‘Surplus Value’ was made by the artist Tania Bruguera at Tate Modern as part of her larger art project Immigrant Movement International. It requires people to line up and pass a polygraph test concerning visa applications before they can be granted access to the inner gallery. Once inside a sign gradually reveals itself, the sign reads ‘Arbeit Macht Frei’ (‘work liberates’) and is a 1:1 replica of a sign that was stolen from Auschwitz.
It was initiated by an artist and cultural organisation and encourages people to participate through a special event. Suplus Value is global in orientation and concerned with anti-discrimination, equality and social justice, democracy, politics and representation and peace.
It was launched in London in August 2012 and lasted one week.
This page is part of Participation Now, a project that brings together a diverse collection of participatory public engagement initiatives with the aim of supporting exploration, learning and engagement. Explore the collection of initiatives or read more about the project.
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