Solar Plexus Pressure Belt™

The design of the Solar Plexus Pressure Belt™ aims to simulate the pressure I applied with my fingers. After conducting some research, I discovered that this treatment is a form of ‘Deep Touch Pressure Therapy’ widely used for individuals with anxiety and autism, especially for those who prefer to avoid the potential disruptive side effects of prescribed pharmaceutical medications.

There are other real-life examples of Deep Touch Pressure Therapy, such as ‘weighted blankets’ that apply pressure to the body to induce a calming effect and ‘hugging vests’ that aid children with autism in maintaining focus at school. Additionally, there are dogs trained to provide pressure to their owners when they sense a panic attack. However, the Solar Plexus Pressure Belt™ stands as the only one of its kind specifically designed for addressing financial anxiety.

This disorder, which can affect individuals of any class, race, or social status, could potentially be permanently eliminated by implementing a Universal Basic Income. As described by the Basic Income Earth Network (BIEN), a Basic Income is a “periodic cash payment unconditionally delivered to all on an individual basis, without means-test or work requirement.” The goal of UBI is typically to foster equality, reduce widespread poverty, and provide all citizens with a universal standard of living. As a system, UBI can help address the growing wealth inequality prevalent across Europe, including countries like Iceland and the Netherlands, by giving citizens the means to lead stable lives. At its core, UBI fights for the universal right to exist.

The basic idea is that while we don’t have a system in place that provides financial security for everyone, the belt can bridge the gap until such a system is established. The hope is that the Solar Plexus Pressure Belt™ will not be needed in the future.

Although the belt has been developed in response to the economic unease many of us feel, it can and has been used for broader anxieties. In the past few years, I have given a handful of individuals who experience anxiety on a regular basis a Solar Plexus Pressure Belt™ to test its effectiveness. They have all reported back to me that the belt has a calming effect on them.

Whenever the Solar Plexus Pressure Belt™ reaches a wider audience, it sparks a ripple effect of discourse surrounding financial anxiety and the need for Universal Basic Income (UBI). The belt has been showcased in art exhibitions in cities like New York, London, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Antwerp, and Reykjavík. Additionally, it has been made available for purchase in commercial stores such as ZUG ZUG, a fashion store in Shanghai, and ELKO, an electronics store (similar to MediaMarkt) in Reykjavík. The project has transcended its status as artwork, product, or medical device—it has evolved into a platform for international discussions on the importance of UBI.

Currently, the Solar Plexus Pressure Belt™ exists at the intersection of fine art, fashion, and healthcare, which contributes to its relatively higher cost, depending on how you perceive the item.

Another reason for making the short film was to generate exposure for the Solar Plexus Pressure Belt™ at the Rijksakademie open studios where it premiered last year. In a sense I see it as a fashion film where the product shares the leading role with performer Anto López Espinosa. MANTIS tells the story of an artist producing the Solar Plexus Pressure Belt™ in their studio at the Rijksakademie in Amsterdam. During a late night of work, they are suddenly abducted by extraterrestrials. Upon returning to the studio, they find that their appearance, as well as their mood, has begun to change.

I wrote and directed the short film ‘MANTIS’ with the intention of featuring parts of it in ‘Hagsmunir Heildarinnar’ (translated as ‘Interests of a Whole’), a speculative documentary that I am currently working on. The film explores a new thought experiment that expands the idea of the ‘U’ in Universal Basic Income (UBI) to encompass the various entities that constitute a society, not limited to humans alone. It raises questions about whether humans are capable of understanding and considering the interests of other species, and if so, how those interests can be incorporated into the organization of society. Given that natural phenomena can obtain legal rights similar to legal personhood, as demonstrated by the Whanganui River in New Zealand, can they be regarded as citizens and thus eligible for some form of Universal Basic Income?

To push the boundaries of the concept of ‘universal’ in UBI, the film also features a chapter on how hidden people (commonly known as elves) have influenced road construction and urban planning in Iceland. This serves to highlight that if Icelandic authorities can take the interests of hidden people into account when developing infrastructure, they can similarly consider individuals* marginalized in the labor market and provide them with the financial resources necessary for their livelihoods.

Even after UBI is implemented in Iceland, Félag Borgara’s mission is far from complete, as UBI is likely to continue being discriminatory in its limited and conditional selection of (human or unemployed human) citizens. My vision for the future of Félag Borgara is for it to evolve from its current larval stage into a more active organization that can sustain its efforts for years to come.