The Price Tags Project- A repetitive ritual performance: Andrew Harper

This project has been underway, in fits and starts, for over a decade. I intend to keep at it until I can no longer. It’s quite clear in execution: whenever I buy something, I try and peel off the tiny sticky price tag. I then stick the price tag to a post card. I used to use those free Avant cards that where everywhere, and I still have a good stash of those, but I could run out; I do use them for other things.

When I buy another thing, I peel of the next price tag, and stick it on the same postcard. I do that until the card is covered, or as close as I can get to it being covered. Then I add the total of all the price tags up. That total is the title of the artwork. The ar work is also for sale for that amount of money.

Simple.

The project looks at the value of art and the value of things. It asks where value is found, what makes it and what you value. It also looks at time, labour, hoarding, the cost of art materials, the art market, NFTs, what skill is, repetitive gestures and the artist’s career.

This iteration of The Price Tags Project will include a few extra elements, including a publication, and a performance essay lecture.

These things will have designated values, to be decided at the time.

Image: $711.17, found and mixed material, 2013