The final part of this project consisted of two components: I did a series of performances in Melbourne, in which I pushed the portable display unit to the Melbourne Museum, and opened my collection to the public at the Melbourne Museum Piazza. [I did a second performance outside the shops where I bought many of the items in the collection]. The display unit was as tall as me, and I placed small wheels on it so that it was cumbersome and difficult to push. In some ways this object could be understood as a kind of Sisyphus rock, for which I take responsibility when engaging with the public during these performances. During the performances I invited members of the public to swap anything of my collection for and item of theirs: they could take something out if they put something in. I catalogued the objects that were exchanged, there by monitoring the changing nature of the collection, as well as a particular instance of cultural exchange. The performances were documented, and the excerpts from these documentations were exhibited at the gallery. Included in this portfolio are stills images from the DVD footage.The second part of this three part project consisted of my visiting ‘Two Dollar Shops’, and amassing a collection of items that cost Au $2 or less. Through choosing to collect only those items that were similar to objects that I collect for The Portable Hawkers Museum in Johannesburg [most of which are mass produced in factories in Asia], I explored not only issues of cultural difference, but also cultural similitude. Each of the items was photographically catalogued, and the catalogue images [and not the objects] were presented at the Exhibition. The objects were arranged into a portable display unit, and used in a series of public performances in Part Three of the project.
About Context: Part Three
Detail view of the series of video works “About Context and Exploration of Value in Four Parts: Part four”, made during a three month residency in Melbourne, 2005. This was exhibited at Gallery 24/7 in Melbourne, 2006.
click the image for larger view