greed devours: TRUST (VERTRAUEN)
Sculpture, Political / Social, 700x2x100cm
"greed devours:" - an experiment in public space
The word "TRUST" (German word: VERTRAUEN) was written with the thousands of one-cent coins - as social sculpture uncommented and unprotected in public space on Frankfurts shopping street Zeil from 17th of July 2014. Each letter of the word is about one meter deep and about half a meter wide. Each letter is approx. 6.000 Cent-Coins. The fate of the money-Sculpture was documented via video and still images.
We live in a culture in which we hide money instead of showing it. It belongs to the most intimate regions of privacy. How will people react when they see money in public space, unprotected, easy to grab? The money, however, is placed in a contradictory context. Ralf Kopp's installation "Greed devours: TRUST" pursues this question.
Is "TRUST" stronger than the power of money? Does "greed" destroys "TRUST"? Or does the meaning of the word protect the installation against being destructed? Does someone add money because of the importance of the word? The viewer will inevitably make thoughts about his relationship with the words content and the material with which the word is written. Frankfurt was chosen as the starting point of the action not by accident: The experiment starts in the Bank city that is struggling and advertising for confidence of the financial markets.
The concept of "greed devours:" works also with other positive words, like "culture" (greed devours: CULTURE), "art", "freedom" or "democracy" - and many more words. And in any language.
At the end there will be maybe an exhibition comparing the lifetime of the word trust in different cities.
The experiment will continue: TRUST or other words in other cities and places will follow.
http://www.gierfrisst.de/en_frankfurt_gierfrisst.php
The word "TRUST" (German word: VERTRAUEN) was written with the thousands of one-cent coins - as social sculpture uncommented and unprotected in public space on Frankfurts shopping street Zeil from 17th of July 2014. Each letter of the word is about one meter deep and about half a meter wide. Each letter is approx. 6.000 Cent-Coins. The fate of the money-Sculpture was documented via video and still images.
We live in a culture in which we hide money instead of showing it. It belongs to the most intimate regions of privacy. How will people react when they see money in public space, unprotected, easy to grab? The money, however, is placed in a contradictory context. Ralf Kopp's installation "Greed devours: TRUST" pursues this question.
Is "TRUST" stronger than the power of money? Does "greed" destroys "TRUST"? Or does the meaning of the word protect the installation against being destructed? Does someone add money because of the importance of the word? The viewer will inevitably make thoughts about his relationship with the words content and the material with which the word is written. Frankfurt was chosen as the starting point of the action not by accident: The experiment starts in the Bank city that is struggling and advertising for confidence of the financial markets.
The concept of "greed devours:" works also with other positive words, like "culture" (greed devours: CULTURE), "art", "freedom" or "democracy" - and many more words. And in any language.
At the end there will be maybe an exhibition comparing the lifetime of the word trust in different cities.
The experiment will continue: TRUST or other words in other cities and places will follow.
http://www.gierfrisst.de/en_frankfurt_gierfrisst.php
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