Legal Tender (2011)
An audio-based private performance
Date: April 30, 2011
Time: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Venue: Next: The Invitational Exhibition of Emerging Art (Art Chicago), Merchandise Mart
In partnership with Adam Van Eeckhout
Part of Tender Exchange, a 5-day collaboratively curated exhibition
curated by Ariel L. Pittman, Bonnie O’Donoghue, Joseph G. Cruz and Joe Mault
featuring work by Scott Carter, Molly Shea, Zihan Loo, Jennifer Mills and Sean Ward
Tender Exchange is a collaborative, progressive installation composed of work by five artists pursuing degrees at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. From April 28 – May 2, 2011, each artist contributed their own work while also responding to, working around and collaborating with the other participating artists to produce a material and conceptual experience that extends beyond the independent practices of each participant.
Legal Tender is a performance on the third day of the installation. The artist distributed a series of limited edition artwork to members of the public over the duration of his performance. These multiples consist of bills and coins earned in part by artist Molly Shea, whose installation preceded Legal Tender.
Members of the public dialed a designated number, which connected them to the artist within the exhibition booth. The artist recounted ‘live’ the experience of working as a go-go dancer and being hired to spend the night with a patron. If the listener chooses to stay on the line till the end, he / she was eligible to collect a multiple.
The artist managed to distribute 52 of 98 multiples over the duration of the performance, unclaimed multiples were handed over to artist Jennifer Mills, whose installation followed Legal Tender.
Documentation: (Photos by Cheng-Yung Kuo)
Legal Tender Performance Documentation
Answering calls via phone system on computer.
Legal Tender Performance Documentation
Adam Van Eeckhout (left) who performed the role of a bouncer, controlling and restricting access to the performance space. The artist in the background, cordoned off with stanchions and velvet ropes. Access to the performance space is given only to members of the public who are eligible to redeem multiples.
Legal Tender Performance Documentation
Signing and addressing each multiple before distribution.
Legal Tender Performance Documentation
Legal Tender Performance Documentation
Listeners on the line, listening to the artist recounting his experience of selling himself to a client on the final night of his go-go dancing stint in New York City.
Legal Tender Performance Documentation
Listeners on the line.
Legal Tender Performance Documentation
Distribution of multiples to eligible listeners who stayed till the end of the call.
Legal Tender Performance Documentation
Editioned multiples to be distributed, each multiple contains a sum of money ranging from a quarter to five dollars. This amount was raised in part by the artist on the preceding day of the exhibition.
Legal Tender Performance Documentation
Listeners on the line.
Legal Tender Performance Documentation
Distribution of multiples to eligible listeners who stayed till the end of the call.
Legal Tender Performance Documentation
Notes taken on post-it pad during calls, names of listeners who called in.
Legal Tender Performance Documentation
Adam Van Eeckhout who performed the role of a bouncer, controlling and restricting access to the performance space, explaining the artwork to members of the public.
Legal Tender Performance Documentation
Adam Van Eeckhout who performed the role of a bouncer, controlling and restricting access to the performance space, explaining the artwork to members of the public.
Legal Tender Performance Documentation
Crowd gathering outside the exhibition booth, with a caller on the line.
Legal Tender Performance Documentation
Amount of cash (USD$40) that was not distributed at the end of the performance, to be given to the artist on the following day of the exhibition.
