Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Artist Colony: Artist's Breath for Sale

This was one of the more gimmicky art works for sale at the artist colony at Union Square. The plastic bags hanging from the makeshift stand contain the breaths of "emerging and established artists" in the city.

[Click on the photo to enlarge the image. Read the menu.]

The costs of the artists' breaths, based on the price list in the second photo below, ranged from a hug to $121. The young woman in the first photo said the items (on the menu) with an ink mark next the name are sold out for the day. However, they may be available next week if one is interested. Apparently, people were "buying" these bags of artists' breaths because some of the items were sold out.

I don't know if this was a publicity stunt by a group of artists to promote their identities or an ongoing art project because I noticed another woman filming us (ie. four curious onlookers and me) with a video camera. Regardless, I had a chuckle and an opportunity to photography it all.

So how much would you pay for a bag of artist's breath?

10 comments:

Olivier said...

Warhol avait raison, l'art devient juste un produit de supermarché..
amusant


Warhol was right, art becomes right a product of supermarket. amusing

Mandi said...

Just goes to show if you market it well, people will buy anything!! Actually, you can buy "Holy air" in tins here too!! Ridiculous.

Mandy said...

What a delicious avant-garde art project.

o for a bag of wind
paid for with a hug
and the promise of a dance

Shammickite said...

hmmm... maybe I could make a bit of extra cash selling bags of my exhalations.... on second thoughts, I had an excess of garlic pesto on my pasta yesterday, I don't think anyone should be exposed to that!

TCho said...

i'd pay $0.00.

Annie said...

Not much.

Anonymous said...

I like "people pictures" like these :)
I won't pay for an artist's breath!! It sounds like a scam!!!

Anonymous said...

In Brussels we sell little bottles filled with rain on which "Genuine Brussel's Rain" is written...Well it's for tourist of course !!!

Vincent

Two&2 LA said...

Hmm... We wonder how much OUR breaths are worth? Or do we have to PAY to give our breaths away?

LADailyPhoto.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

i wonder....

garlic breath of Artist A.
chocolate breath of Artist B.

ok, i am nuts. the selling of air is nuts in the first place....