New York, NY -- (ReleaseWire) -- 01/29/2024 --In the heart of the East Village's COZMOS gallery, a captivating piece by Jason Trucco and Oliver Libaw has emerged, drawing inspiration from the scandalous banana duct taped to a wall at Art Basel in 2019.
A solitary piece of duct tape, meticulously taped to the wall, took center stage as it went on sale for a staggering $25,000. The unconventional masterpiece, named "CON TEXT," is the brainchild of the inventive New York based artist and prankster, Jason Trucco, along with his friend Oliver Libaw. Trucco sourced the duct tape from an East Village hardware store, and proudly displayed his creation at the COZMOS gallery in the East Village. The duct tape is provided context using an LLM AI that outputs a constantly changing artist, name, and description of the piece.
Trucco and Libaw's Dada-esque work asks whether great art is created by adding or taking away. In their nod to Euxpery, they argue that perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.
"CON TEXT" is seen by some as a commentary on the capricious nature of the art market. COZMOS, in an interview with local press, describes the piece of tape as a "double entendre" and a classic humor device, serving as both a vehicle for critique and delight.
Contrary to its seemingly spontaneous appearance, the creation of "CON TEXT" was a meticulous process that spanned over a year, according to Jason Trucco. The artist experimented with several rough drafts, including photocopies of duct tape, before settling on the real piece of duct tape.
COZMOS emphasizes the significance of the artist's stamp, asserting that without it, it's merely a piece of tape with made-up descriptions — reinforcing the idea that the act of selling transforms the ordinary into a work of art.
For more information about the exhibit and upcoming events at COZMOS visit www.cozmosretail.com/events
