"Milieu Exchange" - A Critique of Wealth Distribution

DESCRIPTION

The name "Milieu Exchange" refers to the dualism between liberal-conservative and precarious milieus. In this project, the concept of "milieu" moves freely, independent of defined sociological frameworks, such as those by Durkheim. This approach allows viewers to interpret the painting without requiring prior social science knowledge.

VISUAL REPRESENTATION

The painting (50 x 60 cm, acrylic on canvas) depicts two protagonists. The person in the bottom left of the painting is a well-dressed man from an upper-class background. He sits on the ground with a money bowl in front of him, already filled with cash. The second protagonist is positioned in the upper right of the painting—a woman of older age. Her clothing and the plastic bag she carries suggest that, in contrast to the man in a suit, she comes from a precarious social background. As she passes by, she gives him a coin.

The painting's motif is surreal, with the social roles of the two protagonists reversed (“Milieu Exchange”). The wealthy man, who has no reason to beg, appears needy, while the older woman, who likely has limited financial means, gives him her money—an image that is both surprising and unsettling. When we move beyond our everyday perceptions, the visual representation reveals a metaphor. The man is not so much a beggar as he is someone passively accumulating wealth. The older woman, on the other hand, is in motion and becomes even poorer.

Why does this happen? The artist leaves the interpretation open. From her perspective, a small portion of the world's population is becoming increasingly wealthy due to liberal-economic processes. The result is a redistribution of wealth from the bottom to the top.

SOUND

The visual representation is accompanied by sound, which parallels the imagery in the painting. The tones form contrasts, similar to the protagonists depicted in the artwork. The soundscape features noises from both liberal-conservative and precarious milieus:

• The sounds of a busy street (liberal-conservative)
• A recording of a rapping homeless person (precarious)
• Sounds from a shopping center, with young girls singing “Louis Vuitton” (liberal-conservative)
• Traffic noises (liberal-conservative)
• Protests against Trump (resistance to the liberal-conservative milieu)
• Nature sounds (neutral, domesticated by the liberal-conservative milieu)

The sequence, which lasts 50 minutes, is played on a loop.