signs
(Atlanta)
Live phalaenopsis orchid in pot, artificial phalaenopsis orchid
in pot
Dimensions variable
[This site-specific sculpture
consists of two identical phalaenopsis orchids, one real and one
artificial, presented side by side. Signs takes the ubiquitous
interior design element of the moth orchid (found in minimalist
kitchens, spa-bathrooms, hotel lobbies, and corporate receptionists'
desks the world over) and turns our attention to its oxymoronic status
in the built world as "minimalist decoration." The paradoxical
semiotic work this plant does in architecture is to invoke both
simplicity and luxury at once. The doubling of the plant, pairing
the one alive with its polyester-and-plastic simulacrum, points to its
specious duality as a sign.]