CHRISTIAN BOLTANSKI

OBJECT MULTIPLES

THREE POSTCARDS FROM TAKE ME (I’M YOURS) BOX. 1992. ALL SIGNED BY BOLTANSKI.

London: Serpentine Gallery, 1992 Three different artist's postcards (10.5 x 15cm, 2pp) each with a pair of images that Boltanski found in copies of the Nazi SIGNAL magazine. He pairs up images of cultural life (a ballet dancer, a model) and nature (a bee) alongside images of soldiers and weapons. This relates to other work where images of victims and murderers are mixed together where no-one can tell which is which. The normalcy of daily life could be found in Nazi Germany as much as less guilty societies (and one should remember Boltanski's jewish heritage).
Take Me (I'm Yours) was the first of a number of such exhibitions which Boltanski had a hand in initiating alongside Hans Ulrich Obrist. Members of the public could take the artworks away. However these cards were only found in the deluxe catalogue for the show.
Each of these cards are signed in pencil by Boltanski on the back.

DIESE KINDER SUCHEN IHRE ELTERN. 1993. BOOKMARK.

Koln: Buchnadlung Konig, 1993
21 x 4.5cm, 2pp bookmark which also reproduces on the front 3 post-war adverts for "lost" children who is seeking family members. Boltanski requests that anyone who recognises him or her self should please get in touch. This is to promote the related artist's book of the same title. VG+

DISPERSAL. 1995. PLASTIC BAG.

London: Serpentine Gallery, 1995
46 x 41cm, printed plastic carrier bag. The first of a series of TAKE ME I'M YOURS exhibitions where the artworks could be taken away by visitors. Boltanski often created "Dispersions" - piles of second hand clothing that anyone was welcome to put into the specially printed bags (of which this is one example) and take home. Theoretically an unlimited edition but time limited. This example is in VG+ although folded for storage.

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.

MUSEO MEMORIA USTICA. 2007. XL T-SHIRT.

Bologna: Museuo per la Memoria di Ustica, 2007 XL blue on white cotton t-shirt which shows a drawing of the lights that Boltanski used to represent the dead victims of the 1980 crash of an Air Itavia airplane which killed 81 people. VG+.

MUSEO PER LA MEMORIA DI USTICA. 2007. LAPEL BUTTON BADGE.

Bologna: Museuo per la Memoria di Ustica, 2007 3.5cm, dia. plastic, paper and metal button badge with the title of the Museum where Boltanksi created his terrifying installation to commemorate an Air Itavia air crash in 1980 and the deaths of 81 people. VG+.

DISPERSION A L’AMIABLE. TAKE ME (I’M YOURS). 2015.

France: Monnaie de Paris, 2015
50 x 46cm, printed brown paper bag with string handles. Boltanski organised along with Hans Ulrich Obrist a series of TAKE ME I'M YOURS exhibitions (beginning in 1995 at the Serpentine Gallery, London) where the artworks could be taken away by visitors. Boltanski often created "Dispersions" - piles of second hand clothing that anyone was welcome to put into the specially printed bags (of which this is one example) and take home. Theoretically an unlimited edition but time limited.
This example is in VG+ condition but folded twice for storage.
JOINT:
France: Monnaie de Paris, 2015
21 x 15cm, 1pp typographic handout describing the work from the exhibition. Also mentioned the Felix Gonzalez Torres works on show in the exhibition. VG+.

DISPERSION A L’AMIABLE. TAKE ME (I’M YOURS). 2017.

Milano: Pirelli HangarBicocca, 2017
50 x 46cm, printed brown paper bag with string handles. Boltanski organised along with Hans Ulrich Obrist a series of TAKE ME I’M YOURS exhibitions (beginning in 1995 at the Serpentine Gallery, London) where the artworks could be taken away by visitors. Boltanski often created “Dispersions” – piles of second hand clothing that anyone was welcome to put into the specially printed bags (of which this is one example) and take home. This was a second such installation - previously in Paris - the bags however differed slightly from each other in the texts but the designed was the same . Theoretically an unlimited edition but time limited. This example is in VG+ condition but folded twice for storage.
This example with a piece of children's clothing from the exhibition.

ANIMITAS. 2019.

Paris: Centre Pompidou, 2019 41 x 35cm, two sided b/w tote bag in cotton with black handles. Issued at the artist's final large scale museum show with an image of the installation "Animitas" where bells were suspended on flexible iron rods and left for the wind to make them peal in situ. VG+. Unlimited edition.

ARRIVE/DEPART. 2019. DRAWING BOARD.

Paris: Centre Pompidou, 2019
24.5 x 33cm, thick printed card bound together with elastic band closures. A drawing board with two of the artist's installations on front and back - the lights spell out arrive and depart - an obvious reference to birth and death. This was an unlimited edition issued at the time of the major career surveying Paris exhibition. Initially "Faire son Temps" was envisaged as a major retrospective but the artist refused and insisted that new work be on display along with earlier material. This example is unwrapped in original shrink wrap plastic. VG++.

COEUR. 2019.

Paris: Centre Pompideau, 2019
7.8 x 5.3cm, metal and plastic and paper fridge magnet with an image of the artist's Coeur (Heart) - a lightbulB that turns off and on with a soundtrack from 2005. VG.

LES REGARDS. 2019.

Paris: Centre Pompideau, 2019
7.8 x 5.3cm, metal and plastic and paper fridge magnet with an image of the artist's Les Regards from 2011. VG.