Vanessa Beecroft

digital c print, edition 2/3

cm 124x344,5

With certificate of authenticity of Vanessa Beecroft Produced for Terminal 5, a group exhibition that took place at the TWA Flight Centre of JFK Airport in 2004, VB54 Performance consisted of 36 young, partially naked women standing in formation, in a disused waiting room, wearing Afro wigs, black body paint and silver shackles. Throughout the performance, the women were shown bending over, lying down or crouching, unified by their dull expressions. It is not clear whether the artist is making a historical reference to slavery or a comment on the contemporary detention of illegal immigrants. Nevertheless, as in all Beecroft’s performances, the regimented rows of women here present an intimidating, unified front that celebrates female strength and agency