How Not to Work

Commandments of Procrastination

This (kinetic) poster series questions the widespread consensus around a work ethic focused on self-optimization. Its starting point is How To Work Better, a 1991 piece by the Zurich-based artist duo Peter Fischli and David Weiss, which outlines ten rules for efficient work, inspired by factory instructions from Thailand. Prominently displayed on building façades in Zurich and Manhattan, this set of rules resembles the Ten Commandments in form, casting the employer as a godlike authority while the artists act as mediators.

The rules reflect an ideology of productivity enhancement, the promises of which often go unfulfilled in reality. As an ironic counterpoint, the series picks up the theme of procrastination and stages it typographically. Common procrastination strategies echo the subversive spirit of Fischli and Weiss, exposing the original rule set as a corporate ideology wrapped in idealistic language.

The «Commandments for Distracted and Inefficient Work» offer a humorous yet realistic alternative to this ideal. They provide a glimpse into work processes that are far removed from disciplined self-optimization.A perspective aimed at portraying the working world for people with attention difficulties or ADHD. From this emerges the thesis that procrastination can also be understood as a conscious or unconscious form of resistance to the logic of exploitation and optimization.

The three-part poster series visually interprets the progression of a work process influenced by concentration difficulties and procrastinative behavior. The sequence follows a familiar pattern: initial avoidance, growing inner restlessness, and ultimately the overwhelmed attempt to tackle all tasks at once. The numerical order of the posters is deliberately rearranged to emphasize the chaotic nature of the process.

Year:

2022

Supervision:

Prof. Heike Grebin

Exhibited:

Type Out Loud 2.0 – HAW Hamburg (2022)

Published in:

Type out Loud Manifestos (2022)
Posters Can Help (2023)
Play the System (2026)

Online:

play-the-system.xyz

Noah Kortenbruck

Overview Info