Artwork on the deposit system: property rethought!

Artwork on the deposit system: property rethought!

From January 1, 2025, a new deposit system for disposable PET bottles and aluminum cans will come into force in Austria. This regulation is intended to conserve resources and at the same time promote recycling. The Antau artist Thomas Sailer reacts to this change with his new work of art “Eigentum”. Through his work he illustrates the problem of recording ownership of disposable packaging. “You pay for the production of the packaging, so they are your property,” explains Sailer, but points out that throwing away the bottle is now interpreted as an additional cost. As an artist, he wants to initiate social discourse about property and the mania for regulation meinkreis.at reported.

The topic of property in focus

In the context of his work, Sailer addresses broader questions: How is our understanding of property changing in a world in which regulation and bureaucracy are increasing? “The circular economy can only begin at the point at which we voluntarily dispose of our property,” the artist explains. He criticizes the tendency towards rental and subscription models that question private ownership. This reflects a deeper need for freedom and control over one's own property, something Sailer has advocated for years. Sailer, born on August 4, 1987, is not only an artist, but also a writer and leisure pioneer, known for his novels and non-fiction books, which also address the pursuit of freedom and fulfillment, such as thomassailer.com describes.

His latest work is not only a reaction to the deposit system, but also a call for a critical examination of one's own consumer attitudes and the effects of legal regulations on individual property. With “Property” Thomas Sailer impressively shows how art can serve as a mouthpiece for social issues and invites us to think about the changes in our perception of possessions.