Poor-Racer

Thomas Hirschhorn

 
One Day Sculpture Commission

Sunday 15 March 2009, 00.00–23.59, The Esplanade, Sumner, Christchurch

Sumner’s Esplanade is to feature a new sculptural work by the international artist Thomas Hirschhorn developed specifically for Christchurch and part of the New Zealand-wide ONE DAY SCULPTURE series of temporary public artworks.

Presented by The Physics Room and Christchurch Art Gallery, Poor-Racer will exist for just 24 hours—from midnight Saturday 14 March to midnight Sunday 15 March—at a location on the Esplanade where it is expected to attract a broad audience.

Hirschhorn’s sculpture takes the form of a standard sedan car, dramatically customised with a variety of cheap materials, as is typically seen in his sculptures. The exhibition presents a rare opportunity to engage with an internationally significant artist who will be present at the site for the full duration of the exhibition.

The artist writes: "I am interested in the Form which is created by customising or tuning a car. The fact of personalising one’s own ordinary car in order to give it a unique individual touch is the revolutionary gesture of everybody, without exclusion... Customising or tuning is an act of resistance to the non-written laws of all kinds of exclusion. In the desperate and useless act of car-tuning I see a form of resistance throughout form. And as an artist—what can interest me more than Form?"

Born in Switzerland, based in France, Thomas Hirschhorn is one of the most significant artists working in contemporary sculptural practice today.

Thomas Hirschhorn’s Poor-Racer is commissioned by The Physics Room in association with Christchurch Art Gallery. Supported by Pro Helvetia, Canterbury Community Trust and Perry Foundation and locally by Able Auto Services, Silvester V8 Performance and Hotel So.

ONE DAY SCULPTURE is a New Zealand-wide series of temporary public artworks. A Massey University College of Creative Arts, School of Fine Arts, Litmus Research Initiative. For further information see: www.onedaysculpture.org.nz.

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