If you’re heading to Venice in the next few months and want to see some interesting installations and artworks connected with the Biennale check out The Fear Society – Pabellón de la Urgencia, a project by the Region of Murcia curated by Jota Castro.
An international group of artists comprising Tania Bruguera, Fernando Bryce, Martin Dammann, Regina José Galindo, Rainer Ganahl, goldiechiari, Hans Haacke, Alfredo Jaar, Jesus Martinez Oliva, Jesus Segura and Ann-Sofi Sidén, created works inspired by one main theme, fear in our times.
From change to terrorist attacks, the future and financial crisis, all types of fears were tackled by the various artists who used their work to mirror the main issues of the frightening times we are living in.
One of my favourite installations connected with this project is Rainer Ganahl’s.
In a way Ganahl's work could be defined as "politically fashionable" and it's also linked with previous projects Ganahl presented at the Venice Biennale.
Inspired by the conflict in former Yugoslavia, Ganahl presented in 1999 an installation comprising 50 T-shirts entitled “Please, teach me … 50 languages spoken in countries that don't have any Pavillion at the Venice Biennial”.
More T-shirt art followed with the Bush administration that inspired Ganahl to embroider on top of traditional "I (HEART) NY" T-shirts George Bush’s idioms.
The popular New York T-shirts recently reappeared in the current Fear Society project, but this time Ganahl simply painted on them words, terms and slogans associated with the crisis, from "Collateralized Debt Obligation" to "Credit Crunch", "Lehman Brothers", "Foreclosure" and "Credit Swaps".
While the T-shirts are exhibited on dummies, on the floor the artist has spread hundreds of red lipsticks, condoms and Rossana candies (a post will be dedicated to the legendary Italian Rossana candies one days and on my fascination with their bright ruby red paper that led me to make some accessories with them a while back) scattered around to form a big heart that calls to mind the symbol of the “I love NY” T-shirts.
In an interview on his site Ganahl explains that these products are profiting from the current crisis and have seen their sales volume increase by 30%, that’s why he decided to use them.
The installation is completed by a video in which Ganahl introduces himself in Chinese and goes through his project clad in a "I love NY/AIG bonuses" T-shirt, pretending he has worked for American insurance and financial service company AIG.
The Fear Society project is at the Arsenale Novissimo, Tese di San Cristoforo, Tesa 92, Venice, until 4th October, but if you fancy one of Ganahl’s T-shirts you can buy them through Artcycle and support in this way the 2010 Fashion in Film Festival (FFF).
You can get to know more about this project by reading my interview with Marketa Uhlirova, FFF director and curator, on Dazed Digital.
Member of the Boxxet Network of Blogs, Videos and Photos
http://www.boxxet.com/my/badgeBN.80.15.js?boxxetId=u23036
Member of the Boxxet Network of Blogs, Videos and Photos
http://www.boxxet.com/my/badgeBN.160.30.js?boxxetId=u23036
http://www.lijit.com/wijitinit?uri=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lijit.com%2Fusers%2Fabnet75&js=1
I like the shirt.Wish I stumbled your site before. Thanks a lot for this valuable information.
-mikee-
I really like the shirt’s designs. very good collection.
-mikee
I like the designs of the shirts. very good to collect.
-mikee