The idea of “Red Tape” is about how excellent ideas are often frozen over time. A strange, invisible enemy that, with inertia, prevents the easiest progress. When President Obama was impressed by Solvatten—a relatively cheap invention that could help poor people get clean water—during his visit to the Technical University of Sweden in 2013, it was an attempt by him to pass many layers of resistance. Nevertheless, the employees at Solvatten were still frustrated that their production was not given the means to offer the product to aid organizations. Many times we have a solution, only to be stopped by red tape.

In the performance of “Red Tape,” Kåge Klang, in salesman attire, presented the solar water purifier product Solvatten verbatim to the audience. Like a loop on an advertising channel, he continued relentlessly. Alexandra Kostrubala used 30 meters of red tape slinking around, anchoring herself like a spider to enclose the victim, taping around him, and eventually taping him down to the floor. Beckoned by the monotonous voice of advertisement and promise, at last Kåge lay on the ground, quieted by Alexandra.