signature plastic bag
This project presents a bold critique of consumerism, identity, and power structures, examined through a feminist lens. The performance, which lasted about an hour, begins with Yelena changing into a red dress from a suitcase, referencing the imagery of a suicide bomber to symbolize her implosion of societal expectations and her precarious economic reality. By painting her body red, she underscores the personal and visceral nature of her critique, situating her body as both a canvas and a site of resistance. The heart of the performance lies in the signing and selling of plastic bags, priced at €2.50 each. This action deconstructs the fetishization of designer goods, replacing inaccessible luxury with an everyday object imbued with personal significance. By transforming the bags into cultural artifacts through her signature, Yelena critiques the fashion industry’s emphasis on symbolic value over substance. The signed bags mock the commodification of identity while highlighting her frustration and humor in confronting the industry’s exclusivity. In a poignant moment, Yelena sold one bag. The buyer’s motivation was not the object itself but a recognition of the artist’s effort in selling them, drawing attention to the labor and vulnerability behind the act. This exchange contrasts sharply with the impersonal nature of consumer capitalism, fostering an intimate connection between artist and audience. Yelena’s performance is a dual gesture: a caricature of the fashion system and a proposition for more personal, accessible interactions. Through satire and self-reflection, she reclaims agency, exposing the contradictions of commodification while proposing a subversive vision of empowerment. Her work embodies feminist critiques of exclusionary structures, illustrating art’s potential to challenge norms and reimagine relationships within a capitalist framework.
