THE YES MEN AND ACTIVISM IN THE INFORMATION ... - Index of

of their earlier Sexism Rears Its Unprotected Head billboard. 91 The graphic and critical nature of
the billboards caused the Biennale director, Giovanni Carandente, to declare “that the group’s
contribution was not considered art and vowed to resign if it were exhibited. Simultaneously,
Italian officials at the Venice airport were refusing to release Gran Fury’s billboards from
customs.” 92 In retaliation, Gran Fury held a press conference in its empty exhibition stall.
Written on the walls was an account of what had happened and why there was no art to hang.
Immediately, the story appeared in several Italian newspapers, and, within forty-eight hours,
Gran Fury had its billboards returned and hung in their allotted space. Carandente did not resign.
His behavior fueled the press and public disapproval about what happened to Gran Fury, but
most importantly, according to Nina Felshin, amongst all the press about the “Scandalo” was
information included as side stories or supplements about the spread of the HIV virus in Italy.
Because of the scandal, a dialogue was created about the facts the artists were attempting to
spread. As one Gran Fury member noted, the incident allowed them to “break outside the
cloistered territory of the Biennale” and distribute information about the AIDS epidemic to the
Italian public. 93 RTMark’s parody site GWBush.com, which led to the formation of the Yes
Men, is another example of an unforeseen scandal creating social dialogue. In that example, the
examination of Bush as a viable candidate was Vamos and Servin’s ultimate goal, achieved in large
part because of the scandal attached to the work.
91 Felshin, 74.
92 Ibid, 76.
93 Ibid, 77.
45