handle with care

“They are basically a unit of space owned by a corporation in which to ship objects,” explains Walead Beshty, the London-born author of the FedEx series. The fact that FedEx was able to copyright the dimensions of their boxes – in Beshtys’ own words – this idea of a company being able to “own” an empty volume of air that was only designed to transport goods seemed so surreal to him that it motivated this artwork that turned into a decade-long series.

Since 2007 Beshty constructed glass boxes that would fit inside the FedEx shipping containers, exactly matching their interior dimensions. He send them out to the museums or …. without any padding or additional protection. Then, when the piece arrived to its final destination, it was usually cracked but not totally shattered (Beshty constructed them constructed from shatter-proof glass).

That way, the key element that gives each art-piece its uniqueness happens in transit – the shattering gives each piece its own individual story. 

All of the art pieces were named after the FedEx deliveries: the date of shipment, tracking number and box dimensions, then put on display (e.g.: FedEx® Large Box ©2005 FEDEX 139751 REV 10/05 SSCC, Priority Overnight, Los Angeles-New York trk#795506878000, November 27-28, 2007).

Keep up with Walead’s work online: regenprojects.com/artists/walead-beshty

Sources:
https://weburbanist.com/2017/02/09

Picture from:
https://www.yellowtrace.com.au/walead-beshty-fedex-works/ 

the game of shadows

Tim Noble and Sue Webster are London-based artists whose work combines trash, light, shadow and humour. They collect and transforms these random objects into “statues” that show us two realities. At first glance, we see just the piles of trash, the products of a throw-away society. But we soon discover, that the piles are in fact precise constructions that cast shadows under directed light.

The play of shadow andlight simultaneously recalls one of the oldest philosophical critiques: Plato’s Cave Allegory: that it is the artist’s responsibility to create objects that can transcend terrestrial life by giving us a glimpse of the metaphysical.

This piece of work called “Trash culture” was made by collecting 6 months’ worth of trash (mostly food and beverage packaging that is a major component of global pollution) made by the couple of these artists. A pile like that can be found in almost anyone’s trash can over the space of six months to create another couple’s profile.

Tim Noble and Sue Webster’s work–through shock, horror, and beauty–exposes the deeper infirmities of our shadow selves. In bringing such sickly corpses to light, perhaps we can begin to reconfigure our relationship with the natural world we seem so bent on destroying.

How much trash do you generate in a six-month period? Measuring the amount of trash you send to the landfill is a great first step towards reducing it.

Keep up with Sue’s and Tim’s work online: @myblackbaby + @timnoblesuewebster

Sources:
http://www.artworksforchange.org/portfolio/tim-noble-and-sue-webster/
https://www.blainsouthern.com/artists/tim-noble-sue-webster
http://weirdfictionreview.com/2012/07/tim-noble-and-sue-webster-give-a-few-extra-turns-of-the-screw/

Picture from:
http://www.artworksforchange.org/portfolio/tim-noble-and-sue-webster/