative labour, ecology, and direct democracy.