Paul Stolper is pleased to announce ‘Accessories to an artwork’, an exhibition by Peter Saville. Peter has designed and fabricated a white cardboard flat-pack plinth, a number of which will be distributed throughout the gallery. Made of white centred display board, and in a prototype edition of 200, the plinth measures 96cmx35cmx35cm and replicates those conventionally made from wood. He has invited 22 others to place anything of their choice on a plinth.
Traditionally the plinth functions inside the museum or gallery as a pedestal for displaying sculptural works or objects. Peter’s ‘flat-pack’ plinth recognizes the public’s own ability, and transfers to them the power of curatorial decision, allowing anyone now to pass judgment on what is worth looking at. It acknowledges a changing audience, and their will to consume art.
The flat-pack plinth is their DIY accessory in a time when culture has briefly stopped to let millions of people on board. The flat-pack plinth has a direct correspondence with Peter’s observation that ‘it all looks like art to me now’. When Peter exhibited his ‘Estate’ at the Migros Museum, Zurich, 12.11.05- 08.01.06 he deliberately presented the last room as work in progress. Included were objects that he knew did not have contemporary artistic currency, but objects that somehow still seemed pertinent - materials of an idea. Not wanting to present these objects as artworks, Peter had laid them out on tables, apart from one, an exceptional plastic bird, which he chose to place on a plinth. It was in this action that Peter appreciated the transformative energy of the plinth, an energy he felt others were ready to share.
Peter Saville’s Flat-pack plinth is available for sale from the gallery in an edition of 200, from September 24th. The first 100 will be sold at a price of £ 50 + vat (exclusive of packing, and delivery). Sold plinths must be collected from the gallery. Orders of no more than 5 may be made. Please call the gallery to purchase or for more information.
