Vesna Bukovec

Okrožnica / Circular

Year: 2016
Duration: 00:03:40

Video Okrožnica / Circular is a simple animation of spinning circle. A preloader is familiar to all computer and Internet users. The aim of the spinning circle animation is to inform the user that certain process is taking place in the background even though the result is not yet visible. If the circle is spinning for too long, we become nervous and even angry.

The endlessly spinning circle could be compared to the slowness of bureaucratic procedures and the powerlessness of those who are waiting. Continuous rotation is symbolizing the flow of time, as well as being caught in a loop.

The shape of the circle is the shape of the letter o. Inside the rotating circle the words starting with the letter o (in Slovene language) are appearing and disappearing. At first sight random words turns out to be related to life choices and situations of refugees and asylum seekers who are waiting for their application for international protection to be solved. Will their endless circle of waiting ever stop?

The video was first presented as part of the screenings in public space project VideoWall 2016.

Translation of words in the video:
Obnemeti / to be left speechless
Obupati / to give up
Odločiti / to decide
Opogumiti / to encourage
Oditi / to leave
Ovira / obstacle
Osupniti / to stun
Ograja / fence
Odpreti / to open
Občutiti / to experience
Omogočiti / to enable
Odločba / official decision
Odobriti / to approve
Opora / support
Odpočiti / to rest
Oprostiti / to forgive
Objeti / to hug
Obnoviti / to recover

In the period between 17 October 2015 and 25 January 2016 Slovenia was crossed by 422.724 refugees and migrants.
158 persons requested international protection
69 applications were resolved
Only 5 persons were granted refugee status

Source: vlada.si/en/helping_refugees/