Free Trade

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The latest gallery foray of conceptual artist Pablo Helguera is, somewhat surprisingly, comprised of small delicate collages. Constructed of images that reflect his travels through the Americas during his project, The School of Panamerican Unrest (SPU), Suite Panamericana--now on view at Moti Hasson Gallery in New York--is only one of the material outputs of this ambitious happening (which also includes a website, blog, and an upcoming documentary). In what is described as a 'nomadic think tank,' Mexican-born Helguera and other members of the SPU traveled by car through the Americas, from Anchorage, Alaska to Ushuaia, Argentina making 'official' stops along the way. Through performances, workshops, screenings, and discussions the SPU initiated a trade of ideas, devoid of the usual polemics of Pan-American trade and globalization. A public performance by Helguera on Thursday, September 20 at 7:30pm at Moti Hasson will surely illuminate these ideas further.