The Basement (loop version)

Invited to take part in Manifesta 10 at the Hermitage in Saint Petersburg, visual artist Erik van Lieshout decides to take up quarters for two months in a very specific part of this huge museum: the basement, where volunteers provide shelter for about a hundred stray cats. Van Lieshout starts helping the women with their work, meanwhile doubting his participation in the art event because of the ongoing political tension between Western Europe and Russia. In a mix of animation and documentary, this fast-paced 17-minute film showcases Van Lieshout’s hilarious attempts to do good and to make art useful for humans and animals alike.