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Free Personal Attention is an ongoing one-on-one participatory performance project inspired by ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response), the phenomenon that refers to the sensation of relaxing feelings accompanied by a pleasant tingling in the scalp, often triggered through the perception of sound, visual signals, or haptic interaction.

In this performance, the participant is invited to sit across the table where they will receive customized “attention” of their choice provided by the artist during the span of 10 minutes. While an “intimate” experience can be sought and purchased from various sources, Chih-Tung is interested in studying the cost-free and socially-distant type of interpersonal bonding the ASMR community genuinely offers. Taking the peculiar ASMR culture as an analogy to ponder on the aspects of social relations, self-care, consent, affect and intimacy-seeking in the contemporary society, the performance wishes to speak to its audience through the language of ASMR as it addresses the neglected yet intrinsic earning of human nature that the ASMR universe has seemingly fulfilled – the unconditional sharing of intimacy and affect with one another.

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Photo credits Tania Brito

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You can shop for Free Personal Attention at the artist's stand.

During the span of ten minutes, the artist will pay full attention to you – all you have to do is to relax and stay open-minded. Primarily, you will choose one character from a list of options, which then determines what activities you will be doing with the artist.

 

The performance is inspired by ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response). To create sensational experiences like ASMR videos do, the artist triggers multiple sensory experiences. As a consumer of the virtual trend themselves, the artist is interested in how the ASMRists build their relationships with the audience, and in the current trend of people seeking and providing care and intimacy online. 

2024 One Day Stand: Why So Myrtsi? Myyrmäki Arts Night with The Other Side @Myyrmäki, Vantaa Finland

2024 Free Personal Attention @Titanik, Turku Finland

2021 SUPERMARKET – Stockholm Independent Art Fair @Stadsgårdsterminalen, Stockholm Sweden

2019 Feel Helsinki @Musiikkitalo, Helsinki Finland​

2019 How To Survive Kaamos Group Exhibition @Vapaan Taiteen Tila, Helsinki Finland

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