Concept, performance

Heland Wetterling Gallery, Stockholm 1996

At this auction I sold out everything I’ve made until then; paintings, objects, installations, sculptures. Two hundred artworks of various quality.

Reason.
I had experienced an increasing dissolution of values in my own and other artists works. Everything I saw remained indifferent. I came to the conclusion that the constant demand for renewal makes ideas old the same minute as they are produced.

As a consequence I decided to treat my artworks as any consumption product in society. These works, however good as artworks they were considered, were forfeited.

The auction suited my purpose. Not the cultivated Art auction – where art has a value – but the more simple form, where you can by everything cheap – if, you are fast enough.

Realization: The project was treated and advertised like any consumption product. An auction agency took care of the auction. The public had only one chance to see the works, the same day they were sold out.
”See it now, Buy it now, Tomorrow is to late”.

About a thousand people came, mingled, bought cheap. Some embarrasingly bad works, some extremely good. All treated the same way. People paid like 20 $ for a giant painting.

The reactions were many. People bought with mixed feelings, aware of their greed, and that something was very wrong with this project.

Art Director: Malin Ringblom

©Gunilla Leander