Free Shop

All goods and services are valued against money, and we perform economic transactions nearly constantly. We reward children's chores with pocket money and break state budgets by speculating against national currencies. We browse menu cards and supermarket shelves and instantly understand value as expressed by price tags. The terms of transactions are likewise transparent: we bring a product to the counter, exchange ownership of the product for money and exit the store, one product richer. This ritual is repeated over and over.

Free Shop takes place in an existing shop or market. For an undisclosed period, without announcement or explanation, the monetary value of goods and services is void. When the customer reaches the checkout counter all merchandise added to the register amounts to a total of 0. 

Confused, some customers react with suspicion, while others are happily surprised. Shop owners and cashiers are pleased to freely share goods and temporarily suspend the expected routine of buying and selling. But what appears as a gratis smorgasbord of shopping could also be a sign of a larger financial collapse. With our shopping bags filled, we stay calm in the stubborn belief that tomorrow will be business as usual.