Pennypincher 2009; Traiettorie Archittenoniche 2009
Pennypincher, the first Provisero piece I saw, intrigued
me, leading me to his other works. It consists of an antique
steel punch press, black, slightly ominous, with a cocked
lever and open maw. But it is surrounded by a shining
circle of copper pennies that illuminates nostalgically its
former use and redeems its darkness, just as pennies,
themselves almost obsolete, provide a humble bulwark
against the rising cost of living.
Black Pearl, slung against a wall, is a ponderous string
of dark jewels, in this case black spherical crane parts
strung, like beads, on a tough, cable-like length of
ship's rope. It is a necklace fit for a giantess, heavy with
metaphor, an unwanted adornment Hephaestus might
have forged for Aphrodite. The theme of salvaged value
appears in many Provisero works, notably Rest-Less, a
long, surprisingly elegant army cot stretched with printed
currency transfer bags instead of canvas.
I am reminded of two important Conceptual artists: Josef
Beuys, with his military artifacts— felt blankets, the Red
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