Exhibition

Economical Study of the Skin of Caracans,

By Santiago Sierra 2006,

“The work is the first of three projects Sierra has realized in Caracas in 2006. The work is made of 35 black and white photographs” [1]http://www.santiago-sierra.com/200212_1024.php?lan=EN

Sierra is a controversial artist who uses visual art, installation, video and photography in his art practice. He deals with many issues relating to social justice, ethnic and social segregation and the concept of power and how we relate to it. He is very critical to capitalism ideology and what emerges from its practice.

In this exhibition, Economical Study of the Skin of Caracans, the artist addresses one of the most important issues in Caracas, Venezuela, the issue of social injustice. He took a photo of each individual’s back and placed the amount of money they earn in a year opposite to their photos. He came to a conclusion that the darker the skin colour is, the lesser money the individual earns.

This exhibition is a strong example of Art Based Research by using art to explore a certain topic. Sierra creatively investigates this social issue while being fully aware of the conventional process of the inquiry in the traditional research method.

In this exhibition, he uses the process of traditional research by taking samples, asking questions and carrying out experiments, yet his project is a creative piece that embodied art in a very innovative way to give more depth to his research and make a thorough investigation to reach a credible equation (truth).

His exhibition is not about the labor theme but is about the ethnic division, and social segregation and the disadvantaged people who don’t belong to a certain race. In this exhibition, the artist articulates the concept of power creatively and embodies the art in his creative piece / research to get a conclusion and provide a new knowledge. The work doesn’t preach or give a political lecture but is has a strong social and political message. It shows who art could be powerful tool for creative investigation to produce new knowledge.

Majid Shokr 30 April 2010

[1] The gallery contacted thirty workers who had been recommended to them. They sought of various skin colours from very light to very dark to be arranged side by side. The persons were contacted by telephone and asked where they came from. From this, their skin colour was deduced. As soon as a sufficient number of people for the desired spectrum of shades were thought to be available, the persons involved were called together. The first 27 persons to arrive were arranged in their underwear with their faces to the wall. Those involved who had the appropriate mixture of white and colour turned up when the action had ended. This can be seen in the result: the in between shades are missing.http://www.santiago-sierra.com/200212_1024.php?lan=EN