Pharmacity Installation, 2021

In France almost every village has several pharmacies. They try to draw attention through an animated logo in the form of a cross but by overkill they reach the opposite. The collection of footage of those flashing pharmacy logos throughout various European cities is a powerful symbol of our capitalist welfare state.

Lokman created a condensed city made only of those flashing crosses, a kind of hyper-pharma-city. Due to the concentration, the logos lose their attention-getting function, suggesting that “by shouting you will not be heard”. But re-joined they suddenly gain an unexpected, ironic elegance and beauty.

During the day, these logos are much less compelling than at night. Adding a realistic element, a day-night rhythm, increases credibility and reveals a world that could actually exist. The narrow irregular spaces between the elements resemble streets and alleys, and resemble the organic way cities have emerged.