FREE BALLOONS LIVERPOOL
On the first Saturday after Europe's largest retail project opened in Liverpool, artist Richard DeDomenici handed out helium-filled balloons bearing the slogan BORED OF SHOPPING in the privately managed shopping district.
Richard's t-shirt read FREE BALLOONS.
Each balloon came with a map showing how to get to the nearby Bluecoat Arts Centre, and details of their latest show Variable Capital, which presents international artists' timely, critical, and often humorous responses to today's consumer culture.
The next day, Richard distributed balloons at the Bluecoat with the words BORED OF ART and a corresponding leaflet giving directions to the aforementioned shopping complex.
Richard displayed the adjacent footage of Saturday's performance in the Bluecoat on Sunday, and documentation from Sunday will be uploaded shortly.
FREE BALLOONS investigates the intersection between culture and commerce, exploring the notion that art is another form of consumerism, and that art and shopping are just two different lifestyle choices.
It is hoped that the project will bring new audiences to both venues.
FREE BALLOONS is a Bluecoat commission.
Richard DeDomenici is an Artsadmin associate artist.
www.thebluecoat.org.uk
www.liverpool-one.com
www.dedomenici.co.uk
www.dedomenici.blogspot.com
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