FEAR EATS THE SOUL

Gavin Brown's Enterprise, New York

By Corinna Kirsch

FEAR EATS THE SOUL brought back Rirkrit Tiravanija’s “greatest hits” and spread them across Gavin Brown’s Enterprise.  Two sub-exhibitions formed the axes of the show: T-Shirt No T-Shirt and Soup No Soup. The first was a mini-screenprinting studio where visitors could watch studio assistants make resolutely simple t-shirts one at a time.  They’re just white, unisex American Apparel t-shirts printed with semi-custom phrases in a font resolutely close to Helvetica.  How standard, generic, and cool all at the same time. Stepping inside the t-shirt studio and its sawdust-lined walls, you could fill out an order form to request one of 24 slogans.  Some were ironic, some were political. For those dismayed by the war(s), there was “LESS OIL MORE COURAGE”;  if you prefer Urban Outfitters’ flavor of silliness, there was “I HAVE DOUGHNUTS AT HOME.” Wear a t-shirt, make a statement. Many demanded absurd political or social action: “FREE CHINA FROM TIBET” and “NE TRAVAILLEZ JAMAIS” [NEVER WORK].  The most popular t-shirt, according to the studio’s screen-printing assistant, was “FEAR EATS THE SOUL.” This catchy slogan was both the title of the exhibition and a reference to the Fassbinder film.  Of course the t-shirt with the exhibition title on the front would be the most popular.  It signifies an “I was there” moment.  It’s a souvenir, a keepsake, of the event. 

On the day I attended, T-Shirt No T-Shirt was more popular than Soup No Soup, despite the fact the hearty bowls were free while the t-shirts were $20 each.  Food is a necessity of life while t-shirts are not, but – as the exhibition made clear—necessity doesn’t always prevail over style. Tiravanija makes the demographics of personal preference both the subject and the material of the exhibition. You can purchase a shirt, savor some free soup, or you can choose not to engage with either. If you do choose a t-shirt, you must then make a second set of decisions and select between political, sentimental, or lighthearted slogans as your blazon.

Like most people, I chose a t-shirt. And yes, I can stand behind wearing “BEHOLD YOUR FUTURE EXECUTIONERS” across my chest.