MONEYMAKER
This seven-hour endurance work took place during 30 Americans at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, at the invitation of Mera Rubell. Sporting a pompadour, a bedazzled cummerbund spelling out $€X and golden “bootyballs,” Holly Bass danced continuously for seven hours in an homage to James Brown and Saartjie Baartman, arguably two of the hardest working folks in show biz. The performance was visible from outside, inside and above as patrons walked under a transparent stage to enter the museum.
40 Continuous Dances for Freedom is the video companion to the live Moneymaker performance in which Holly Bass dances continuously for upwards of seven hours. The pompadour hairstyle, polyester jumpsuit, satin cummerbund embellished with rhinestones spelling out $€X, and “bootyballs”—an oversized sculptural derriere-- all pay homage to two of the hardest work people in showbiz, James Brown and Sarah "Saartjie" Baartman, a South African woman who was displayed in 19th-century Europe under the name Hottentot Venus. The complete digital video runs 99 minutes and was shot in one continuous take.