Flu Power Flu
BeursSchouburg, Brussels
Public Art Installation
Opening: September 29, 2007
Duration: 2007 - 2008
BeursSchouburg, Brussels
Public Art Installation
Opening: September 29, 2007
Duration: 2007 - 2008
FLU as physical and mental, positive and negative influenza / influence.
POWER as capacity to exercise influence, control, authority over others.
FLU POWER FLU takes the form of public intervention, highlighting contemporary influences, beliefs, pre/misconceptions and belonging. Power, in various forms extends its influence to our daily lives yet our notion of power and its extent of influence is often, perhaps deliberately, overlooked. Moving and interacting within/outside “centers of power” of past and actual Europe, be it cultural, political or financial, FLU POWER FLU aptly questions their authority and invites reflexivity yet inevitably becoming an accomplice to these power games.
FLU POWER FLU in Brussels will feature a white neon writing on the facade of the building of BeursSchouwburg in the historical hearth of the city, of the “capital” of Europe, using typical glittering tools of propaganda and hinting at the universal appeal for power, at once resisted yet irresistible. In this way the project highlights how “power”, as manifested through the visible centers of respected authority, influences inhabits every aspect of contemporary society and is silently rooted in every individual. So the intervention into the city’s political, financial and cultural “centre of power” invites a wide public to re-examine our understanding of identity in relation to authority, nation-hood and globalization. Inviting reflexivity, it pertinently questions the authority of these influence centers while highlighting their significance in framing a sense of belonging, pride and unity. Anyway, suspended in-between the negative and positive, familiar and implied meanings of the terms “power” and "flu", Cagol’s engagement with the public underlines the complexity of power and authority. Neither definitive nor univocal, these concepts are infinitely expanded.
With the words FLU POWER FLU emblazoned on the building, this project continues Cagol’s investigations into contemporary influences. It developed in 2007 with the BIRD FLU VOGELGRIPPE intervention in Auguststrasse at the Berlin Biennale, and with the POWER STATION satellite intervention at the Singapore Biennale.
Stefano Cagol (http://www.stefanocagol.com), born in Trento in 1969, lives in Italy. He studied at the Academy of Brera, Milan, and at Ryerson University, Toronto.
In May 2008 he will hold a solo show at Priska Juschka Fine Art, New York.
Among his exhibitions in 2007, he will participate in a group show at New Chinatown Barbershop in Los Angeles and at Then he will be at Kunsthaus in Merano, Italy, he held a solo show at NADiff – New Art Diffusion, Tokyo, his works were at National Museum of Art of Hanoi for ‘Tendencies of contemporary research’, in New Delhi at National Gallery for ‘The Edge of Vision’.
In 2006 he realized an official satellite project at Singapore Biennale and at Berlin Biennale, and he took part at the group show ‘Zoo Logical Garden’ at Harry Malter Park, Ghent.
http://www.beursschouburg.be
Stefano Cagol
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