Permission to Clone Me
This project was inspired by the consumer culture surrounding the art world and western society as a whole. The question asked in this work was "what makes one artist worth 30,000 dollars, whereas another can hardly ask 5 dollars for the same piece?" This question was answered in two segments. The first being: the artist must ask for the price they believe they are worth in all seriousness. The second: the artist must convince someone to purchase their work for that price. Once an artist has sold a piece for that price their worth is established not only by their own merit but by that of the consumer. Someone outside of the artist believed that piece was worth as much as the price tag and that is where it is authenticated. Moreover, the artist is giving up something of tremendous value. He is consenting to something that may be considered ethically immoral or ambiguous in morals. He is allowing the new owner of the work the permission to clone him. He in a way is then stripping himself of his DNA and ownership of himself. He is giving up himself to the buyer.