Survival of the Artiest (2020) is a participatory installation modeled after the well-loved money board game – Monopoly in which instead of properties players compete with the artist over the ownerships of different levels of art spaces. In order to win the game and unlock the most prestigious art space, depending on their strategies and intentions players need to earn the most money or Art Experience Points. However, their strategies might also be affected by economic situations, through the random drawing of inspiration cards or reality chest cards, as well as government policies.
The work, inspired by writings, articles about The Substation as well as Debbie Ding’s essay The Substation at 25: On Institutional Memory and Forgetting (2015), touches on the operational and managerial aspects of the arts. In a light-hearted fashion, the artist hopes to open up the discussion to the public on a crucial yet uninteresting topic, a myriad of difficulties and struggles in running and maintaining an art space.
Materials: digital prints on matte paper, plywood, metal
Dimensions: W112 cm x 112 cm x H72cm
Site: SAD Bar at The Substation building’s basement.