In contribution with Hatala Noémi and MIAKŐ Association

The project takes its point of departure from the activist practices of three twentieth-century photographers—Éva Besnyő, Kati Horna, and Ata Kandó. Shaped by liberal upbringings, long and multifaceted careers, and a deep engagement with the radical aesthetic and social movements of their time, these artists offer important lessons for contemporary activist art. Rather than placing themselves or their works at the center of attention, they developed collaborative modes of practice and explored the possibilities of working across artistic media. Building on this legacy, The Batteries of Resistance: A Mikepércs Tutorial likewise investigates the contemporary potential of intermedial thinking, collective action, and ethical representation.

Erdei Krisztina and Hatala Noémi collaborated with members of the Mikepércs Mothers for the Environment Association. Their aim was to present activism not as an exceptional act, but as a natural response deeply embedded in everyday life. Responding to the rapidly expanding network of industrial factories around Debrecen and their environmental impact, the members of the association fight not only for the protection of nature but also for their homes, their children's future, and their own dignity. Their struggle is therefore simultaneously ecological, social, and deeply personal.

The table connecting the two sides of the installation symbolizes a shared space for reflection, conversation, and the exchange of fears among the women of Mikepércs—a place where personal stories are heard and acknowledged. Visitors are invited to enter this open environment and, through the act of listening and looking—as a gesture that is at once empathetic, restorative, and political—to become participants in this ongoing process.

2025