On Saturday, a efficiency by an artist who goes by the alias Aphex Redditor went viral on social media after she laid down and regularly scrolled via Instagram Reels for twenty-four hours. However because the efficiency gained consideration on Instagram and X, one other artist, Qualeasha Wooden, accused Aphex Redditor of copying an identical efficiency she had staged the yr earlier than.
In March 2025, Wooden staged a efficiency known as Consideration Economic system at London’s Pippy Houldsworth Gallery, whose launch for the exhibition additionally explicitly invoked the time period “mattress rotting,” which refers back to the act of staying in mattress for extended intervals of time with out doing a lot in any respect. A display screen displaying a feed from Wooden’s cellphone appeared alongside her. In September, she repeated the efficiency on the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.
That efficiency appeared alongside tapestries that includes layered pictures of the artist, recalling the best way footage are sometimes overlaid in a single’s browser. These tapestries have gained Wooden widespread consideration: one which appeared on the duvet of Artwork in America, ARTnews’s sister publication, was acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Artwork.
Aphex Redditor’s efficiency was titled BedRot; it came about at Jap Bloc, an artwork middle in Montreal, between Friday and Saturday. Just like Wooden’s efficiency, a display screen confirmed what Aphex Redditor noticed because the artist scrolled via Instagram Reels.
On X, BedRot turned the topic of fascination. “I’m the one particular person watching her mattress rot on reels on this artwork gallery at 2AM,” learn one publish that has since gained greater than 66,000 likes. “Oh I like seeing my work copied phrase for phrase bar for bar,” Wooden responded.
Later, on Instagram, Wooden wrote, “Idk yalllllllllll there’s simply one thing about when yall (collective) see a Black Girl doing one thing you dismiss it however once you see the very same factor taking place however in pale pores and skin it turns into romanticized. Viral. It’s virtually precisely like that was the purpose. I wouldn’t anticipate to go viral for one thing im not allowed to take part in. As a result of relaxation IS political 😉 and it’s a privilege ;).”
Reached by Instagram DM, Aphex Redditor advised ARTnews, “I used to be not conscious of Qualeasha’s work previous to my efficiency. I had been growing my efficiency with the gallery since December 2024. As an artist I’m very excited by algorithms and my efficiency was meant to concentrate on monitoring the event of a social media algorithm over a durational interval. My apply as a complete could be very centred on the web and on-line tradition, which was my intention with the efficiency.”
The artist continued, “As a really new rising artist I didn’t anticipate to obtain this diploma of media consideration, and I consider Qualeasha deserves the identical recognition for her work from the media.”
Wooden didn’t reply to a request for extra remark submitted via a consultant for Pippy Houldsworth Gallery.
