The 6 Basic Rules of (Un)Tidying
2020, 2.19 mins

‘The 6 Basic Rules of (un)Tidying’ is a new work made in Lockdown by Madalina Zaharia. This
short animation addresses the anxiety and nervousness that often accompany our relationship
with a domestic environment which can only exist as a territory for order and unquestionable
joy. By refusing to comply with a strict orthodoxy of tidying we finally free ourselves from the
pressures and demands generated by the upkeep of a so-called perfect home or life. One by
one, each rule pops up across the chaotic layout of a computer screen in order to remind us
that 'mess' is not just something that constantly needs sorting out but rather a comforting force
that might be easily overlooked by a Marie Kondo type of philosophy. Zaharia focuses on
theatrical moments in time and popular culture: memories and gestures that illuminate the
effect of politics on everyday life.