In Donation I & II, Saarikko was inspired by the Red Cross´ public blood donation programme,
which differs from other donation-able extracts in being unisex. The work was also
meant as an intervention in the welfare state´s debate between true universalism and
politics of aspiration. With the performance Saarikko wanted to explore how an artistic
institution could amplify people´s phenomenological right to give themselves as gifts.

In the performance section of the work, a voluntary medical professional extracted
publicly 2.5 dl of blood from the artist. The blood was sterilized and mixed with
2.5 litres of pure white latex paint. Saarikko continued by painting the walls of the
gallery with the mixture corresponding to hexadecimal tonality value #FFF8E7. Within
24 hours fresh air transformed the colour to hexadecimal value #FFEFE7. The on-site
procedure was documented on video for archiving.

Since then Saarikko has carried out the blood donation performance in other locations.

Petri Saarikko (b. 1973) is an artist and a designer based in Helsinki, Finland.
Saarikko combines societal commentary with his design profession and new media
background, which results to location-based installations. His work has a strong
performative nature. Saarikko does not shy away from provocation and often challenges
issues such as national identity, artistic authorship or official political discourse
with a change of context, therefore showing the true artificial nature of these phenomena.
His work strives for opening up power relations, making room for individual narratives
and takes stands for equality. Saarikko regularly collaborates with his partner Sasha
Huber Saarikko.

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