
Forms of Compensation was a series of twenty-one reproductions of modern and contemporary artworks — from a Dan Flavin neon to a Walead Beshty Fed Ex mash-up to a series of gilded furniture pieces by Farhad Moshiri — with an emphasis on sculpture, painting, and prints by Arab and Iranian artists. The work was produced in Cairo by odd-jobbers in the mekanikki neighborhood of Cairo, which is also home to the Townhouse Gallery. Armed with installation shots of the original artworks, the artists were tasked with creating faithful replicas, with the added instruction that the final products should each differ in one small way from their models. Despite their low-fi fabrication, these “forgeries” did not simply reinforce a critique of high culture or globalized art production. The new works were surprising: uncanny, often funny, and highly ambiguous: more clones than twins. The Cairo artists produced two of each artwork, shown concurrently at Art Dubai and the Townhouse Gallery.
Forms of Compensation was commissioned by Bidoun’s Creative Director Babak Radboy and overseen by artist Ayman Ramadan.
Art Dubai, March 16-20, 2010 Townhouse Gallery, March 23-April 14, 2010














