A mirrored chair lies overturned on the floor. On a vanity, make-up products are scattered, and next to slowly wilting flowers rests a red clown nose. An ominous rope, tied into a noose, hangs from the ceiling.
Last Performance (2009) plays with the absence—or even the death—of a performer, becoming a cipher for glory and failure, for applause and loneliness. Elmgreen & Dragset engage here with ideas of artistic identity and celebrity culture, a theme they expand in other works to include a reflection on the 21st-century media landscape.
The mirror at the center of the work, like the wilting flowers, is a classic vanitas symbol, evoking the transience of life and human vanity. In Last Performance, however, the mirror goes beyond mere symbolism.
The mirror’s reflective surface captures the surrounding space, referencing the context in which the work is exhibited. Through this installation, Elmgreen & Dragset invite viewers to consider the conditions under which art is created and presented, as well as the role of the artist. Those who engage fully with Last Performance will inevitably see themselves reflected in the mirror and, in doing so, are prompted to reflect on their own role as spectators.