Performance series

17 July - 23 November 2020, Basque Country and Spain.

BilbaoArte Foundation, Bilbao.

From 17 July to 25 November 2020, the artist travelled to various cities in the Basque Country and northern Spain (Bilbao, Portugalete, Vitoria-Gasteiz, San Sebastián, Santander, Valladolid, Pamplona, ​​Zaragoza, Logroño, Basauri, Plentzia, Bermeo, Getxo, Guernica, Gijón) looking for receipts left around by strangers.

Fascinated by the idea of ​​reliving a moment and a memory that does not belong to her, Gurgone tries to imagine the story behind each receipt she collects; at the same time, to relive the moment, she had to include it in her own life. The project develops through 50 performative actions in which the artist repeated the same expenses imprinted on the receipts she collected, in the same shop where the receipt was issued. For 6 months she let strangers manage her life, letting them choose foods and items (such as perfumes, shopping lists, clothes) to include in her daily life.

The performance connects two different lives, which, for a moment, cease to be unknown to each other. Although she tries to buy the same exact items and pay the same amount of money, the project demonstrates the impossibility of duplicating a memory and reliving the same moment twice. Memories are filtered by time (take discounted items, unexpected items, terminated items or those who are no longer available) and the personality of those who live it.

Some of the performative actions are then set up and transformed into installations that contain the objects that tell the story of the receipt.

Go to the exhibition

Casa Feliz, 2020.

Foam rubber, hooks, glass, thermal paper, printed canvas,

modelling paste, objects.

85x400x240 cm, private collection.

Receipt found on: 08/09/2020

Receipt found in: Calle Trinidad 3, 26005 Logroño, La Rioja

At: 17:06

Abandoned 500 metres away from the shop.

The owner and I paid in cash without needing change.

9 September 2020, 11:20.

Blue sky, thick white clouds. It will certainly not rain.

I have been visiting Logroño over the last two days, and I can say it’s a beautiful city. Calle Portales is pleasant to walk through in the evening, and the wine they produce here is, I think, the finest in Spain, even if it has nothing to do with Italian wines.

The moment relived in Casa Feliz was very quick. It is possible that the owner entered this Chinese shop in a hurry, after realising that his mobile phone had run out of power. Maybe he was going out for the night and needed to keep in touch with someone.

The salesgirl was not very tech-savvy, so I had to deal with things on my own: I realised that the socket on my mobile phone was different from the one purchased by the receipt’s owner. It doesn't matter; I'll use it for my Bluetooth headphones, my dearest fellows, which follow me everywhere.

I pay quickly and go out.

Kapikua, 2020.

foam, structure, hooks, glass, thermal paper, printed canvas,

modelling paste, objects.

165x400x200 cm.

Receipt found on: 01/09/2020

Receipt found in: Iparraguirre Kalea 28, 48011 Bilbao, Bizkaia.

At: 18:02

Abandoned 550 metres away from the bar.

The owner and I paid in cash and did not need change.

12 September 2020, 10:51.

Sunny day. Very pleasant temperature.

I head towards Kapikua at a relaxed pace. Today I'm taking it easy. Breakfast has become brunch... Although to be fair, Everything is delayed in Spain, so it’s ok to name a meal “breakfast” at least until midday.

I lean against the counter, read the receipt.

"1 Desayuno & coca cola".

Coffee is a must for me, so, thinking that it must be included in some kind of menu, I ask the barista a tortilla with ham, a coffee and a coke. The lady hands me the tortilla and the coke, and I take my food to the table: I choose a place outside, facing Euskadi Plaza. I go back inside to take my coffee, and the barmaid hands me my receipt. I notice that my coffee is not included in the desayuno menu and that I have to pay 1,25€ more.

I exclaim:

"Nonsense! How can you have breakfast with just coke? How can you not take milk, coffee or tea?"

You, who lived this moment, let me tell you: you are a weirdo.

As I'm resigning to the idea of having to pay more than I should, I realise that a group of hungry sparrows is devouring the tortilla I left at the table outside.

"NO WAY!"

I throw myself on the table to shoo them away, but it's too late.

"You've been fooled" says the barmaid, kindly serving me another slice of tortilla.

Poly juguetes, 2020.

foam, structure, hooks, glass, thermal paper, printed canvas,

modelling paste, objects.

210x185x160 cm.

Receipt found on: 28/09/2020

Receipt found in: Calle San Agustín 3, 33202 Gijón, Asturias.

At: 19:51 p.m

Abandoned 550 metres away from the shop.

The owner and I paid with our credit cards.

29 September 2020, 15:47 p.m.

Cold day, not even sunlight is enough to warm the streets.

I always loved toy shops, and I still do, even now that I am an adult.

Today’s toys are so imaginative, there are no limits to what children can desire and get! Maybe I was lucky to grow up before this generation, I don't know if I would have been able to choose from all the toys this shop has.

I ask the cashier to help me find the items on the receipt: she listens carefully, perhaps thinking I am looking for something for my grandchildren. I wonder if this receipt belonged to someone looking for a gift. I like to imagine it was a mother dragged by her children, who, out of exhaustion, let them buy what they wanted as long as it is "Just one!".

The shopkeeper hands me this cute plastic shark that plays a melody when immerged and a magic cherry-scented sand that always stays wet so it's easy to shape.

This time I'm a child again and I am having fun without thinking too much.

Universal fruta, 2020.

Foam, structure, hooks, glass, thermal paper, printed canvas,

modelling paste, objects.

110x65x260 cm.

Receipt found on: 31/08/2020

Receipt found in: Calle Catalunya 14, 48970 Basauri, Bizkaia

At: 15:20

Abandoned 1.1 km away from the shop. 

The owner and I paid in cash.

4 September 2020, 14:06.

Bright sun, last days of summer.

I took a walk in Basauri today, people are walking in peace and enjoying the good weather, while Covid seems far from everyone's mind.There is a queue at the entrance: This greengrocer must be very popular. There are many types of fruit to choose from. I don't usually buy a lot of fruit, I usually buy a small amount at a time and vary every week.

Not knowing how much fruit the protagonist of this receipt has taken, I ask for a number of apples and pears that goes for me. There’s one more item on the receipt, and I have no idea what it is: “Baston”, 1 euro: I take a look around but I don't see anything that could bring such a name. Once at the checkout, the trader weighs the fruit and I take the opportunity to ask what the baston is. He gets a bit confused and doesn't know how to answer me.

Another girl from the shop intervenes, saying:

"Baston is actually 2 baguettes, but we've recently changed the name on the cash register!"

I am delighted to have solved the mystery. I ask her to give me the two baguettes and this eventually leads to me having two separate receipts.

I leave the store satisfied, even though I paid 0.71 cents less.