Wannabe

Video
2018

Huset for Kunst & Design

[fotokreditering]

Wannabe is a video-installation presented as a patchwork of found video material. In 1997, the Danish children TV show Snurre Snups Søndagsklub issued an open call for home made dance videos, allowing children to video tape themselves dancing to the Spice Girls song Wannabe. Although recording equipment was nowhere near as available at the time as it is today, they received an overwhelming amount of video submissions. With Wannabe, the artist has created a patchwork from these videos, drawing on the aesthetic of the material, which was originally recorded on VHS tapes. While most include some amount of mimicry of the original Spice Girls song and dance, it also displays a wide range of interpretations, showcasing how resourceful and creative the submissions were. The video work is especially interesting because it stands as a direct counterpoint to the excessive way video is used in contemporary society. With developments in technology, video recording and editing is easily available, creating an overflow of information.