Exhibition
Performance and happening
2011
At Fotanian Open Studios 2011, Rental United transformed their studio into a white-cube space, presenting themselves as motionless body sculptures alongside their paintings. They also dressed formally to act as sculptures, giving the audience a ‘closer look’ at the artists, their works, and the artists’ studio.
The entrance of the transformed studio was covered by posters, which were given away to audiences for free. Artists appeared in the posters as if they were pop culture celebrities.
In Hong Kong, art events quickly turn into festive activities because audiences are overwhelmingly curious. People in Hong Kong often see art as a novelty for artists’ lives, and the concept of being an artist is somewhat beyond their imagination. So they came to Fo Tan to visit the artist's studio, determined to learn what it is like to be an artist.
Strategically, RU members placed themselves on stage to fulfil such curiosities. Standing still on pedestals as sculptures for the entire opening days, they ignored all the audience's questions, avoiding eye contact and any interaction.
”Taking part in the Fotan Artists Open Studios 2011, Rental United presented their first “group show”- “EXHIBITION”, a white cube resembling the structure of a gallery space, artworks carefully displayed in the homogeneous room, and artists as motionless “body sculpture” for everyone’s appreciation. The artists stood still on the stance for the entire opening studio period, generating a parody of the physical presence of the artists, studio as well as artwork but lacking communication, which the collective question the purposes of open studio and the tension between different types of the characters within the art environment.
The overwhelming number of visitors has clearly created the media buzz, but whether it has contributed to the development of the art is something Rental United is curious about.”
Project Reviewed by Lai Tsz Yuen
