FOUND
From 2005 to date, 41 objects made by me have been found by 133 members of the public.
THE RULES
• I place an object somewhere and from a concealed position I watch it until it is found and taken.
• If the object is not found or not taken, I take it away with me.
• If an object is found and taken I do not intervene in any way between the object and the person / people who have found and taken it.
• The work should be carried out in such a way that the experience of finding the object escapes definition and does not circumscribe the imagination of the finder.
• There is no indication of the identity of the maker nor of the time when the object was made.
• There is a sense that the object has travelled significantly without the involvement of humans.
• The location of the object must not encourage anyone to put themselves in danger in any way, nor otherwise endanger anyone in any way.
• The object must be small enough to be portable.
SOME STATISTICS
FROM INTENSIFIED ACTIVITY DURING COASTAL CURRENTS 2009 BETWEEN 28TH AUGUST AND 30TH SEPTEMBER
54 members of the public took ownership of 26 artworks which they found in wild public places.
17 of the 54 people were (estimated to be) unaccompanied minors.
45 of the 54 people were (estimated to be) unlikely to visit a gallery or traditional visual arts event.
24 of the 26 artworks were immediately wrapped, or placed in a container, by the finders or their companions.
3 of the artworks were placed in carrier bags which had previously been occupied by cans of alcohol, the cans of alcohol then being carried loose; 2 of the artworks taking the place of alcohol in this way were claimed by people estimated to be less than 16 years old.
4 of the 26 artworks were wrapped in clothing removed for this purpose from the body of the finder; one of these finders appeared to be a homeless person.
4 of the 26 artworks were found by accompanied children estimated to be less than 9 years old.
All of the 57 members of the public who took ownership of the 26 artworks appeared, from their body language, to value the artwork.
None of the 57 members of the public who took ownership of the 26 artworks appeared to be looking for artworks when they found them.
THIS PROJECT IS ONGOING