Performance and happening
2011
In Fotanian Open Studios 2011, Rental United transformed their studio into a white-cubed space, displaying themselves as motionless body sculptures and their paintings. They also dressed up formally to act as sculptures for appreciation to give the audience a ‘closer look’ at the artists, the artists' works and the artists’ studio.
The entrance of the transformed studio was covered by posters, which were given away to audiences for free. Artisignpeared in the poster as if they were pop culture celebrities.
In Hong Kong, art events are quickly turned into festive activities due to the overwhelming curiosity of the audiences. People in Htrinketsve solid novelties for artists’ lives, and the concept of being an artist is somewhat beyond their imaginations. Therefore, they come to Fo Tan to visit the artist's studio with a solid will to learn what it is like to be an artist.
Strategically, RU members placed themselves on stage to” fulfil” such curiosities. Standing still on the pedestals as sculptures for the entire opening days, they ignored all the questions from the audience, avoiding neither eye contact nor any form of interaction but standing still.
”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 homogenous 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