This is an archived page from the Website Archive of British artist Ellie Harrison from Version 3.0 (active 2008 - 2015). New website: www.ellieharrison.com

last updated
15th July 2015

This installation aimed to re-enact the history of financial crises over the last century. By condensing these one hundred years into the short period of time that the gallery was open each day, the frenzied moments of crisis were re-lived, in chronological order, over the course of a few hours.

‘Lined up in the centre of the space - primed and ready to go off - are eleven second-hand popcorn making machines. Each machine represents one of the eleven major financial crises of the last century, beginning with the infamous Wall Street Crash of 1929. As the day goes on, the popcorn machines are activated one-by-one at times corresponding to their dates within the century. For a matter of minutes an air of chaos envelopes the space as popcorn explodes frantically onto the floor. Then all goes quiet again... until the next crisis occurs’.

This installation was first shown alongside the work Transactions at Mejan Labs in Stockholm, Sweden in April 2009 as part of the exhibition Transfers and Actions. You can view details of all eleven financial crises featured in the installation in the gallery handout which you can download by clicking on the link to the right under ‘Further Reference’.

Exhibition History

16 April - 7 June 2009, Mejan Labs, Stockholm
7 - 28 August 2010, Künstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin
7 - 28 November 2010, Market Gallery, Glasgow
30 April - 1 May 2011, Trajector Art Fair, Brussels
1 November - 17 December 2011, Vane, Newcastle
15 - 17 March 2013, Thrift Radiates Happiness, Birmingham Municipal Bank
2 - 26 May 2013, Money after Money / Credit Game 2013, Eye of Gyre, Japan