Art Man Performance - Transformation 1 participant, several collaborators Duration: 8 hrs Semana del arte, Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina 2007
In September, 2006, the Museum Of Contemporary Art of
Rosario invites Rosa Chancho to develop a project for their Art Delivery
Program: Home delivery of an artwork is offered to residents of the City.
Through four different mechanisms, Rosa Chancho subverts
the order and, in just one afternoon, transforms the assigned resident (Ruben
Asencio) into an artwork.
1st Stage: Baptism
The Museum's Director carries out an institutional legitimization baptism
in front of the museum, sprinkling holy water on the man and signing a diploma
together with Rosa Chancho and Ascencio himself, in order to begin his
conversion into artwork.
2nd Stage: Valuation
Rosa Chancho takes the brand new work to a local gallery
to determine its price. Its commercial scope is discussed. The debate revolves
around the rights over the work that a potential collector would have possesing
Rubén Ascencio. Finally, theres's a consensus to sell the project, not the
person, for ten thousand Argentine Pesos.
3rd Stage: Discussion workshop
Discussions meetings are held with local and international
theorists and artists to debate over the work's limits, in relation with its
natural fluids, potencial sons,
manual production and its possibilities of exhibition. Decision is taken
to exhibit the work not as an object, but as a person.
4th Stage: Exhibition
Rubén Asencio is introduced, as an artwork, to people of
the artistic scene of Rosario during an opening.
Among those present, the directors of the museum
show interest in acquiring Ruben Asencio for the permanent collection, but
negotiations do not succeed and the proposal vanishes.
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