Nine Lives

The artist group General Idea's extensive oeuvre dealt mostly with historical and socio-political issues. The topics ranged from the artist stereotype about media criticism to AIDS. As an aesthetic metaphor, the three artists used kitschy creations of everyday life, complex theories of culture, performances and video productions. The flag shown here, is a typical propaganda motif - the three skulls refering to Hamburg's arms with its "three towers, not falling." It was conceived as part of an exhibition at the Deichtorhallen in Hamburg, and emerged within the context of a comprehensive AIDS series the the group produced.