A Goal of Impermanence
The other day I had the opportunity to sit with RISD alum Michael Townsend, whose medium of choice is … tape. Yes, tape. And not just one roll of tape. He uses thousands of rolls of tape to create his sidewalk constructions. What’s especially elegant about Townsend’s approach is that the goal of his “tape art” is to be entirely temporary. The tape goes up. The creative act is manifest. And then it’s completely removed.
Not unlike a sand mandala, Townsend’s tape murals represent a kind of activity for the sake of the activity and not the outcome. Most art seeks to last forever–to be completely permanent. By being permanent, monetary value can be ascribed. How does one attach monetary value to something that once existed, and then disappeared? I’m curious what an economist might say about all this.
Keep Reading
Most Popular
How scientists traced a mysterious covid case back to six toilets
When wastewater surveillance turns into a hunt for a single infected individual, the ethics get tricky.
The problem with plug-in hybrids? Their drivers.
Plug-in hybrids are often sold as a transition to EVs, but new data from Europe shows we’re still underestimating the emissions they produce.
What’s next for generative video
OpenAI's Sora has raised the bar for AI moviemaking. Here are four things to bear in mind as we wrap our heads around what's coming.
Stay connected
Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review
Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.