Art is made to be admired, but never touched. After all, you don’t want to ruin a masterpiece. But what if a work of art was made to be messed with? It would be nice to have an interactive piece engaging people and making it bigger than the actual artist. Such a piece would change the definition of “art.”
Artist Doug Coupland created this seven foot black, resin, and polyester sculpture of his own head in May.
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He planted it on Howe Street outside the Vancouver Art Gallery, leaving it there until September 1. He posted only one instruction to the passing public: “Put your gum here.”
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Within weeks, his statue, “Gumhead,” because a popular trashbin of sorts.
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This made his work of art a community effort.
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The result is something Doug could have created on his own in obscurity, where it would have a much lower impact on people’s lives.
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By sharing, he helped to achieve the actual purpose of art: “To evoke an emotional response.”
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(via My Modern Met)
Remarking on the progression of his Gumhead, Coupland states, “At first the added gum looked like jewels against the black. And then the Excel chewing gum van parked beside it during the Jazz Festival and took the whole head to the next level. And then we had a heat wave and the gum started to weep. And now it has a 24-hours cloud of bees and wasps around it. It’s a dream.”
We happen to agree with Doug. It really is truly a dream; a dream of every kid ever scolded for putting his gum where it didn’t belong. That’s why we’re all smiles today.
