Artificial Environment

You're a Winner explores promises of opportunity and success, how ideas of luxury are constructed in contrast with the economic realities of peoples lives. To what extent are notions of self formed by external influence, and how has the cult of personality shaped ideas of popularity and material success?

Over a period of seven years Guyan Porter contacted companies, organisations and individuals who promise wealth and prosperity, and was by consequence bombarded with offers and instruction. Thousands of direct mail letters were received, promising millions of pounds, as well as spiritual deliverance, love and personal development, the ability to 'take control' and to follow what is promised by destiny.

These letters, whether dealing with financial or spiritual matters, all play on hope and belief, our willingness and responsibility to recognise and seize opportunity, the desire for some overarching mechanism.

You're a Winner is part of a series of installations intended to explore ways that movement of information shapes our metaphysical assumptions, how networks of information are created in line with certain presupposed notions of society. You're a Winner continues a pseudo sociological investigation into ways that external authorities (such as government, educational institutions, religious orders) shape ideas of destiny and personal responsibility. You're a Winner explores individuality within the capitalist dialectic, and how this corresponds with contemporary attitudes towards belief and spirituality.

guyan porter damien hirst anish kapoor capitalism neo liberalism modern contemporary art tate modern