Through exchangerate2008.com, thirty-eight artists from sixteen different countries produced, exchanged, and interpreted performance directions related to the election campaign. These actions took place in public spaces all over the globe, from the streets of Seoul, South Korea to the alleys of Tel Aviv, Israel. The artworks produced for the exchange mirrored and challenged the pageantry displayed in the mass media as part of the presidential race. Exchange Rate: 2008 also added an alternative critical voice to the blogs, websites and virtual networks that emerged in 2008 as the most influential arena in the US presidential election. 

Participants in the exchange acknowledged the significance of the election and sought ways to process, collaborate and examine the historic moment. Artist participants lived in Australia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Denmark, Ecuador, Israel, Lithuania, Mexico, Nicaragua, Portugal, Scotland, South Korea, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the USA. Each participating artist submitted performance directions (in the form of text, video, image, etc.) for an international colleague to perform. Subsequently, the participants selected a set of performance directions to interpret and perform. Various projects were featured in Minneapolis during the Republican National Convention as part of The Unconvention (theunconvention.com) and projects were also be showcased during live events in Los Angeles from October through November 4th.

On November 4th, Exchange Rate: 2008 produced a grand evening full of performative punditry, raucous referendums and live coverage of election night activities world-wide. The usage of performance directions recalls Fluxus scores, Happenings and mail art of the 1950’s-70’s, but contained present day reverberations of mass communication and social networking through emails, text-messaging, blogs, video streaming, etc. As the world watched US citizens elect a new leader through the mass media, a local and international audience watched artists exchange and perform in response to the election campaigns. This series of performances engaged and affected this seemingly impenetrable stage of the international political arena.

“Exchange Rate: 2008 was meant to provide a platform for a different set of concerns about this election. It was structured to generate conversation and collaboration among artists around the globe. My hope was that it would provide an opportunity for a deepening and widening of the conversation about the election than the one playing out in the mainstream media coverage.” -Elana Mann

Exchange Rate: 2008 was made possible in part from generous funding from Trade & Row, Company Wide Shut, Chesed v’Tov Foundation, Side Street Projects, and GYST Ink.