Postsachen (1968-1972) / Gerz, Jochen., 1972
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Scope and Contents
There are several objects in this box which is like a one person "Assembling." One is an empty plastic bag with a three pages of documentation stapled to it. Gerz relates that he sent such empty plastic bags to friends, strangers from the Paris phone book and exhibition visitors at international art galleries. They were instructed to place personal old relics in the bags. Three hundred filled plastic bags were returned and sealed by Gerz who then deposited them in the construction foundation of the new Montparnasse Tower in Paris which was then covered by concrete. Since the bags were inaccessible, and no material trace of them remained, Gerz wrote that "from the idea and diverse initiatives which their realization made necessary as well as the impressions which I received during this time, I retain a memory more and more contradictory. The consequences which arise from this each day seem by now more important than the idea itself." There are duplicate, printed plastic envelopes in the box which contain black alphabet pasta and are printed with a German text. Photographs of these envelopes are reproduced in the book, Annoncenteil. The soft cover book proposes a process of photographing the second day of every month at a designated time, with a description of the location. Only two pages are complete. The printed sheet is a page from the Paris phone book. The identical labels read "Achtung Kunst Korrumpiert." According to Gerz's Catalogue Raisonne Volume III, only 27 copies were assembled but the Sackner copy indicates that 70 copies were made. The contents of this box include several works listed individually in Gerz's Catalogue Raisonne (CR) Volumes I and III such as the following. Is there life on earth?,1968/1970 (CR I, Nr. 12); Atmospharische Drucke, 1971 (CR I, Nr. 23); During a brief stop... (CR II, Nr. 134, CR III, Nr. 741); Die Uhr ist das Auge der Zeit (CR III, Nr. 725); Achtung Kunst korrumpiert (CR III, Nr. 731); Ce soir a 23 Heures 45 (CR III, Nr. 730); Play Texts # 1 and # 2 (CR III, Nr. 733) Bitte denken Sic weiter (CR III, Nr.739); Herr Li HO ist tot (CR III, Nr. 739); In der biirgerlichen Gesellschaft (CR III, Nr. 739); J'ai vu quelqu'un faire un geste ... (CR III, Nr. 739); Kunst ist eine Konvention (CR III, Nr. 739); Sprechen. To talk. Parler (CR III, Nr. 739); Vorher nachher (CR III, Nr. 739); Found Piece (CR III, Nr. 740); I.'Art est une aventure fichue (CR III, Nr. 742); Rechtsschreibung (CR III, Nr.48); The Medium is the message (CR III, Nr. 761); La Defoliation (CR III, Nr. 770); I sign your signature (CR III, Nr. 773); Den Medico den Riicken kehren (CR III, Nr. 774); Tischtennisspieler (Neuwied/Berlin 1971, pp. 24-25). -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.
Dates
- Creation: 1972
Creator
- Gerz, Jochen, 1940- (Person)
Extent
0 See container summary (14 labels (printed) + 4 bags (plastic, printed) + bag contents (pasta, paper) + 5 sheets (stapled, plastic bag) + 11 cards + 5 sheets + soft cover book + 13 sheets (photocopied) + 2 sheets (stapled) + sheet (photocopied) + sheet (printed) + sheet (rubberstamped) in box (cardboard, collaged, stapled)) ; box 34 x 26 x 3 cm
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Physical Location
shelf near box
Custodial History
The Sackner Archive of Concrete and Visual Poetry, on loan from Ruth and Marvin A. Sackner and the Sackner Family Partnership.
General
Published: Cologne, West Germany : Edition Hundertmark. Signed by: Jochen Gerz (l.r.- colophon). Nationality of creator: German. General: About 70 total copies. 44 number copy. General: Added by: CONV; updated by: MARVIN.
Repository Details
Part of the The Ruth and Marvin Sackner Archive of Concrete and Visual Poetry Repository
125 W. Washington St.
Main Library
Iowa City Iowa 52242 United States
319-335-5921