Negative youth
Artist / Maker
Date
Creation: 2012 - 2013
Object Name
Inventory Number
C.2019.146.001
Physical Description
White background with a sketch of a bank note in black. The note is asymmetrical and appears as a quick sketch because of its slant and varying width. The bill contains the typical information one would expect from a bank note, such as a logo, the value of the bill, the issuer, the serial number, etc. In the middle of the note, there is also a portrait. Lastly, below the sketch, the words ‘negative youth’ are written in black capital letters and underlined.
Content Description
The financial crisis of 2008 shook Europe’s youth with mass unemployment and caused a rise in emigration. There was talk of a new ‘lost generation’ in Europe. In this piece, Portuguese artist Wasted Rita creates a sarcastic rendition of the US 100-dollar bill in response. This can be surmised from the ‘Federal Reserv’ written in the corner, the logo similar to that of the US Federal Reserve, and the portrait which bears a resemblance to the portrait of Benjamin Franklin on the 100 dollar bill. A minus sign is sarcastically placed in front of the value of the bill, ‘- 100’, denoting its negative value. This in combination with the text underneath and the time it was created – during the middle of the Portuguese recession – conveys the irreverence, sarcasm, and humour that is characteristic of Wasted Rita’s work.
Exhibition Theme
-> 7. Restless Youth. 70 years of growing up in Europe (not on display)
Material / Technique
Paper and ink
Dimensions
H x W 30,00 x 19,00 cm
Curator’s Note
This piece is a great example of Wasted Rita’s art, which is provocative and humorous, often using text-based ‘pseudo poetry’ to explore ordinary life, pop culture, and social commentary. Between 2010 and 2014, the financial crisis swept through Portugal. However, where for other countries, the recession crisis came after years of economic growth, for the Portuguese, the crisis was an intensification of the recession that they had already been facing for years. Since 2000, there had been little to no economic growth and continued increases in unemployment. Portugal, among other countries, received a bailout package during the crisis. In return it had to implement harsh austerity measures, which exacerbated several problems in the economy. The economic situation of the time and her experience of its consequences must have served as inspiration for Wasted Rita in this piece. The negative bill may refer to the lack of money felt by the majority of the population, not only in Portugal, but more widely in Europe. The term ‘negative youth’ is also interesting because it is ambiguous. It may be interpreted as a young person’s negative outlook on the future. It may describe how young people are unable to enjoy their youth owing to the economic situation. But it may also be a comment on how youth and young people are being devalued by the rest of society. With this piece, Wasted Rita invites her audience to reflect on the relationship between the economic system, the way it is managed, and young people and their place in society.
Inscription
Inscription
FEDERAL RESERV
AE 77665544
-100
AE 77665544
-100
NEGATIVE YOUTH
Credit line
Acquired 2019. EU, EP, House of European History, Brussels.
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