Art must be Expensive – Performance

Art must be Expensive, Shame Shame Shame

Performance: 45 minutes at Grace Exhibition Space, New York, 2015

 

Chun Hua Catherine Dong introduces her expensive perfumes and tells stories about her life related to shame
Chun Hua Catherine Dong asks people to spray perfumes on her body while audiences shout " art must be expensive! shame shame shame"
Chun Hua Catherine Dong sells her perfumed belt to audiences
Chun Hua Catherine Dong sells her perfumed shoes to audiences
Chun Hua Catherine Dong sold her perfumed shirt, belt, and shoes to audiences
Chun Hua Catherine Dong sells her perfumed pants to audiences
Chun Hua Catherine Dong sells her perfumed body for a night to audiences
a woman who brought Chun Hua Catherine Dong for a night is writing her name on Dong's perfumed body
Chun Hua Catherine Dong sold herself to an audience for $70 for a night
I start this performance by introducing my perfumes, Channel No 5, j’adore, and La vie eat belle, as my imaginary friends. Each time I introduce a perfume, I use the perfume to draw abstract shapes among audience so that they can experience the perfumes.  After the introduction, I tell stories about my life related to shame. Each time I finish a story, I use a perfume to aim a specific part of my body and constantly shoot the same spot for a minute. Later, I ask three well-known artist, curator, and collector to spray perfumes on me while audiences are repetitively shouting ” art must be expensive! shame shame shame.”

After three bottles of perfumes are sprayed on my body. I start to auction my perfumed clothing and body one by one.  I offer a reasonable bit at the beginning. However, if there is no one takes it, my bit goes lower and lower until it finally gets sold. Each time the price goes lower, my body gradually changes from standing up high to squat on floor. Finally, my shirt was sold $50, my camisole was sold $60, my belt: $40, pants: $30, underwear: $80, shoes: $80, and my body ( sold for one night) : $70. Total income is $410 USD

photo credit:Quinn Dukes McDivitt