More on "Social Exchange"

The Social Exchange show truly did function as different shows to different people.  But it seemed to be ultimately successful in that the thrill of acquisition, of acquiring, distracted the majority of viewers from the truly more exotic activities going on behind the curtains.  The viewers were comforted by the familiarity of shopping, and downright gleeful in the socialization of getting things.  

The interesting thing was that the show expressed the hidden interconnectedness of consumerist acquisition in both positive and negative perspectives.  As each article of clothing was exchanged, its history and previous owner was visually connected to the new owner creating a web of relationships, illustrating the more human and intimate identity manipulation that occurs through acquiring, possessing, and disposing.  So while the viewers/shoppers socialized, creating truly meaningful connections with each others' lives, the "workers" behind the curtains still remained shuttered away, and largely misunderstood.  

Unfortunate, however, that some of the donations were censored - this element should have either been more openly presented and incorporated into the concept rather than hidden.

Social Exchange
A participatory installation by
Stuart Keeler

June 27, 7-10pm & June 28



The invitation encourages the viewer to bring old favorite clothes to be exchanged for other favorite clothes. The entire gallery looks like a store, but the perception changes when the viewer hears cello music performed by artist Katie Waugh who was playing behind transparent white curtains. Also, the floor had white stripes and inside there were five cubicles made by transparent and opaque white cloth.


In the first translucent cubicle was a girl ironing some cloth that people want to exchange. The second and the fourth cubicle were the changing room for woman and men.


The third cubicle has a woman counting numbers. It has different shifts: a woman counting in Chinese and English, and other foreign woman counting in Spanish and English. The last cubicle has a person who gives the Champagne for the viewers. In the middle there was a dressing rack where people can hand and choose clothe.

I think that this is the kind of work that gives a lot of connotations and freedom to the viewer to create different connections. Some of the interesting ideas that this work offers are:
1. The silence and hidden background behind all the cloth; The labor of making clothe; The scene when a thousand pieces of cloth that have to be made; We can think of sweatshops, and who are the people that really work in the process for less pay. In addition the cello sounded sad, but it gives a sophisticate sense to the environment, it could give a relation to the style that stores want to show.
2. An environment of art where people participate without worrying if they understand or not. Some people call the gallery boutique.
3. A show where experience and participation is part of the entire art piece…

Pictures by I-Nu Yeh