Page 35 - Studio International - September 1971

exchange Michael Craig-Martin

REPETITION
All the things in the basic set are new and available commercially. The number of identical basic sets is
readily increased to four.

EXTENSION
Four sets of five things are extended to five sets of four things by removing one thing from each set, each
time a different thing.
Each of the five new sets is missing one thing; each of the things missing is different; each of the five sets
is different.

4 complete sets :
1. shelf 2. mirror 3. paint and brush 4. painted mirror surface 5. scraper extended to 5 incomplete sets

A C D
E
1. I. shelf 1. shelf 1. shelf I. shelf
2. mirror 2. 2. mirror 2. mirror 2. mirror
3. pt. & brush
3. pt. & brush 3. pt. & brush 3. pt. & brush
3.
Basic shelf set: 4. ptd. mirror 4.
4. ptd. mirror
4. ptd. mirror
4. ptd. mirror
1. shelf 2. mirror 3. paint and brush
5.
4. painted mirror surface 5. scraper 5. scraper 5. scraper 5. scraper 5. scraper
The original sequential procedure is carried out as far as possible in each set.
SELECTION
A second set of sequentially and functionally
related objects. A. The first set can be completed. The objects sit on the floor directly under where the shelf would have
been.
B. The second set cannot be completed. The object to be painted is missing.
The shelf supports the mirror, the paint and
brush are used to paint the mirror surface, the C. The third set cannot be completed. The mirror surface cannot be painted because the paint and
brush are missing.
scraper removes the paint from the mirror surface.
D. The fourth set has all the things necessary for the procedure, but it cannot be completed because the
thing to be omitted is the paint surface.
The things in this set are chosen to correspond to E. In the fifth set the mirror surface is painted. As there is no scraper, the paint surface cannot be
the things in the clipboard set: shelf to clipboard, removed.
mirror to paper, paint and brush to pencil,
painted mirror surface to drawing, scraper to
eraser.
The paint and brush are considered one item in
the set to correspond in function to the pencil.
When the mirror surface is painted, it ceases to
operate as mirror.
Scraping the paint off the mirror surface
reinstates it as mirror.
The paint surface on the mirror is considered a
separate thing in the set, the scraped mirror is not.
77