ELMGREEN & DRAGSETTHE WELFARE SHOW - THE COLLECTORS - CELEBRITY
edited by Peter Weibel and Andreas F. Beitin
Thames & Hudson
november 2011
Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset are well-known for their socially critical stance which is expressed in subtle, witty and shocking artworks. Their work Powerless Structures, Fig 101, will occupy the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square in 2012.
The three outstanding exhibitions featured in this publication form a trilogy:
The Welfare Show (Bergen Kunsthall, Norway; BAWAG Foundation, Vienna; Serpentine Gallery, London; The Power Plant, Toronto)
The Collectors (presented at the Danish and Nordic Pavilions at the 53rd Venice Biennale)
Celebrity – The One & The Many (ZKM | Museum of Contemporary Art, Karlsruhe).
These exhibitions had a significant impact and enjoyed an astounding presence in the media and in the art world.
While each of the three exhibitions was independently conceived and separately presented, when considered together they form a complex depiction of present-day Western society as seen from a personal perspective. The decline of the welfare state, the accumulation of extreme wealth and growing class distinctions, together with the phenomenon of an increasingly dominant celebrity culture are among the many issues that Elmgreen & Dragset explore in this Trilogy.
This book thoroughly documents the 'Trilogy' projects and also includes interviews with the duo and with French philosopher Paul Virilio.
