Betelnut Girls as Art

If you happen to see a young Asian woman sitting in a display window basking in a pink neon light sign that reads: "All Your Nut Needs," don't be too alarmed. The girl is Annamarie Ho, and she's the artist behind the display, which is located on the west side of Cleveland Place, south of Kenmare Street.

Boing Boing clarifies, noting that "Betelnut is a popular stimulant sold by scantily-clad young girls in streetside booths. A couple years ago, artist Annamarie Ho recreated a Betelnut booth as a gallery installation commenting on this 'sexually provocative sales style' in which, it would seem, customers are buying interaction with the salesperson as much as they're paying for the Betelnut."

This weekend and next, Annamarie will be New York's Betelnut Girls, even selling some tonight between 6 and 8 p.m. This could get ugly.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Carlson in Arts and Events on September 26, 2008 5:40 PM

Comments [rss]

iqwest

Check out the New York Post video on Betelnut Girls:

http://www.nypost.com/video/?vxSiteId=0db7b365-a288-4708-857b-8bdb545cbd0f&vxChannel=PostLifestyle&vxClipId=1458_387773&vxBitrate=700

soopaman

I poped a chubby. she is hot

NutsInNY

Seems just nutty (also nut-related) enough for a post on Nuts in NY!

See: http://www.nutsinny.com/all-nuts/all-your-nut-needs-is-love

Thanks Gothamist.

David

nonumentalart

THIS IS NOT ART. JUST CRAP REALLY. WHY DOESN'T GOTHAMIST EVER REPORT SOMETHING WORTH LOOKING AT? CRAP...

the3rdbridge

The public buys this crap, and society suffers...

ribaldry

The vag sells. Maybe she could take her labia and stretch it around her head.

jnguy

I don't think I understand art.

FelixtheCat & Christine Quinn'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1H7Fervqwo

FelixtheCat & Christine Quinn'

disgusting

Nick S

I wish I were an attractive female artist so I could get half-baked shit like this into galleries.

ides_of_march

Amazing what passes for art the last few decades.

Da Vinci weeps.

babyhitler

wait. asian stereotype 1: me love you long time prostitute. asian stereotype 2: bad chinoiserie. not really a stereotype but funny coincidence: her last name is HO. OMG my head is exploding.