240 Plaster Surrogates 240 個の石膏の代用物

Covering the wall are 240 small, framed painting-like objects. The painting-like "surrogates," however, which close observation reveals to be of eight different sizes, have in fact each been made by casting plaster in molds. We receive the impression of pseudo-paintings because the areas corresponding to the frame and the picture have been painted with glossy paint. This installation is therefore an imitation of a scene of walls covered by paintings of assorted sizes. We are reminded of a classic art museum or mansion of a wealthy collector, but transformed into something grotesque by the sheer number of objects and the blackness of the "pictures." At the same time, the work is also a visualization of the logic of mass-production and capitalism. As the ironic title implies, these are "surrogates" for works of art in our age and civilization. McCollum makes us recognize, whether we want to or not, the various distinctive cultural elements and conventions that surround and impose conditions on art. Besides his "Plaster Surrogates" series, which he started in 1982, McCollum also produced "Perfect Vehicles", a series of urn-shaped objects again made by casting plaster in molds. He is considered one of the major protagonists in Simulationist Art and appropriation trends which emerged in the late 1980s.