Carte Blanche IX - Paradise Bonds

If Faust was the first to make a deal with the devil to exchange his soul for eternal youth, in 2012, another tormented and controversial soul, that of Nikolaos Louvros, a resident of Athens, aged 57, comes to agitate the placid waters of the ‘divine system of justice dispensation’ by putting his place in paradise up for public auction.
You might think, ‘But how can someone be so certain of his place in paradise as to even sell it?’ Herein lies the philosophical rationale under which IX Carte Blanche ‘PARADISE BONDS’ is organised this year by BOOZE COOPERATIVA.

Lending an attentive ear to man’s existential anxiety at the unknown following the end of life, many religious denominations come to offer emotional and spiritual solace, promising the continuation of life in another dimension and the restoration of justice at a moral level. What follows from that, therefore, is a way of life that is based on fear of death and assiduously fostered by denominations which benefit from that fear.

Respecting fully the religious beliefs of everyone, a man among us, Nikolaos Louvros, a sinner and a blasphemer, so with a precarious place in the paradisiacal land, is willing to lose even this highly unlikely place in paradise so that it can be acquired by someone available to buy it.

Many years will pass before we finally learn who that soul is, win or lose. Surely, however, it is the charitable institutions the money will go to that will be richer, since the aim is to improve the living conditions of some of our fellow people through this singular dealing.

The rationale behind this action does not stop here, though. Nikolaos Louvros may be selling his place in paradise at an auction at a starting price of 500,000 dollars, but as said before this place is precarious. But what would happen if the legal representatives of God on earth did the same? How much would their places cost, given they are secure at that since they are people who have placed themselves fully at God’s service, leading a perfectly virtuous life? Nikolaos Louvros challenges them. He challenges all religious representatives of God to sell their places in paradise to raise money.

He has also sent all of them personal letters, which will be exhibited in public, informing them of his appeal, and is waiting for their responses. If they do not do so, then they will be publicly accountable, and their silence will sound more loudly than their works, holding them jointly responsible for the existing status quo.

Booze Cooperativa invites artists from all over the world to participate at the annual exhibition titled Carte Blanche. Participation period lasts from the 1st of January until the 1st of April 2012.

CLICK HERE TO FIND THE APPLICATION FORM HERE and send it at booze@otenet.gr

Exhibition opens on the 30th of April and ends on the 30th of September 2012

Carte Blanche includes video art - painting - sculpturing - photograph - installation - performance - music

This year exhibition theme is Paradise Bonds. The unique factor of this annual exhibition is that artists are invited and challenged to create before the eyes of public. (optional)