Junkhouse

On the 5th of April, Palm Sunday, as part of the calendar project Benjamin Verdonck encounters a small constructed environment, containing empty beer cans, underwear and needles behind a large billboard at the ‘Binnensingel’ in Antwerp. Typical is the use of Palm Sunday, a Christian day of Festivities and the re-use of its original meaning/connotation. He tidied the space up, added a coach and a small rooftop and continued to do so every three weeks for the duration of the calendar project.In the text, which together with the before and after images serve as documentation of the performative action, he references Jesus’s actions on that specific day (and his visit to a tax collector). Although he isn’t in favor of the activities of the users of this location, he helps them without conditions. ‘Barmhartigheid’ is key here. The Junkhouse occurs again in the Calendar Project on the 12th of October, in a reply Benjamin Verdonck formulates in an email directed at the city of Antwerp, asking for a contribution to the year calendar. Interesting is how Verdonck mentions the Tax payers, as those responsible for his budget, in this ‘redecoration’ action.