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October 16, 2005

HUMANS AT COW BOOKS IN TOKYO from Mike Mills

Here is another Humans installation at the COW BOOKS [Minami Aoyama store] in Tokyo. The blew-up a version of the pattern "Mark's Paper Ribbons" in the back of their book display, and put out some Humans products and books that relate to the designs on the shelves. I have always admired Daniel Buren's stripe installations, and I think his influence on me is especially clear here. There is something so interesting to me about the way the patterns I have made can be used in so many situations, and the way the different contexts give the designs new meanings. I have always leaned towards "art" pieces that can quietly integrate into everyday life - work that doesn't need to be segregated from everything else in the world to exist. To me, "Mark's Paper Ribbons" represent many things, sort of heavy-things: they are a celebration of how everything is transient, how cheap disposable paper ribbons can be the most beautiful art, and a memorial to my father. To have all those intentions sitting in this everyday, commercial context is very exciting. I don't think that anybody passing through the store gets all my intentions, but that's the direction I am trying to go with this work. And really, I'm not sure what people do and don't get from my work or anybody else's - I'm less sure than ever about what happens with art. I don't think my desire to integrate these things are successful or finished or anything new (Arts and Crafts movement, Wiener Werkstatte, Bauhaus, Fluxus, blah, blah, blah) but these are the problems that excite me.

Mike

COW BOOKS Minami Aoyama

click to enlarge

Posted by Humans at October 16, 2005 05:11 AM