Art and Fortune along the Boardwalk 2022 Building construction, Fake, real, and replica artworks, fortunes, boardwalk.
72” x 120” x 120”
72” x 120” x 120”
Creating a scene reminiscent of east coast boardwalks, the ‘set’ includes art history references to the sideshow-like fortunes of the art institution system, playing with truth and facade, real and fake, belief and reality. Two blue awning establishments (a T-shirt factory, and an art gallery) make up the background, with a shallow exhibition space showcasing the equal but opposite ends of the commercial institutions of art. The Factory side utilizes tourist area display methods (more is more) of repeated starry night T-shirts, dollar store balloon animals, and other artworld inspired tchotchkes. The Gallery side reflects the white-wall experience, with a single large nicely framed artwork (a real fake Chagal) and label, in a clean, mostly bare space. Storefront displays are accessible to the audience only through the front glass. The construction serves a dual purpose of display, as well as providing the artist hidden access to the fortune teller booth without destroying the mystery of inhabitation
The interactive ‘Arturo’ fortune teller booth contains artist (Erika) as Arturo during performance hours, dispensing fortune cards with an art history twist. Fortune cards will feature text drawn from art movement manifestos, artist statements, and text-based artworks, along with line art from additional art history sources.
Commissioned by the City of Salina, Salina Arts and Humanities Artist-In-Action for the Smoky Hill River Festival.
