Artpace participates in worldwide exhibition of Félix González-Torres' "Untitled" (Fortune Cookie Corner)

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Artpace participates in worldwide exhibition of Félix González-Torres' "Untitled" (Fortune Cookie Corner)
Félix González-Torres, "Untitled" (Fortune Cookie Corner), 1990. Fortune cookies, endless supply. Overall dimensions vary with installation. Photo: Casie Lomeli. Courtesy of Artpace San Antonio.



SAN ANTONIO, TX.- Artpace San Antonio is among a group of 1,000 international people and organizations invited to participate in the Andrea Rosen Gallery and David Zwirner live exhibition of González Torres’s “Untitled” (Fortune Cookie Corner). The participants are artists, friends, and colleagues of the late González-Torres, who have each staged the work in their own interpretations of “place.” These places make up the “site” of the exhibition, which in this case, is the whole world. each staged the work in their own interpretations of “place.” These places make up the “site” of the exhibition, which in this case, is the whole world. staged the work in their own interpretations of “place.” These places make up the “site” of the exhibition, which in this case, is the whole world.

González-Torres often used common objects, such as candy or stacks of paper, in his work, inviting the viewer (or consumer) to interact directly with it and take a piece with them. As a result, the viewer is an integral part of the work. At Artpace, viewers are invited to continue this practice and take a fortune cookie from the pile.

According to Andrea Rosen Gallery, “The worldwide exhibition recognizes this unique moment in history and reflects the ever-relevant and flexible nature of the work of Felix González-Torres. “Untitled” (Fortune Cookie Corner) addresses the capacity for immortality through regeneration, heightened by the experience of loss within these works.”

In the spring of 1995, González-Torres (1957–1996) was selected to participate in Artpace’s inaugural International Artists-in-Residence program. Selected by guest curator Robert Storr, González-Torres exhibited alongside Jesse Amado and Annette Messager. Artpace Director, Riley Robinson, then Studio Director, assisted González-Torres install his exhibition 25 years ago. In 2010, in celebration of its 15th anniversary, Artpace presented a yearlong, statewide exhibition for the first-ever comprehensive survey of González-Torres’s Billboards in the United States. González-Torres’s 1995 Artpace exhibition “Untitled” (Beginning) was presented again in 2015 to celebrate Artpace’s 20th anniversary.

The installation at Artpace lines the floor in front of the Artpace International Artist-in-Residence wall, which lists the names of all of the artists and curators who have participated in the program since 1995, including Felix González-Torres’s own name.” Artpace Director of Residencies and Exhibitions Erin Murphy installed the artwork.

“Felix was one of Artpace’s first resident artists (in spring 1995), so it seemed only fitting to install “Untitled” (Fortune Cookie Corner) at the foot of the wall documenting his legacy,” said Murphy. “This particular place in the Artpace building is both a liminal and distinct one where almost all of our visitors stop and take in the 300+ artist and curator names on our wall. This is a space in our building without a formal name or designation making wayfinding and directions a challenge. I’ve often referred to it as next to the stairs or conference room, and so in my mind, it exists as both a place and a non-place.”

On Sunday, June 14, Artpace regenerated the pile, and on Monday, July 6, the artwork will be deinstalled rendering the fortune cookies no longer an artwork.



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