As part of the collection “Things I have learned in my life so far”, design studio Sagmeister Inc. used 250,000 euro-cent coins to form the quote “Obsessions Make My Life Worse and My Work Better” over a 300-sq.-meter area installation on Waagdragerhof Square in Amsterdam.
After completion, the coins were left unguarded. Less than 20 hours after the grand opening a person was taking the coins away. This lead to people calling the police. In an effort to preserve the artwork, the police ended up sweeping the coins and destroying the work of more than 100 volunteers.
“However, I do obsess over our work and think that a number of our better projects came out of such an obsession. Doodling obsessively onto a poster depicting a headless chicken and an obsession with white angry monkeys that ultimately led to the giant inflatable animals all over Scotland are just two such examples. From Bernd and Hilda Becher’s obsessive need to record every water tower to On Kawara’s date paintings and James Turrell’s Roden Crater, obsessions seem to be an important ingredient in the work of many of our favorite contemporary artists. Obsessions make my Life worse and my Work better”.
* *”Think dangerously, act safely” is a close relative – possibly its uncle – from mentor Tibor Kalman.
Designed by Sagmeister Inc.
Richard The, Joe Shouldice, Stefan Sagmeister.
Photos: Jens Rehr
Text and photos copyright of Sagmeister & Walsh
