Scammed with Authenticity
Shuang Cai
Scammed with Authenticity
A reflection on The Scam Auction created by Blair Simmons and Lindsay Gilbert
March 27, 2024
Attending, buying, and selling at The Scam Auction on Friday, March 15th at CultureHub was an experience that defied expectations. In a world where adversity often breeds isolation, I've often thought about the potential of harnessing discomfort and pain creatively. Thus, when I first learned about The Scam Collection auction, curated by Blair Simmons in collaboration with Lindsay Gilbert, I was immediately intrigued. The auction called for items and artifacts that are scam-experience-related. Eager to participate in this unconventional event, I submitted an art piece and motivated loved ones to do so as well.
Like the repeated announcement from the onset, “This is a real auction with real money,” the atmosphere exuded authenticity. The venue, adorned with black drapes, provided the perfect backdrop for attendees, who were impeccably dressed and held weighted colored catalogs (beautifully designed by Maya Pollack) and bid paddles with a sense of urgency. Throughout the auction, the auctioneer, Hal Schulman, maintained a perfect balance of professionalism and lightheartedness with his sharp chant and elegant demeanor. On the internet bidders' end, CultureHub creative technologists developed a no-lag live platform for remote participants to contribute to the show by clicking and bidding.
A bidder raises their paddle at The Scam Auction. Photo by Ji Hoon Kim.
There was an undeniable sense of humor. The auction unfolded like an unhinged spectacle, with pieces arranged in a whimsical narrative. The opening object, a box of nothing, was an artifact of David Murray’s Ebay pen plotter buying experience. As the auction progressed, a wide range of items came up for bid, from the absurd to the deeply personal, each reflecting a diverse array of experiences with being scammed. From artworks depicting scam-related narratives to seemingly mundane objects with profound backstories, every piece served as a poignant reminder of the intricate nature of navigating deception in today's world.
The definition of scam was stretched and reinterpreted numerous times, with items such as a report card from a biased public education curriculum (consigned by Melissa Sutherland Moss) and a bag of kisses chocolates received as payment from an internship with Barack Obama (consigned by Rashida Kamal) offering insightful commentary on societal issues. Art creations, such as a fake gift card that opens a website of art inspired by actual scammed experiences (created and consigned by Yan Chen) and a crochet spreadsheet documenting artist fellowship/grants/residency applications (created and consigned by Nicole Yi Messier) extended the theme further. The auction's conclusion, featuring a large composite NFT containing all the “worthless” collections submitted by disillusioned collectors, underscored the event's satirical nature.
Four shelves display all of the items sold at the auction. Photo by Ji Hoon Kim.
“An auction naturally commands focused attention on the item being sold. The idea is to elevate these objects from their hidden or shameful status to the center of attention, challenging how they are viewed and how their original owners feel about them,” Gilbert explained. The humor and the twist lie in that contradicting feeling when one exposes oneself to the public through jokes. Amidst these funny reminders of vulnerability and injustice, there was an undeniable sense of empowerment. Confronting and reclaiming one's experiences with scams through artistic expression felt cathartic and empowering. The auction provided a platform for individuals to literally share their stories in physical formats, find solidarity with others who had faced similar challenges, and even transform their pain into works of art.
Ironically, all the funds collected from this auction are being evenly redistributed to all the submitters. This redistribution serves a dual purpose: not only does it challenge the traditional notion of value attached to the items being auctioned, but it also democratizes the financial outcome of the event—which my partner, who loved this auction, described as: “...like a ponzi scheme itself, but socialist.” By redistributing the funds equally among all participants, regardless of the perceived value of their submissions, the organizers are dismantling the hierarchical structures often associated with art auctions. Simmons describes that part of the goal is to ridicule the art market as a medium itself, questioning the inherent value placed on artistic creations and challenging the exclusivity of the art world. This approach in the auction subverts traditional notions of art as a commodity and highlights the power dynamics at play within the art market.
A framed certificate of authenticity sits on a black tablecloth next to a spiral bound copy of The Scam Collection Catalogue. Photo by Ji Hoon Kim.
In a world where scams and maybe the world itself often leave us feeling powerless, The Scam Auction offered a powerful reminder of the resilience of the human spirit. It was a testament to the transformative power of community, creativity, and shared experience. I left that night with the box of nothing that I acquired during the auction, but I sure feel so satisfied. And I know it didn’t only come from the nicely framed authenticity certificate that came with the acquisition, but more so the excitement sparked from the courage and creativity showcased at the event.
From eager bidders to pain-revealing participants and self-exploiting artists, The Scam Auction organizers have put up a satirical collective theatrical event that epitomized creativity and resilience amidst the vast absurdity of life—in which I may have been very deeply scammed into believing that hope can still be found.
shuang cai is a multimedia artist, curator, and writer. Their art practices focus on logic, interactions, and humor. Their curatorial works aim to bring forth the power of interconnectedness and diverse voices across communities. Currently, they are the curatorial director of LATITUDE Gallery, research resident at NYU ITP, and curatorial fellow at NARS. They were an editor of Adjacent and have curated shows at LATITUDE Gallery, theBlanc, :iidrr, Accent Sisters, All Street NYC, and Joy Museum (Beijing). They hold a Bachelor's degree from Bard College in Computer Science joint Studio Art and a Master's from New York University Interactive Telecommunication Program(ITP).