I am here, 2016
Commisioned by the Sharjah Art Foundation for the Do It in Arabic publication curated by Hans Ulrich Obrist and Hoor AlQasimi Medium: Stencil cut out and paint.
My main focus of investigation in my works is the act of intentional erasing. In the 'I am here' instructional art work I look at the declaration of existence and...
My main focus of investigation in my works is the act of intentional erasing. In the "I am here" instructional art work I look at the declaration of existence and ask the participants in this work to place their declaration "I am here" on a defined small space, using paint and stencils . In one moment the participant is both the eraser and the erased. The declarations of the many participants finally disappear and nothing remains except traces of people trying to memorialise their moment within this artwork and failing. The work can be seen as an exercise that tests the idea of individualism vs collectivism. The Instructions provided: 1. Make 4 identical stencil cardboard cutouts of the words 'I am here' (in Arabic) 2. Choose a defined surface to execute the work 3. The words can either be executed in black or white, never both colours 4. Ask people to participate in stencilling the words onto the surface 5. The artwork is finished when you cannot see the surface nor the words