Dan Allon
born in Israel, 1982
lives and works in Tel Aviv

Shani Broner
born in Israel, 1983
lives and works in Moshav Basra


The sound work of Dan Allon and Shani Broner is built as a radio skit that recounts a conversation (perhaps violent, perhaps comical) between two strangers traveling on a bus. This chance conversation, triggered by a dispute over a seat on the bus, arouses social and racial tensions, replete with prejudices and stereotypes; it presents a microcosm of Israeli society in 3 minutes and 11 seconds. The viewer undergoes a somewhat embarrassing experience: a familiar dispute, familiar background sounds of traveling on a bus, and recorded laughter - all a type of audio readymade, with the incident itself designed to elicit laughter. The viewer also is forced to become a readymade audience, who is supposed to respond to the order: "Laugh!" The recorded laughter is a product of the sitcom culture, and functions in the work as a readymade object. It is taken from the commercial television milieu, but is distinctly woven into a context of a different type. Its incorporation into a radio skit that is intentionally staged in poor taste, generates a critical approach to the relationship between violence and humor.