Artist in Residence
by Jerry Saltz



Ikea’s homepage recently proposed: "Feel free to take advantage of us." At Postmasters Gallery, the wily Guy Ben-Ner has happily obliged. Last year, without permission, this Israel-born artist, who lives in New York and Berlin -- he ably represented Israel in the 2005 Venice Biennale -- installed himself, his wife and their two cutie-pie kids in Ikea model rooms all over the world. Setting a camcorder on "auto," Ben-Ner filmed his family in a semi-scripted soap opera. Most scenes last until Ikea staff throws everyone out. The result is the bitingly crackpot, politically poignant 18-minute Stealing Beauty.

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