walter willems

New Remote was invited by the independent Serbian art association Kolectiv to have an active presence at the all-night art extravaganza Museum Night. They continued to work with the shopping bag as a symbol of capitalism in the former communist country of Serbia. The shopping bag is not just a bag. It is a cheap but powerful carrier to infiltrate the unconsciousness. Logos, symbols and images printed on shopping bags often characterize an (corporate) identity and/or culture and reveal an insight in personal taste. It often reflects the social status of the carrier, which provokes judgment. After a purchase is made it disappears in a bag, representing the item and its value. Material, colour, shape and size are all important factors in what it represents and how it is perceived. Empowering the carrier/client with a bag strutting an outline of an AK-47 undermines the treat of the weapon. It becomes a fashion statement. The way it is perceived depends on the setting where it is distributed. A shopping bag with an AK-47 outline in London's shopping district has a different impact than the same bag in the streets of Belgrade. For Museum Night New Remote distributed hundreds of AK-47 bags to people on the street in both Belgrade and Sabac.