ARTEZINE

-- A Cyberspace Review Of The Arts

Volume 21.04
Auguat 1, 2014



Our Publisher Becomes A Conceptual Artist

(1)

by Gordon Fitch

Almost five years ago, a notice in Nonsense New York pointed me to a 'Self-Destroying Art Show' at Flux Factory in Long Island City, reviewed, of course, by Artezine.

In July of this year, I received an invitation from Flux Factory inviting those who were interested to submit a work of art to celebrate 20 years of Flux Factory's existence. (The show is ongoing as of the time of writing.)

Eager to participate, and wishing to be au courant, I determined that the work would have to be Conceptual, and what better past event to commemorate than the Self-Destroying Art Show which introduced me to Flux Factory?

It occurred to me immediately that a plate of oatmeal cookies would certainly destroy themselves by attracting those who would eat them, and by providing some in the form of a work of art, I could make a contribution to the celebration. I decided to make an enormous Great Cookie, which would carry a number of smaller, more normal-sized cookies.

Nothing could be more Conceptual than a work of art which causes itself to disappear, leaving only its Concept behind.

The Work was constructed on the evening of Thursday, July 30, and of course has been documented photographically, as follows:

(1)
(1)
1. The Great Cookie has been baked in a 12" pizza pan and is cooling.

(2)
(2)
2. Now the Small Cookies have been baked as well.

(3)
(3)
3. Through clever flipping, the Great Cookie has been placed right side up on the Support Structure (a square piece of white cardboard and a round piece of freezer paper), ready for Assembly.

(4)
(4)
4. The Work has been Assembled and covered with the Plastic Wrap.

(title)
(title)
5. Inspection.

(title)
(title)
6. The Assemblage has passed Inspection.

(title)
(title)
7. The Assemblage has been placed in the Box.

(title)
(title)
8. The Box has been closed and Inscribed with a Descriptive Legend. A further Explication has been inserted into an Envelope and affixed to the Box.

(title)
(title)
9. The Work is in the Car, ready to be taken to Flux Factory.

(title)
(title)
10. The Work has been received at Flux Factory and installed by the Director of the Exhibition, Mr. Jean Barberis. The Descriptive Placard has been affixed to the wall at the left of the Work. This concludes the Artist's direct involvement with the Work, which we trust will meet its appointed Fate.

The P L A C A R D.

Construction and performance: John Roach. Photograph: Gordon Fitch



This is a work of self-destroying art, in commemoration of Flux Factory's Self-Destroying Art Show of November, 2009. It consists of about 60 oatmeal cookies on a plate consisting of a single large oatmeal cookie. The entire construction is edible and will destroy itself by attracting those who will eat it. There is some supporting material, like this description, which will attract destruction by being thrown away or blowing away in the wind, but probably should not be eaten.


You are what you eat, so the destroyed object will continue to exist in the existences of those who eat the cookies, their descendants, and any predators who may eat them at some time in the future. So the work will both be destroyed and continue to exist indefinitely. As such it is a representation of everything else, which is also destroyed and continues to exist.



Gordon Fitch

www.starrygordon.com

text and pictures by Gordon Fitch, 2014, except as otherwise indicated.

click

click

Back to the Front

 

ETAOIN
August 1, 2014