WELCOME

Three photographs (200x140 cm each) at the streets exhibition,
Helsinki Art Hall , October 1995

On the basis of the exhibition theme, which was supposed to deal with the relationship between art and the reality of the street, Thorvaldur proposed replacing himself at the exhibition by a homeless person who would bed down in the exhibition hall lobby. He would be granted the same treatment and access as the artist, paid the same expenses given the same assistance with procuring raw materials and put in Thorvaldur’s place in the catalogue. Thorvaldur would be titled his assistant. The proposal was rejected by the curators, who claimed that “real life can be dangerous when it comes too close to the art world”.

In consequence, Thorvaldur exhibited the following altarpiece: full -scale photos* of tree homeless street people in neutral surroundings, where they might be in the roles of =Christ and the two thieves on Calvary of simply greeting the overprotected exhibition visitors, welcoming them to the street.

*Produced in collaboration with photographer Arnaldur Halldorsson