An Orgy of unlimited self-expansion – Libi Zak 

The project “An Orgy of unlimited self-expansion” is a series of small-scale works inspired by the philosophy of Jean-Paul Sartre. It focuses on the psychological and ideological mechanisms of antisemitism and totalitarianism. These works do not portray specific individuals—they embody archetypes. The antisemite is depicted as someone who rejects reason, resists reflection, and finds stability in hatred. As the series progresses, its focus shifts from the individual to the systemic—from a single figure of hate to the all-encompassing totalitarian structure that nourishes and reproduces ideology.

The project raises sharp and fundamental questions: How do totalitarian systems arise and sustain themselves? Is it possible to dismantle them from within? What becomes of morality within such systems, where good and evil are defined by the interests of power? Special attention is given to the role of women: authoritarian regimes often turn women into functions—mothers, symbols, organs—deprived of agency and individuality. The works explore these transformations of the body and role, and the potential for resistance within oppressive frameworks.

Visually, the works are divided into two types: wall-mounted pieces resemble abstract paintings, but behind their aesthetic surface lie concepts of transparency and manipulation—false openness, illusory logic, and the architecture of control. In contrast, the floor-based works are full of motion—they represent the unstable elements of the system that strive to break free, change, and mutate. These are fragments of the regime in the process of transformation, capturing the moment when oppression begins to dissolve and give way to the unknown.

A central metaphor in the series is blue blood—a symbol of power and structure, but also a fluid that can be redirected, altered, or drained. The visual language draws from kinetic art, emphasizing the idea of constant movement as a form of resistance. The system is equated with the body, and the body with a machine. And just as a machine can break down, so too can a system—raising the question: does its collapse lead to destruction or to renewal?

The final stage of the project is a transition from destruction to creation. The breakdown of a system is not the end—it is the beginning of something new. True resistance is not only about exposure, but about imagination and construction. The project invites viewers not only to reflect on the nature of power and oppression but also to envision an alternative—a world that does not yet exist, but could.