Allora & Calzadilla: Temperament and the Wolf
10th Gwanjgu Biennale, South Korea
September 5 – November 9, 2014
Production | Acquisition Grant
This work was gifted to the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles through the support of VIA Art Fund.
Presented at the 2014 Gwanjgu Biennale, Allora & Calzadilla’s performance Burning Down the House was central to Artistic Director Jessica Morgan’s curatorial vision. Temperament and the Wolf was performed live at the exhibition’s entrance and set the tone for the entire show, as the act and convention of handshaking progressed into an excessive gesture in a country where this practice is not the norm.
The performance consisted of 60 performers/participants positioned in two rows facing each other, forming a narrow path at the entrance of the exhibition space. Upon entering, the public was welcomed with a handshake on either side of these rows. As the visitor progressed along the line, the act of handshaking shifted from a greeting, to an irritation and absurdity. This act was a profound interruption of the normative entrance into a gallery space and created a heightened awareness and sensitivity of the exhibition venue.
To learn more, visit The Gwanjgu Biennale.
Images: Allora & Calzadilla, Temperament and the Wolf, 2014, performance, 10th Gwangju Biennale: Burning Down the House, 2014. Photo: Stefan Altenburger.
