Imagine he was uglyInstallation, 2025
Dokumentation ZKF WS2024
Lena Kalleitner

A national hero is an individual venerated by a nation for playing a significant role in the country's history, culture, or identity. National heroes often embody values such as freedom, justice, or resistance against oppression. Their actions—whether in politics, warfare, science, or social change—shape the collective memory and serve as an inspiration for future generations. Their reverence may be formally promoted by the state or arise organically from the people.

 Definition from Chat-GPT
Initially, I began saving reels out of curiosity, which gradually developed into an extensive collection. Before long, the concept of transforming these videos into an artwork took shape. One of my initial approaches involved working with Britney Spears' song *Criminal*, which is frequently used among Mangione's fans, as the lyrics “[...] But mama, I’m in love with a criminal [...]” resonate with the narrative of young girls falling for a killer

As the song was integrated into Instagram and TikTok reels, it experienced a resurgence in popularity, as evidenced below. The diagram illustrates a sharp rise in the number of Spotify playlists to which the song was added in early December, around the time Mangione shot Brian Thompson.

In the project's early stages, I contemplated incorporating this diagram, presenting it on a small screen accompanied by a brief contextual description. However, I quickly abandoned this idea, finding it too abstract in nature.
    He is a hustler, he's no good at all
    He is a loser, he's a bum, bum, bum, bum
    He lies, he bluffs, he's unreliable
    He is a sucker with a gun, gun, gun, gun
    I know you told me I should stay away
    I know you said he's just a dog astray
    He is a bad boy with a tainted heart
    And even I know this ain't smart
    But mama I'm in love with a criminal
    And this type of love isn't rational, it's physical
    Mama please don't cry, I will be alright
    All reason aside I just can't deny, I love the guy
    He is a villain by the devil's law
    He is a killer just for fun, fun, fun, fun
    That man's a snitch and unpredictable
    He's got no conscience, he got none, none, none, none
    All I know, should've let go, but no
    'Cause he's a bad boy with a tainted heart
    And even I know this ain't smart


      Britney Spears’ “Criminal”