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synopsis
On March 7, 2009 the belongings of the
Usa Family were up for auction.
Those in attendance were given money for the auction and told that they were allowed to touch and inspect all items on the tables.
At 11pm the auction was canceled and the visitors were told to release their money.
A protest piece, this work traced the evolution of modern, foreign-made disposable goods which represented the country's economic turning point.
details
A collaboration with sound artist Scott Weiser, who composed the score and video projection
March 7, 2009
Fivepoints Arthouse, North Beach, San Francisco
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Alan Bamberger • March 7, 2009
Fivepoints Arthouse: Erin Gallup - The Usa Family Estate.
And tonight's winner is Erin Gallup for "The Usa Family Estate" (with musical accompaniment by Scott Weiser). So here's the deal-- Gallup strafes local secondhand stores to acquire select personal effects like clothes, reading matter, old photos, eyeglasses, exercise equipment, jewelry, toys, and more, and uses it all to concoct a fictitious family-- the Usa's-- "patriarch Donald, his wife Thelma, their children Donald, Richard, Judith and William, grandchildren Jennifer, Brian, Michael and Emily, and great-grandchild Matthew." How does she do it? By sagely sorting, organizing, and arranging her purchases in such a way that each resulting group of belongings comes to represent one member of the Usa family. You peruse her various arrangements and kinda feel like you know the personalities of the so-called owners. Admirably convincing. Plus there's a performance culminating in a mock auction of the Usa family belongings (which I sadly can't stay for). Well done; go see.
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