Late last year, when Joanna and I returned from our project travels, Buttercup became a Sunday driving taxi. Joanna arranged with friends coordinating rides, to wherever their hearts desired. They would work out a price and take to the road. It wasn't like man with a van, it was more like a friend with a Sunday driving vehicle.
Today, Buttercup goes forward to another phase of being a taxi. This time it is in NYC, just north of Columbus circle. It will be scope fair goers that have the fortune of riding, suggesting a barter and experiencing just how far their barter will take them. It forces participants to think about the value not of a dollar, but of exchange. I am not sure how people will respond. In a city where no one wants to carry more than they need, what will they exchange? Stories, free passes, recommendations, a joke, a soda pop, a pretzel. Will I return from rides feeling robbed of my time? Is a barter system as amazing I believe it once was. Can barter only feel lucrative in small towns, where you can get free dentistry for artwork? Will being a cabbie for the day, fulfill the vision of art being interactive, of performance art taking on characteristics of service, where directions are contained within the routine of the service? We will just have to see.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)