This Progress

Tino Seghal’s work “This Progress” was experienced in ICA (2006) in London, Guggenheim (2010) in New York, and in Palais de Tokyo (2016), Paris. We can’t really say it was exhibited, because the work is indeed a fleeting experience. The work relays on storytelling, and what artist himself calls “staged situations”. When viewer’s enter the space, they are greeted by a child, who introduces himself/herself, guides the visitor and asks “What is progress?”. The next stop is another person, this time, older, who takes over the conversation. Next, yet another person, another conversation, another story. Visitor is then bid goodbye with a phrase “This work is entitled This Progress“. A viewer goes through the range of roles, subjective to the relationship with a mediator. The progress in a piece is not just a physical movement, but also progress of a role we take as we are getting older. Progress in life. A curious child, a story of a teenager, then young adult, and a reflection, memory of an elder.

“It is a thoroughly thought-provoking experience to meditate on the meaning of life and to reflect on your own past and future. As a woman of 30, I was aware of my shifting roles as I progressed along the ramp. I transitioned from a protective caretaker to a mentor to a protégée in the matter of 10 minutes. I also really enjoyed the discussions I shared with these people, and the metaphorical mirror the experience provided on my own life span.” – Gillian Sneed, https://www.artinamericamagazine.com/news-features/news/tino-sehgal-guggenheim-this-progress/

Sources:

This Progress

Tino Sehgal Presents a Work in Progress