Dance performance on canvas, oil paints, 2020
Deconstruction of the body is an art installation and a performance that questions the work of many artists, including Yves Klein in mistreatment and misuse of the models. In 1960 Yves Klein created a series called “Anthropometry”; for the artworks models covered themselves in paint and dragged each other on the canvases that were laid on the floor, while Yves Klein and a few other men watched “the performance”. None of the models were paid for their job, while Yves Klein became a sensation.
The installation mocks the art elite and questions as to who the actual creator of the art is: the model covered in paint or the artist. The artist covers herself fully in paint, while dancing on the canvas, using her body as the brushes.
The mistreatment and misuse of the models in contemporary arts need to change: they deserve to be paid for their labour and to be recognised as the important influence of the artwork.
The performance and the final art result were presented at the Beta Space in Espoo Finland, during contemporary artists group exhibition, Vitamin D, from 3 to 11 of March 2020. Special thanks to Hanna Saarikoski and Kristina Jansson for the curation and helping producing the performance.
Photos and video recording by Po Alamaa.
