"There are no tyrannies that would not try to limit art, because they can see the power of art. Art can tell the world things that cannot be shared otherwise. It is art that conveys feelings."

 - Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine 

Jan Fabre

(c)Angelos bvba, Collection M HKA
Money Performance, 1979
Performance , 00:50:00

12.9.1979
Antwerp, Ankerrui Theatre

To address the ambiguous position of money in our society Jan Fabre plays with his audience’s money. After a number of symbolic actions with the admission fees he burns their money, upon which the enraged audience invades the stage.

'MY BODY IS A BATTLEFIELD.
My ribs hurt
and I'm covered in bruises.
I wear with pride
the blue medals I received
for my Money Performance.'

(Jan Fabre, Antwerp, 13 September 1979)

'It's 4:30 in the morning now.
It was intense.
It was an experience, my Money Performance.
I can't sleep from excitement.
Because I have the feeling my emotions
are in a mixer.
I'm still quivering inside.
From what? 

From pain, because the audience
kicked and hit me?
From fear and a sense of cowardliness
because I was scared?
But the most important is
the feeling of happiness and triumph.
SIMPLY BY THE FACT OF DOING IT!'

(Jan Fabre, Antwerp, 12 September 1979)