untitled (the kindness of strangers), 2008

"Untitled (The Kindness of Strangers)", commissioned by the 28th São Paulo International Biennial, was then reconfigured as "Untitled (Dispossession)" in 2018 for the exhibition "Il Coltello nella Carne" at PAC Milano. The change in title 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, without any belongings. They lived in the exhibition space for 13 and 15 days, respectively, in silence, sleeping on the floor and relying solely on donations from visitors to dress, eat, clean, and drink. Ianês only interacted with the participants after they made eye contact and initiated contact. Each day, Ianês moved to another spot within the exhibition until the donations, organised by type on the floor, could no longer be transported to other rooms due to space limits. Ianês received a diverse range of items, including food, paintings, letters, plants, toothbrushes, soap, and a used MP3 player with a playlist curated by the participant.
The donations were arranged and displayed to form an installation within the work, fostering relationships with the objects that communicated visually and conceptually to visitors. Overall, they reflected the needs and desires of those who donated them when faced with the action.
“The kindness of strangers” is part of a sentence spoken by Blanche DuBois, a character who is a sex worker in Tennessee Williams’ play “A Streetcar Named Desire." She says, “I’ve always depended on the kindness of strangers.”