The German artist Vera Bonsen has a window assemblage currently on display in a Heidelberg storefront that bronzes the life and writings of the American expatriate poet Cody Maher. The paper hangings consist of poems, diaries, photos and so on from 30 years’ worth of manuscripts. The artifacts include hats, a pair of boxing gloves, scattered notebooks, collages, and all sorts of props such as toys and figurines that he hoarded from childhood. Maher tells me, “I simply handed her my life, not on a silver platter but in a cardboard box.” Have a look at the photos.
Window Display by Vera Bonsen (Heidelberg, Germany), 2015
[Photo: Signe Maehler]
Rightside partial view of Window Display by Vera Bonsen (Heidelberg, Germany), 2015
[Photo: Signe Maehler]
An Abyss Called Home / William Cody Maher Two rooms with a view with a balcony with a view of a gutter with a view of a bath that you will never have with a view of a man in a hallway walking down that hallway with a view of a street and a face in the mirror asking what kind of room you would like to occupy what kind of life two rooms advertised don’t you see the fine print excuse me you say you wanted a balcony well we have run out of balconies we have run out of apartments we have run out of time with a balcony facing an endless vista, two rooms looking for an apartment looking for someone with a means to survive looking for a cardboard box looking for a comfortable place under the freeway looking for a bath with a measure of decency looking for a way out of the trap looking for an apartment with two rooms and a hallway with a kitchen and a trap door with a hangman’s knot and what kind of weapon did you say you owned what kind of mind will you accept what you have agreed to could you tell us how many relatives you are expecting two rooms you say well we only have one room and there are no windows and no view and no way out two rooms with a bath between continents the bath you say well cold running water you say well we’re sorry for the expense yet we can’t provide anything better what did you say you were looking for two rooms with a bath and a balcony overlooking a park overlook a cemetery overlooking a past well we have exactly what you are looking for your very own past with a balcony with a bath with a flushing toilet we a spectacular view of a disaster about to happen…two rooms you say with a kitchen of course with a option to exist of course you will need that option now how can we help you yes of course not too expensive we have just what you are looking for not too expensive and not available isn’t that what you were considering something not available well we have exactly what you are looking for and now you can occupy the life you have always wanted that is no longer available isn’t that a charming view from the balcony aren’t those people the most beautiful talented people you have ever seen isn’t that the hallway where the body just refused to rise weren’t those people in the six bedrooms in the four baths in the ten car garage in the swimming pool stretched to infinity in the headline roaring across the breakfast table in the handbag wasn’t there a weapon in the kitchen lying on the counter stretched out on the rug in the living area isn’t there a dying area in the living area isn’t there a place where there is no place isn’t there a life on the open seas on the endless horizon there is a balcony overlooking a great actress performing her masterpiece and you can toss flowers from that balcony or toss shit said the housing agent do what the rest of them are doing when we cut off the power toss your shit out the window would you like to see the bedroom you don’t want to see what is going on in the bedroom you won’t want to live here once you see who was carried out from the bedroom who was brought into the hallway who was dragged down the steps who was last seen in the elevator who refused to provide information to the police while …a couple walking hand and hand through the hallway the lighted hallway between a past they can never forget and a future they will no longer remember who wants this lovely apartment located where all apartments have no meaning where all occupants have lost their bearing in between continents in a succession of startling revelations lying on concrete justifications for exposing more nightmares to the reality that brings them to life you wake with a view from a balcony of bodies floating of hands reaching of eyes staring into the advertisement as it floats on the water. Two rooms facing a balcony overlooking an abyss called home.
It is absurd to use the term “bronzes” to characterize an assemblage of the detritus of someone’s life as if it were a genuine work of art in sculpture. This is yet another instance of the sort of nonsense regarding “contemporary art” that I take issue with in ‘Who Says That’s Art?’.
This is one of the more interesting shrines dedicated to a person’s life and work I’ve ever seen. It’s a beautifully constructed tribute to Maher’s creative output.
Presenting art – or a portrait of an artist, here, William Cody Maher. Is such a great idea because it gets the greatest attention of so many people who walk by. And maybe would never learn of him in any other way. There are so many details to see here, I wish to see much more “store window art” in other shops.