The word "metaphor" is from the Greek meta plus pherein, to carry across or transport… We are concerned with all forms of transport of goods and information, both as metaphor and exchange. Each form of transport not only carries, but translates and transforms, the sender, the receiver, and the message.

Marshall McLuhan. Understanding Media

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The image of Transporters arose from a household pictogram on a package box from the refrigerator ‘Minsk’. Andrey Suzdalev loved this picture of two baggage handlers. The artist saw a lot more meanings in it than a simple package sign suggested. He cut the pictogram out and hung it on the wall. In 2003 on the Solovetsky Islands at the ArtAngar festival Andrey Suzdalev and Olga Khan made their first performance titled ‘Transporters’. Wearing white overalls and helmets, the artists metaphorically represented the ancient Greek ferryman Charon as a Transporter on the shore of the White Sea.

 

The creative duo continued the research of the topic ‘Transporters’ in a series of performances and installations in different cities and contemporary art spaces. They were developing the topic of the borderline between the living and the lifeless: Transporters who help astray souls find their shore.

 

The film Transporters is the result of this artistic research. One way or another, the film shows objects and sketches used in previous project performances and installations.

 

In 2006, the film Transporters received the main award at IZOLENTA, International Digital Cinema Festival (St. Petersburg), nomination ‘Animation’.

 

The final stage, which put together the whole Transporters project, was the artist’s book from the B&W series, made in silk screen printing technique. The book is also presented in the exhibition.