Boltanski UNIQUE WORKS - Unoriginal Sins

UNTITLED. 1968. UNIQUE BISCUIT BOX WITH CAGES OF HAIR, BLOODY PLASTER AND “BOULE” AS WELL AS SIGNED PHOTOGRAPH.

Paris: s.p. (Boltanski), 1968
18 x 24 x 24cm two part rusted (as issued) tin two biscuit box content of three home-made wide cages (chickenwire) containing the artist's hair, a ball of dirt (one of many such "boules" that Boltanski made almost compulsively during that time and a bloody elastoplast (the artist's blood). Additionally there is a signed photograph of the whole box. The bottom of the box has the text: " EMBALLAGE PERDU / PLOI STRICTMENT INTERDIT" which translates roughly to "LOST PACKAGING / STRICTLY PROHIBITED SHIPPING".
This was one of a number (Boltanski claims around 30) such boxes that he created (each unique) and gave as gestural gifts to friends, collectors and even strangers. In VG+ condition.
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L’ECOLE DE LA GROSSE HAMBURGER STRASSE EN 1938. 1991. UNIQUE WITHIN AN EDITION OF 40.

New York City: Marian Goodman Gallery 1991
20.3 × 22.8 × 5cm two part tin box and two photographs glued and mounted on the inside lid and bottom of the box. The bottom image is of a Jewish school from Hamberg in 1938 taken just before the war began. Obviously the crimes of the National Socialists led to the deliberate massacre of Jewish people throughout Germany. The photograph in the top of the box is an enlarged detail from the photograph of a girl. One does not know her fate - it could have been very tragic and more than likely so.The photograph on the lid is lined with lightly creased and glued paper - creating a frame that is somewhat like a shroud.BR> There was a serial edition of 40 - with each box in the edition unique with a different face enlarged on the top. Signed and numbered on a label below the class photograph by Boltanski. The box is deliberately tarnished and the lid has a lot of oxidation which Boltanski deliberately encouraged by "watering" his stocks of the boxes which he kept for future use in such works.

SIGNAL. 1993.

39 x 59 cm unique collage/appropriation comprising a vintage magazine cover from Signal Magazine mounted on cardboard and placed in a glass and wooden frame - the work is signed 'C. Boltanski' on the label on the back of the 40.5 x 60.5 cm frame which is also the dated, numbered and inscribed '1993, 4/16 (Unikat) Collage Jahresausgabe des Museumvereins Mönchengladbach 1993' . Each of the 16 issued works was unique with a different cover from Signals Magazine - the war time magazine had interested Boltanski for a long period because in part of the day to day activities to be found in the illustrations - belying the conflict that was happening throughout Europe.

MARY LISTER. 1995. UNIQUE BOX FROM “THE WORK PEOPLE OF HALIFAX”.

30 x 24 x 24cm, two part deliberately rusted tin box with pasted on label with the name "MARY LISTER". An unique box from the large installation "The Work People of Halifax" first displayed in Yorkshire, UK in 1995. The installation consists of thousands of such boxes each with a label with a different name from the many employees of the Dean Clough carpet factory which closed in 1983. The size of the installation varies depending on the space allocated to it when exhibited.
This is one of the boxes - a gift from the artist. In VG+ condition.

ANNIE HANNAFORD. 1995. UNIQUE BOX FROM “THE WORK PEOPLE OF HALIFAX”.

30 x 24 x 24cm, two part deliberately rusted tin box with pasted on label with the name "ANNIE HANNAFORD". An unique box from the large installation "The Work People of Halifax" first displayed in Yorkshire, UK in 1995. The installation consists of thousands of such boxes each with a label with a different name from the many employees of the Dean Clough carpet factory which closed in 1983. The size of the installation varies depending on the space allocated to it when exhibited.
This is one of the boxes - a gift from the artist. In VG+ condition.

VERLOREN IN MUNCHEN. (TRADITIONAL BAVARIAN HAT). 1997. UNIQUE FOUND ITEM.

Munich: Boltanski/Haus der Kunst, 1997
Medium size green felt hat in the Bavarian traditional style (also known as Tyrolean) with two metal and enamel badges pinned on and bird feathers in a metal clasp in the braided cord headband.
This item was "found" in the Munich Underground Lost & Found offices and appropriated by Boltanski as a readymade artwork - a strategy which Boltanski had used before in various cities including Glasgow in 1993. Two cardboard labels (commonly used in Lost & Found Offices) are stamped with the title VERLOREN IN MUNCHEN (Lost in Munich) and one is signed by Boltanski in ink as the certificate for the work. The hat had been used in the exhibition prior being offered to sale where other "lost" items were exhibited.
In VG+ condition given that the item was previously lost on the underground. Unique within an unknown number of items sold as works after the exhibition.

CHRISTIAN BOLTANSKI

UNIQUE WORKS