SYDNEY–Expect a whole lot of new material in the next few weeks as I get some SBS articles and pre-2001 pics up. If you haven’t tried the new search, which now brings you album titles, prices and reviews, without you particularly wanting them, this is for yooou. Lobster on the dishlickers on Sat night coming. Roast in the oven. Nice.
Great new blog discovery: supernaut… i whore for art. An artist in Taiwan… sound familiar all you artists in TW? And following is something PHC sent me.
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| Claire Hsu (AAA), Peng Hung-chih and Mio Iwakiri (AAA) at the 50th Biennale di Venezia. Credit: unknown. |
Peng Hung-Chih’s Taking Money Project
In the big warehouse space of Huashan (an old winery renovated into exhibition art space), artist Peng Hung-chih wheeled out a flatbed cart, bringing the cart to an area where people congregate. On its bed was a slightly moving paper-covered object looking much like a sculpture of Buddha.
Days before, rumors circulated that there would be a performance where the audience would be able to get some free money. More and more people gathered around Peng’s cart as they realized the figure was covered with paper currency, NT dollars. Then all of a sudden without the artist’s urging, a veritable “feeding frenzy” occurred as the crowd frantically and noisily began tearing the money off of the figure.
One man jumped on the platform, grabbed a fistful of dollars and threw it to the crowd. However, when the removal of the currency revealed a nude man underneath, and also revealed that his lower body and legs were underdeveloped from polio, a sudden wave of shame hit the crowd. The frivolity, frenzy and laughter soon turned into stilted postures and silence as the members of the audience tried to come to terms with what just took place.
One viewer took a couple of bills from his pocket, returned to the cart and covered the model’s genitalia, not wanting him to be left exposed. And later on, another man draped his leather jacket over the nude model as the cavernous warehouse space was filled with a winter chill.
After the performance, several participants spoke to this writer to describe how the frantic act of taking the money off of a crippled human made them think about the unfairness of the current situation of economics, most notably how capitalism ignores, exploits, and abuses the underclass. The performance also linked concepts of religion and money and acts of taking and became a memorable event for all involved.
by Susan Kendzulak
