Dematerializing:, 2004
newspaper advertisement, 13 minute digital video


I placed an ad in the paper advertising a "Dematerializing Sale" in which everything in our livingroom was free. People from the community were invited into our livingroom and allowed to take whatever they wanted. This event served two purposes, one being a way to get rid of many things we didn't want or use anymore, but also it was a way for my wife and I to test our level of security and insecurity with residents from the community. The advertisement and event attracted media coverage that contributed to a much larger crowd then we anticipated. There was a line of people down the street waiting to get in three hours before we opened the door. The event lasted just under 15 minutes. The room was emptied except for a watering can.

The video consisted of a slow motion pan of the full livingroom with audio of the conversation between my wife, father, and our friend who was there for crowd control. The conversation focused on the many possibilities of what could happen and all around nervousness and anxiety. The video goes to black screen as the people enter the living room. All that is heard is people tearing the room apart. As the event ends the video slowly fades into a slow motion pan of the empty room.

The bottom images are video stills.