Event for Touristic Sites: Lucas Ihlein, 2001-3


A series of photographic "happenings" with tourists.

Between 50-100 T-shirts emblazoned with national stereotypes were unpacked from suitcases in sites frequented by international tourists in various cities.

Tourists were cajoled to "choose a T-shirt and pose for a photo".

The stereotypes on the shirts led to lively discussions about the "truth" (or lack of truth) about the national stereotypes.

Event for Touristic Sites was presented at the following places:
  • Circular Quay, Sydney as part of Uniglory edited by Lisa Kelly;
  • Perth Belltower as part of Tactical Intervention Strategies curated by Marcus Canning;
  • Berlin as part of the BBQ Project curated by Bec Neill and Rohan Stanley;
  • Adelaide Mall, as part of Bilateral at Experimental Art Foundation;
  • and (unofficially) at the Garden of Australian Dreams at the National Museum in Canberra.

A version of Event for Touristic Sites was presented as a video installation at Performance Space, Sydney, in 2003.