THIS WORK TAKES THE INFAMOUS SLOGAN ARBEIT MACHT FREI FROM NAZI CONCENTRATION CAMPS AND COPIES THE EXACT FORM BUT FOR THE REMOVAL OF 3 LETTERS CHANGING WORK (ARBEIT) TO ART. MISCHIEVOUSLY THE WORK SUGGESTS THE ART WORLD IS SIMILARLY DECEITFUL AND STRATIFIED INTO ELITES WHERE MANY TOIL BUT FEW ARE TRULY REWARDED. AS SUCH IT IS AN EXTREME COMPARISON, A STRATEGY TO GARNER ATTENTION BUT ALSO A COMMENT FEEDING BACK INTO THE ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL SPHERE. WHO DOES PROSPER MOST FROM OUR LABOUR? WHO BECOMES FREE? WHEN FRANCIS BACON’S PORTRAIT STUDY FROM INNOCENT X FETCHED $52.6M RECENTLY WERE ARTISTS BETTER OFF? RATHER A PROPERTY MOVED FROM ONE INVESTOR TO ANOTHER. A FINANCIAL TRANSACTION WHERE ART WAS MERE COMMODITY AND CULTURE REMAINED IMPOVERISHED. THE ARTISTS THEMSELVES HAVE TO FACE THE FACT THE GREATEST FINANCIAL REWARDS GENERATED FROM THEIR WORK WILL OCCUR AFTER THEIR DEATH. DEALERS WILL APPROPRIATE THEIR ARTWORK, ALTHOUGH THEY WILL HAVE ATTAINED A KIND OF FREEDOM, FROM THE POLITICKING, NEPOTISM AND HIERARCHY OF THE GALLERY AND MUSEUM SYSTEM. IN TRUTH THE SLOGAN MEANS THE SAME HERE AS IN THE ORIGINAL - DEATH MAKES YOU FREE.

WORK MAKES YOU FREE
THE ANODYNE CONFIDENCE TRICK THAT ASSUAGED THE SELF-DELUDING LOCALS THAT THE CAMPS WERE FACTORIES AND THE INMATES TO PONDER THEY MIGHT SURVIVE IF THEY WORKED HARD. SOON A DOG EAT DOG LAISSEZ-FAIRE ECONOMY OF HUMAN ENDURANCE AND HARDSHIP BECAME ESTABLISHED AND TO THE WINNERS, THE HOPE OF LIFE AND FREEDOM. MEANWHILE IN THE FACTORIES PRODUCING ZYKLON B THE WORKERS COMPETED IN THE RAT RACE TO GAIN PROMOTION AND BETTER WAGES, THEIR HARD WORK TO PRODUCE THE FREEDOM OF A SECURE PENSION IN THE GLORIOUS REICH. THANKFULLY NO SUCH LIES ARE AROUND TODAY TO TRICK US, NO PENSION FUND HAS EVER BEEN RAIDED TO BUY CEO’S AN EXTRA VILLA OR MISTRESS AND NO FACTORY EVER CLOSES TO MOVE TO ANOTHER COUNTRY TO EXPLOIT CHEAP LABOUR KEPT COMPETITIVE BY DEATH SQUADS WIELDING AK 47’S OR M16’S. ALL IS WELL IN THIS THE BEST OF ALL POSSIBLE WORLDS. LUCKILY THESE PLUCKY ARTISTS ALSO EXIST IN THIS PARADISE, WHERE ONCE THE UNREGULATED CRIMINALITY OF DEALERS AND RICH INVESTORS FLOURISHED THERE IS NOW A STRUCTURE OF NON-HIERARCHICAL FREEDOM WHERE ONLY THE TALENT OF THE ARTISTS COUNTS. THE CULTURE SUPPORTS THEM ENSURING THE MATERIAL WORRIES OF FOOD, SHELTER AND CLOTHING ARE REMOVED ALLOWING PURE CREATIVITY UNSHACKLED FROM THE PRIMITIVE NOTIONS OF CAPITAL EXCHANGE, CAREERISM, POLITICKING AND HEGEMONY. NO LONGER WILL ART HISTORY BE SUFFOCATED WITH THE PORTRAITS OF THE ELITES AND THEIR PLAYTHINGS, THE PATRON NO LONGER CALLS THE TUNE AND THE MARKET IS SILENCED. VALUE RESIDES IN EXISTENCE, HUMAN DIGNITY IRREDUCIBLE, CREATION UNBOUND. AT LAST IT IS TRUE, THIS WORK WILL MAKE YOU FREE. THERE IS NOTHING TO FEAR, ENTER THE GALLERY. HUMANITY HAS AT LAST CIVILISED ITSELF*.
*TERMS & CONDITIONS APPLY.