Post Capitalistic Auction (PCA) is a performance but is also an actual and alternative kind of art auction. PCA questions the impact of neoliberalism on artworld and how we value artworks. I ask why money determines everything. The artists, artworks, and the biddings are all real, and so are the transactions. All the actions and reactions, dialogues and consequences are also real. The twist is that bidders are invited to make offers not only with money, but that understanding, opportunity, discursive, and any kind of exchange are equally introduced as bidding currencies. All bids are placed via a specially designed software. And the artists are present at the auction in person so that they might personally decide who will win their artworks. A panel representing several aspects of the artworld ecology is also in attendance to offer advice and create confrontation among themselves.
This project was planned as a long-term, ongoing series to be recreated and represented in various countries, aiming to investigate differing social and art economies and ecologies. For each edition, I collaborated with local curators, artists, panelists, auctioneers, lawyers, and software programmers. Each version follows the same concept and framework but with unique contents and results. Since its premiere, and wherever it has been performed, it has developed like an organic ecosystem that has been absorbing and refl ecting the transformation of the artworld and truly mirrors local contexts and art ecologies.
The Toronto edition was the third edition of PCA and first edition after the pandemic, and was so far the most political edition in which the artworks touch upon environment issues, feminism, immigrants’ culture, indigenous culture, and post humanism. The artworks are highly participatory which invites bidders to be part of the creation process.
Participating artists: John Wood & Paul Harrison, Ed Pien, Maria Qamar, RIITTA IKONEN & KAROLINE HJORTH, KC Adams
Panelists: Julie Lomax, Rebecca Carbin, Alysa Procida, Andy Keen
