In November of last year, the artist Martha Rosler held a "Meta-Monumental Garage Sale" in the atrium of the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The garage sale was exactly what it sounds like, A bunch of stuff for sale, that she had acquired and was ready to part with.
Rosler has held garage sale art performances for over 30 years, and says they are only interesting when 'as much as possible like every other garage sale in America.'
Rosler's work not only interests me in that there are many similarities between the culture and tradition of garage sales and clothes swaps, but also because in these events she is in some ways 'making the personal political' and in a way, making the private, public.
Since this Thursday will be the first large-scale public clothing swap I have ever organized, I cannot tell for sure if there will, in fact be any similarities to the yard sales or small clothes swaps I have attended in the past. I do know that those who come will make it what it is, bringing with them not only their no-longer-wanted garments, but also the stories, memories and traces of themselves stored inside the clothes, and by simply showing up with a desire to give away some small piece of yourself, you will be lighter and more free, and ready to take on some new experience, or at least a free T-shirt. Hope to see you there.
http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2012/11/17/arts/artsspecial/20121117GARAGE.html?smid=pl-share
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