Akeroyd Collection

Works

Darren Bader, proposals for Sculpture #4, Sculpture #3.95, Sculpture #3.985, (Sculpture #5) and Sculpture #7

This short video work streams like an infomercial. The information is directed to large companies that have headquarters and a global property portfolio. It is an appeal to such companies to invest in art. The charming and persuasive voice of the narrator (who we see is Bader himself at the end of the film), suggests that it is time to make use of hollow public sculptures to dispose of company trash. In the film, the artist outlines how this could work and what the options might be in different contexts. Over the plucky, upbeat violins, a different audience is suddenly addressed. This time, Bader appeals directly to other artists or makers. He states that if you are able to manufacture these works, Bader will authorize a certificate of authenticity for the work and hand over ownership immediately. In this corporate parody, the artist appeals to companies to commission artworks that both serve an ecological function and that also might rise in value on the art market, benefiting both parties. In the final nod to a biting critique of the interconnected worlds of finance and culture, Bader points to specific works available to reproduce and suggests each would be appealing to different demographics or ‘customers’. He states, ‘if you need a paper shredder at the top of the sculpture to fill it with shredded documents, contact me about sculpture 7’, then finally, ‘if you’re a drug trafficker or pharmaceutical company, let’s talk about sculpture number 5’. Here we see an ironic evocation of how art can be disingenuously used as a virtual signal for social good and ultimately co-opted by capital and business.

MediumVideo
Duration4 minutes 39 seconds
Editionof 3 + 1 AP