Monthly Statement:
April 2006

OBJECT #31
DATE SENT: April 30, 2006
SENT TO: Robert Ferguson
SENT VIA: US Postal Service

DESCRIPTION OF OBJECT: Niji Oil Pastels 3 3/4” x 5 1/2” x 3/4” box.
Printed Information: 12 Colours (Thick Sticks) Quality Guaranteed Made in Japan. The same information is printed on the sides of the lid. Box lid fits over the lower part of box. Lid is dirty and stained. Corners of lid have separated at their seams. Piece of masking tape 3/4” x 1 1/2” affixed to lower right hand corner of lid , just below words which state FREE OF POISON. The number ‘2’ from the ‘12’ is scratched out on lid. Red, heart-like shape is on top center of lid. Pastel colors are replicated on lid, though not the same colors as the actual pastels. The word NIJI is in four different colors in a gold circle with a logo above it. Top right of lid has the numbers ‘200’ and ‘80’or ‘30’, which may refer to the price. Underside of lid has a fitted piece of paper on which is printed various simplistic illustrations of an airplane, a smiling sun, a sail boat, a fish, a cat, and a boy and girl (heads only) at an easel. The words “Macchina” and “Macina” are written in pencil on the piece of paper. Also printed on the paper is YASUTOMO & CO. San Francisco, probably the importer of the product. Twelve various colored oil pastel sticks are fitted into the lower half of the box. Most of the sticks are at their full length, except the white one, which is about 3/4 of its original length. Each of the colors is wrapped in an orange paper with the words “Niji Oil Pastel” (three times), “ Special Oil Pas’ (two times) and “Made in Japan” printed on the paper. Most of the paper covering is worn or ripped or colored with some of the oil pastel. The colors (as best I can describe them) are:

Bright Green
Yellow
Dark Green
Aqua
Blue
Black
Orange
Pink
Gray
White
Brown
Red
Bottom of box has corrugated paper that serves as cradle for each of the oil pastels. The logo and NIJI OIL PASTEL is printed in white on black above pastel cradle. Bottom seams of box are separated and is smudged with pastel color.

ORIGIN AND APPROXIMATE DATE OF POSSESSION OF OBJECT: Purchased at Rochester Institute of Technology Book/Art Supply Store in the spring of 1978 while I was a student at the Visual Studies Workshop. Used sparingly for hand coloring in printmaking and bookmaking classes I was enrolled in under the tutelage of Keith A. Smith.

MOST RECENT LOCATION OF OBJECT: In a cardboard box with many other art supplies on the middle shelve of a small metal shelving unit. The unit is against the east wall of my studio, between my two work desks.

RELATION OF OBJECT TO RECIPIENT: I met Robert when he was a curator at the Jersey City Museum. He included some of my work in an exhibition of photography in 1985. Over the years we have kept in touch as he moved to other jobs in the cultural and non-profit world. Over the last three or four years we have, happily, been in more frequent contact. Robert and I were born in the same hospital some three weeks apart in June 1954. That is not particularly unique since most everyone in Hudson County, New Jersey who was pregnant between perhaps the 30’s – 80’s found their way to Margaret Hague Maternity Hospital to deliver their child. The hospital was named for the mother (I believe) of the notorious former political boss of Jersey City, and it marks many of us with similar notoriety. What is intriguing, however, is that Robert and I have a fair amount of other correlations in our respective histories. We were both raised Catholic, attended Catholic schools, share a healthy disdain of many of the nuns who taught us, trace our most direct Italian heritage to the Puglia region, love the language, culture, food, art and history of that country and try to visit it often. We have both come from working class families to embrace the wider world of art and culture. Again, not particularly unique, but finding another person with such a background has given me a feeling of camaraderie and support whenever I am with or speak to Robert. Most recently Robert has begun drawing and he has shown me some of his work over the last year when I have visited his home. His work takes its starting point from newspaper photographs (as does, coincidentally, my Anonymous project) which he then abstracts to a great degree so that the drawings become shapes and forms of color that intersect in a dynamic manner, unrelated to the original. As he says they are “true abstractions”. On a recent visit to his home he had a good number of drawings pinned up, many of which were in progress. He spoke about using pastels and their ability to adhere or cover color already laid down. He also stated that he was still finding out about the peculiarities of his medium, but his knowledge clearly exceeds any I possess. My artistic output is almost exclusively limited to media that are light sensitive, electronic, digital, or hand written. My few attempts at drawing or painting are either failed, (see d-acum 26) silly, or juvenile. Robert, on the other hand, seems to have embraced the medium and is taking it seriously and in earnest. He also seems so very happy and excited when he is talking about his work and he has told me how much he enjoys drawing. Clearly his work exhibits that joy.

It has occurred to me that perhaps pastels have a shelf-life, and perhaps this particular box is beyond that date. I really have too little knowledge to know. On the other hand, they may last forever, as do many of the great creations of our culture. At the least, this small pack of color will be my addition to and support of another Hudson County boy as he tries to make his mark.

RESPONSE OF RECIPIENT:

DATE OF RESPONSE:

Process: My plan is to de-accumulate objects I now own during the course of the exhibition year. I will photograph the selected object then send the object with a letter to a person who has some relationship to the object or whom I think might be interested in the object. The letter will discuss the project and tell the receiver they can keep the object, destroy it, give it away, recycle it or anything else they choose. I will ask them to document it in the place they now have it and send their image and/or written description back to me of what they did with it and where it is. I plan on de-accumulating an average of one object per week. The new images/descriptions will be placed in a plastic folder and exhibited along with a photograph of the object as it was in my possession.