Eamon O'Kane 'STAY: Simply to Authenticate Yourself'
For curio, Eamon O'Kane used signage, produced a series of mugs and placed a video piece first in the local arts and community centre at the non-tourist end of Hanbury St then later in the local pizza shop.
The video was shown nightly at Pizza n Spice, which is used mostly by the local community. Tourists are rarely seen in its vicinity in their quest for an authentic East End.
Eamon also left mugs in various establishments including the Kobi Nazrul Centre and the restaraunt, Nazrul II. Art tourists wanting to view the mugs, were constantly frustrated. The mugs had become part of the usual restaurant service and were randomly given to customers ordering a cup of tea.
Eight signs quoting various theorists were placed along the length of Hanbury Street. Some were the same quotes as the video piece, "STAY:Simply to Authenticate Yourself" refering directly to tourism and the tourist industry, like Freud's "A great part of the pleasure of travel lies in the fulfilment of early wishes to escape the family and especially the father".
Other quotes
on signs:
"HOME is also the ultimate point of destination, the site in which
the trip must be authenticated. The tourist's accountability of the experience
resides in the souvenir, the snapshot or videotape - irreducible pieces
of portable evidence of the sight having been seen. The camera is the
ultimate authenticating agent."
"DON'T LEAVEyour favourite view outdoors. Bring it right into your
living room. Of course, breath-taking scenery is worth 'framing' but you
don't need a country estate for a view. Your well kept lawn is a picture
worth bringing indoors with Thermopane Picture Windows."
"VIRTUAL SEX Sex in virtual reality incorporating a visual, auditory,
and tactile environment. The sex partner can be a real or simulted person."*
*This last sign, which was black writing on a hot pink background was
the first and only sign to be stolen. It lasted not quite a week.
