The Humming Room (2012)
I thought this part of the exhibition was the part that stood out to me the most, and could relate to one of the three themes. At first when I saw this exhibition part, I thought it would be a one way giving interaction between the audience and the artist.
The small panel said “In order to enter the room, you must hum a tune, any tune will do. Begin humming as you approach the guard.”
But when I approached, the guard standing was waving his hand, almost forcing humming from the audience. I felt pressured and thinking that it was a free giving interaction, it was actually not. Instead of giving willingly, we were forced to give, and we had to fulfill the guard’s expectations.
It made me refer back to Miwon Kwon’s reading says:
“As much as the accepting of a gift puts one in debt, in an inferior position to the giver untill the debt is cleared through reciprocation…”