David E. Stone
Economic Value: Buying the Signature of Joseph Beuys - April 2004
One Year in LA
April, 2004 Exhibition Description
Patron and Souvenir Editions from April
Economic Value: Buying the Signature of Joseph Beuys was concerned with the proliferation of the late German conceptual artist, Joseph Beuys's signature and how it determined the value of his work. In particular, I was fascinated by the presence of his signature on a series of common food & household products from the former East and West Germanys which he referenced as being 1 unit of Economic Value transforming them into precious readymade art editions.
For several years, I had collected examples of his signature from auctions of his work on eBay. I realized that in many cases, sellers of his work showed an image of the work first and then added a close-up of his signature to lend further credibility. That authenticity, in turn, would justify the increase in value.
For this exhibition, I reproduced some of these signatures as large vinyl banners which have an ironic presentation and advertising quality and others were reproduced smaller as trading cards being sold in a vending machine. I intentionally made no attempt to correct the pixelization that occurred when these images where enlarged which would have minimized the original source.
In addition, the Patron edition work was a digital print with a rubber stamped gold leaf Joseph Beuys signature (Alchemy Lesson) and the Souvenir postcard was an image of the words in German, Economic Value, written by Beuys.
- David E. Stone
Installation view, Joseph Beuys' signature banners on gallery wall
Installation view, Joseph Beuys banner
Installation view, Joseph Beuys banner
Installation view, Joseph Beuys banner
Installation view, Joseph Beuys banner
Installation view, Joseph Beuys banner
Installation view, Vending Machine outside the gallery selling trading cards of Joseph Beuys' signature
Installation view, trading cards of Joseph Beuys' signature being sold in a Vending Machine outside the gallery
Patron and Souvenir Editions
Economic Value, Souvenir Edition, 2004
4" x 6", signed & numbered postcard, edition of 365, $250.00 (set of 12 postcards including shipping)
Alchemy Lesson, Patron Edition, 2004
Rubber stamp signature in gold leaf on digital print of handwriting paper, signed & numbered, edition of 12, $10,000.00 (all Patron works as a set)
Alchemy Lesson - Detail, Patron Edition, 2004
Rubber stamp signature in gold leaf on digital print of handwriting paper, signed & numbered, edition of 12, $10,000.00 (all Patron works as a set)