Mike Chavez-Dawson

The ‘For Surreal’ estate agents take the public on a tour of the Subversive Spaces exhibition. Moving quite quickly they progress through the exhibition, stopping in certain areas to describe the work using a combination of estate agent/art language. They are manipulating the exhibition to generate excitement for a big pitch outside the Schneider piece (a home for sale). They’ll get a big commission if they can sell it. During the tour a young mother starts to ask questions regarding the work, challenging the estate agents domestic knowledge; one of the estate agents starts to develop a tic. Further along an Art Critic begins to question their motivation - using art to sell something unsellable. There is an escalation in the desire to impart artistic ideas and their application to a higher order through purchase.

In the last space before the Schneider house the estate agents are becoming delirious with pleasure. The estate agents and public arrive at the Schneider house…it’s closed. The art critic is overjoyed. The estate agents are crushed. The estate agents break down. There is silence until an angelic voice starts singing and two Doctors emerge from the shadows and fit the estate agents into comfort (strait) jackets. They are returned to ‘the drawing room.’