LONDON—As you may have heard from the dateline I used just a few words ago, I’m in London this week covering the 9,703 art fairs, and hit the ground running today with an off-the-record collection visit and a check in at Sadie Coles to see conceptual artist Darren Bader’s first show with that gallery, “More Buildings about Songs and Food.”
The Coles show is in a bunker-like space behind the gallery proper, in Mayfair, and begins outside, where the artist has dug up a bit of the ground outside the door, poured in clam chowder, and then covered it up again with concrete. Inside, though, I thought the lasagna injected with heroin really stole the show. Even better than the human skeleton with French fries (sorry, chips!) stuffed into its eye sockets.
As with many of the artist’s works, if you purchase this piece you actually only purchase the right to reproduce it. So, you know, don’t go trying to make this one unless you own the rights. Actually, even if you do buy them it’s probably not a good idea to do this. Let’s just admire it from afar, hm? It’s more special that way.
