Monthly Statement:
July 2006

OBJECT # 43
DATE SENT: July 20, 2006
SENT TO: Fred Wilson
SENT VIA: US Postal Service

DESCRIPTION OF OBJECT: 4 3/4” x 3 1/2” color photograph. The photograph depicts the side of a building. A number of windows are visible in the photograph, as well as part of a terrace, part of a bush, a small light fixture on the wall, and part of signage for a bank. This reads: IT SUISSE. The central window has an image that is primarily black. It depicts the head and shoulders of a woman who has a kerchief around her head and neck. The face is in black and white with no middle tones. There are reflections in the windows. The words MAMY and JAZZ CLUB are on the top and bottom of the face. The back of the photograph has the following words written on it: HI FRED – THIS IS A LOGO FROM A JAZZ CLUB IN LOCARNO, SWITZERLAND. THE NAME OF IT IS “MAMY”. I COULDN’T IMAGINE NOT SENDING THIS TO YOU. HOPE ALL IS WELL – BEST, MAURO. The number 112 is written on the top right of the back of the photograph.

ORIGIN AND APPROXIMATE DATE OF POSSESSION OF OBJECT: This photograph was taken by me in June 2004, in the city of Locarno, Switzerland. It was printed soon thereafter, when I returned from a trip to Europe.

MOST RECENT LOCATION OF OBJECT: On a table in the northeast corner of my studio.

RELATION OF OBJECT TO RECIPIENT: Fred rented space within the larger space that also hosts my own studio. While initially he thought he would come to work here, he never did, and used the space only as storage for his art works and installation projects. He was part of this studio space for a number of years, during the mid through late nineties. He moved his work out once he bought a building to work in. A good deal of Fred’s work addresses issues that are concerned with images and objects that utilize stereotypes of African-Americans. One particular show I remember was a collection of objects such as lawn ornaments, sugar bowls, clocks, ashtrays, etc. Each of these depicted derogatory or stereotyped images of African-Americans in a way that had routinely been manufactured, purchased, and displayed in American homes for years. Fred’s installation clearly pointed to the utter horror that such objects ultimately leads to. When I saw this window in Switzerland, I was quite surprised. It seemed both offensive and puzzling in what I always assumed was a country that would be more sensitive to such a representation. However, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that the homogeneity of Switzerland and other such countries might easily allow for such an offensive advertisement. I recognized that such an image could easily, and still, be used anywhere in the world, that these images and the people who employ them have a long, thoughtless, and nefarious life. Perhaps I wouldn’t have been so attuned to such an image were it not for Fred’s work. I’d hope to think otherwise. Fred’s work, while clearly attempting to change the accepted practice of discrimination, has certainly been important to many in the art world and its satellites. However, and unfortunately, many people don’t pay enough attention to art.

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.