Fabrica, Benetton's communications research center that commissioned Takeshi for the global warming awareness project, has done a lot of other interesting, innovative work. The group, based in Treviso, Italy describes themselves as an "applied creativity laboratory, a talent incubator" where young, modern, international artists develop innovative projects that have a communications focus.
One project that grabbed my attention is titled, "Colors of Money" which, in the wake of the financial crisis, examines the root causes of the economic meltdown - "the desires, the fantasy and the hubris which fuelled the financial abuses and brought about disastrous economic consequences".
The installation, exhibiting in Luxembourg through November 2009, includes a variety of media - photography, creative writing and art. It questions the "cultural dominance of finance" and explores the ways in which artists and designers are attempting to counteract this force that has so influenced the formation of our global, contemporary culture.
The exhibition corresponds with the 73rd issue of of Fabrica's Colors Magazine ("a magazine about the rest of the world" - that examines global trends & themes from innovative perspectives) - which has a feature that focuses on 15 different substances found through lab analysis of currency that had passed through hundreds, thousands, millions of exchanges...They then explore each substance found (ex: oil, microbes, metal, soil) and critically analyze its value and use in a variety of national and international contexts. For example - on the island of Yap, Micronesia, soil is a measure of wealth much like currency. This approach exemplifies the ways in which Fabrica breaks information and concepts down into pieces, parts. This approach allows the viewer/reader to critically analyze how "money" is a just false construct with no real or concrete value or utility.
Some examples of installations in the exhibit:
"An interactive installation built with thousands copies of COLORS 73, this podium speaks to symbols of opulence in a society which encourages us to accumulate more and more to supposedly reach the top of the world. The podium invites visitors to go backwards: take some money, leave the rest, and watch the hierarchy slowly collapse as each of us do the same."
Piggy Bank by Sam Baron (France, 2009)
"Save money, spend money. Save money, spend money. Start over. An innovative design object, Sam Baron’s Piggy Bank questions the endless process of accumulation and expense that rules our daily lives by showing the futility of this social game we always lose."
More here.
No comments:
Post a Comment