untitled (dispossession), 2018

"Untitled (Dispossession)" was commissioned for the exhibition Il Coltello nella Carne at PAC Milano, Milan, Italy, and conceived as a reconfiguration of the action "Untitled (The Kindness of Strangers)", originally commissioned for the 28th São Paulo Biennial. The change of the subtitle from 'The Kindness of Strangers' to 'Dispossession' reflects a shift in the artwork's conceptual focus, from the generosity of strangers to the experience of loss and lack. In both versions of the work, Ianês fostered a personal connection with the donors, starting the action naked and without any belongings. In this iteration, they lived in the exhibition space for 15 days, in silence, sleeping on the floor and relying solely on donations from visitors to dress, eat, wash, and drink. Ianês only interacted with the participants once they had given something, looking them in the eyes. Each day, Ianês moved to a different spot in the exhibition space until the donations could no longer be transported to other rooms due to space limitations. Ianês organised them by type on the floor to create an installation within the work, establishing relationships with and between the objects in a way that communicated to visitors both visually and conceptually. Overall, they reflected the needs and desires of those who donated them when faced with the action.