Title: “Destruction with care”

Method of Construction

One archaeologist and four anthropologists collaborated to create the installation during a workshop entitled The Comedy of Things. Ten objects brought by the participants were arranged on the basis of associations, such as material type, use, and narrative. Three members manipulated the objects intuitively while two team members observed A configuration of the artefacts emerged based on a
narrative structure in which a fox played a game with an anthropomorphic figure

The tableau was photographed (see accompanying photograph)

The following day the objects were removed and individually destroyed according to their material resistances

Two objects were removed and re-gifted

The destroyed objects were arranged in piles by material type. The glass items were glued. Others were placed on the boards but not glued. A photographic record was made of the exact arrangement of the objects to facilitate their reconstruction (see Photos 1-4)

The items were collected in labeled bags and packed

Remains of material not included in the post-destruction arrangement were collected in one of the original boxes sent to participants before the workshop

How it Works: Instructions for Curation and Use

The box contains broken glass glued to the structure of the case, several smaller items similarly glued, and a number of zip-lock bags containing collections of materials. Each bag contains the broken-down materials from one of the original items brought by participants to the workshop

Open the box. Remove all packaging including the wooden shelf. Unfold the box and place it flat on the floor

Arrange each pile of objects in the positions indicated in Photos 1-4 and Diagram 1

Open and place the additional Comedy of Things box containing the extra material beside the arrangement

Include the photograph of the original tableaux before its destruction along with the title when the piece is labeled and exhibited

Photo 1: Overview of reconstructed box

Photo 2: Detail of left-hand side of box

Photo 3: Detail of central part of box

Photo 4: Detail of right-hand side of box

Diagram 1: Plan indicating where to place the items