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Work on paper by Matthew Craven

Pyramid Scheme

3.25.2023 - ?

 

It’s a dumb idea in many senses of the word.

It’s a simple and obvious concept,

one that doesn’t take much intellect to come up with, execute, explain, or understand.

It perpetuates without further piloting after its initiation,

like a dumb bomb (as opposed to a “smart bomb”),

a sort of wind-up zombie controlled by the thoughtless Ouija of the mob.

It lacks thought AND hinders the foresight of the proprietor (me)

by preventing planning around… well… anything at all, really.

 

I wouldn’t call it a bad idea though.

As much as people hate Ponzi schemes and chain letters, they do work.

And folks love playing a good old-fashioned game of telephone or exquisite corpse, right?

So this is just all of those things.

What’s not to like?

 

I’m excusing it instead of explaining it, though.

 

I picked three artists.

The week after they install their work, they’ll each pick three more artists.

Then those artists will each pick three more artists.

It’ll keep going like this until the space collapses under the weight of art, or I leave for vacation, whichever comes first.

It’s an exercise in community and also a test of it.

Who will be the first asshole to bring in something huge?

Will anyone collectivize?

Will anything get covered up, moved, or ruined?

We’ll see.