Kenneth Balfelt

Kady Juice – Gingembre par Kady
Touareg The Performance by Alhassane Amoussale
Heroin tap (with FOS)
Price policy

For Kenneth A. Balfelt, artistic practice is synonymous with a radical deconstruction of certain key elements in conventional understandings of art. That the aim of art should simply be to reflect aspects of society falls well short of the mark as far as he’s concerned. He wants to see action – and offer concrete solutions to the world’s problems. Even though his art is not for sale, Balfelt insists on the designation ‘artist’, inasmuch as the art institution is the platform that informs his work. His best-known projects include (in collaboration with FOS) the total refurbishment of the Men’s Home (Mændenes Hjem) – a shelter for homeless men – in Vesterbro (a Copenhagen inner city area). For Karriere, Balfelt has submitted all of four projects. Some of them refer to other works, some are created specifically for Karriere. The heroin tab at the bar is a reference to the Men’s Home, where the water tab also features. Balfelt seeks to draw strands of that narrative into Karriere, thereby linking two sites, each of which reflects elements of the story of Vesterbro today. Balfelt’s interests also include the market and liberal capitalism – a focus reflected in the presentation of Karriere’s price policy, which is ingeniously depicted in the wallpaper as a mind map of the process. On the one hand, Karriere needs to be a venue attractive to all (from the ‘shirt-and-tie boys’ to students), but at another level the intention is to trigger debate. Why is the concept of integration so important to society? Why does it matter so much that people with apparently nothing in common be brought together? The latter question is taken up in a contribution from Balfelt which is a straight-up cultural exchange. Balfelt has been involved in efforts to create vocational training opportunities for the prison population of Agadez in Niger. While in situ, he met Elhassane Amoussale, a waiter from the nomadic tribe Touareg. The Touareg are known for their capacity for survival in the Sahara and for their unique tea culture. In a three month period in the winter/spring of 2008, Alhassane will be part of the everyday life at Karriere and make performances presenting the unique tea ceremony of the nomad tribe, for the guests.
A further contribution is also from Africa, where Balfelt met Kady, who plied him with a wonderful ginger beverage in her little restaurant, Chez Kady. The drink, considered a natural aphrodisiac, cost the equivalent of DKK 1.70. Balfelt procured the closely guarded recipe for Karriere’s chefs, who will be making KadyJuice – Gigembre par Kady for Karriere’s customers. For every drink purchased, DKK 1.70 goes to Kady. (MKT)

Kenneth A. Balfelt, born 1966, Denmark
www.a-r-d.org

• Commercial for Kady juice
• Touareq Tea Performance