GA Stories
October 27th, 2005For a worker-bee gallery assistant, keeping people from touching the art is key. Everyone has their method for keeping the distance between the works and the viewer, but up until this show I had never thought of a method to encourage people to physically interact with the art hands-on.
In the Cube Gallery is a work by Felix Gonzalez-Torres, Untitled (Loverboys). The conceptual piece is basically 355 pounds of individually-wrapped candies. I absolutely love the work and just as how I encourage you to view the piece, I also want to encourage everyone to take a piece with them. It’s what the artist wanted. Ironic, isn’t it? Security asking visitors of the Pulitzer to touch and take a piece of fine art. I’ve stood by this piece the last two Wednesdays inviting people to touch and of course, the skilled people-watcher that I am, observing how people react. Some are hesitant. Many take from the same side of the pyramid and don’t really walk around the work. Others just smile to themselves. A couple of people have been concerned with messing up the work by causing a domino effect or their own possible clumsiness. Some ask questions about the work and the artist and even conceptual art as a whole. Almost everyone takes the candy. Some people even take two, one for munching on the spot and one for a piece of memorabilia at home. Regardless of what they do, most people walk away from the work feeling satisfied. They have physically received something sweet from the work. Minimalism can at times, at least for me, seem cold and distancing. But with some interaction and thought, I firmly believe that something sweet too can come from each and every work. So, take some time and let it all sink in, just as you savor the yumminess of the lemon candy in the Gonzalez-Torres work, sit and savor all of the elements of the other pieces and carry it home with you.
