In 2006, I got "in the game" as they say...the real estate game, that is. I became an unfortunate landlord; my intended investment dream developed into a dark and miserable nightmare. In a short time, I had accumulated an enormous amount of home remodeling detritus, such as outlet covers, doorknobs, keys, etc. Each time a tenent vanished in the night, I had to change locks and repaint. A pack-rat by nature, I saved things to reuse later. I got the idea for a panel of outlet covers, attached by wall spackle, to a board I also found at the residence. I was going to title it "I Need A New Outlet." The concept grew into a series of "found art" pieces named with a play on words. I was hesitant it sounded too corny, but got an okay from a muse at the time. I created a couple pieces, the above the only surviving one.
The piece sat crumbling in my backyard a few years. I left it when I moved, but went back for it at the last minute. I noticed an ad in the NY Times magazine every week for a series of cheesy, sculptures some apparently prominent sculptor created with a "play on words" theme. They were horrible and expensive...the kind of thing a rich elderly tourist might purchase in an airport giftshop. However, it made me more proud of my idea. I've always been interested and amused by "found art," the foundation coming from free materials, pre-made by someone else and cast-off as trash, until an artist comes along and assembles them into an idea. Although, it seems the "found art" movement at some point fell victim to itself, becoming less interesting the more people engaged in it. The unique pop faded, leaving the rest to be mere imitators assembling a simple "joke" or trying to attach themselves to an art bandwagon requiring little work or ambition.
The half a million dollar in the post title refers to the money I lost when I walked away from the properly with only the panel to show for it. If I was Damien Hurst, that would be a bargain for materials, and a good investment. But I am not. I am the Lazy Artist.
