Melanie Smith
Hiper-Consumismo Ultramix II Con Tanga
My idea was to simulate a cafeteria space within an institutional space. The cafe space was sectioned off to form a cubical space within which there were four plastic tables with chairs, some photographs, paintings, video, music and a slide projection. Throughout the exhibition an orange drink was served with orange coloured chips, orange chile sauce and orange serviettes.
The installation is set up in such a way that the spectator becomes part of a kind of performance in which they themselves participate. For its impersonal appearance the cafeteria is a reminder of vacuous spaces and images that surround us – this being an example of the generic cafeteria, which could also be found in any other environment. These so called "entertainment" cafeterias seem to ooze a coldness, lack of inspiration and vulgarity. This leads me to make question our numbness or acceptance of certain public spaces and environments. Are we supposed to feel comfortable in these environments?
The colour orange in this case is a way of calling attention to a wider social condition or illness. It points out how style and bad taste are associated. The colour is used in a lot of advertising and signaling. The retinal irritation that it causes unashamedly emits vulgarity, cheapness, and debasement.
In a sense I am building a fictional narrative around the immediate environment within which I live, but I am interested in highlighting this "localness" as a way of accentuating the similarities of living in an urban environment. Generic entertainment places can be found everywhere. The shopping mall, mega sports centers, and convenience living are phenomena which are integral to daily living. What interests me is the rupture betwen the hyper-reality of these places and the imposition that this creaates over our supposed "lifestlye".
Details of the Installation
Paintings
There are two paintings within the installation , one is minimalist, with one fluourescent square floating in the middle of another fluorescent orange square. The other is an abstract expressionist painting loaded with images and signs which refer to the commercial chains and supermarkets in Mexico City where I live.
Video
A one hour loop of an aerobics class plays continuously during the installation.It which was filmed through the vitrine of a gymnasium which is open to the street so that any person can watch people doing exercises. The video is an unedited one hour class filmed with people passing and watching from the street. I am interested in the hypnotic aspect of doing and watching such inane routines. Similar MTV images are often seen in fast-food cafes or bars. A techno-music cassette accompanies the video and can be heard throughout the space.
Photographs
Three photos are mounted in the cafeteria.
1. Three men, possibly executives, are pictured sitting at a table in a cafeteria. The television is blaring in the background and there is fast food service.
2. A woman in a clothes shop folding baby clothes. There are fluourescent lights and mirrors everywhere and orange signs in the foreground.
3. A couple sitting in a "Super Soya" natural food store. Everything is fluorescent and artificial – all foods in the shop contain high quantities of sugar. A couple are sitting drinking juices and there are orange signs everywhere.
Slide Projection
Eighty slides are projected onto one of the walls of the cafeteria. They are all images taken in Mexico City together with set up still lifes and arrangements of orange objects used in other work. The cityscapes all have an orange element in them although not obvious in all cases. These attempt to contextualise the rest of the installation.
