HYLAND
form of editions because I'm interested in spreading ideas."
The specific ideas transmitted by the suit are ones of warmth,
not only physical, but, as Beuys remarked, "a completely
different kind of warmth,
namely spiritual warmth or the
beginning of an evolution."
I see the intention and effect
of virtually all of Beuys' works
as that of spiritual warmth,
communicated through a
repertoire of objects and
drawings as humble as they
are recondite, made to convey
meanings both secret and
public through the agency
of repetition, disseminated,
potentially, to an audience
larger and less affluent than
that of the art world. Beuys
saw his works, his multiples in
particular, as
the way I stay in touch with people; just as you have come
to me because of what I've made and we can talk about it,
I can talk to just about anybody who owns such an object.
There's a real affinity to people who own such things, such
vehicles. It's like an antenna which is standing somewhere
and with which one stays in touch…I'm interested in the
distribution of physical vehicles in the form of editions
because I'm interested in spreading ideas.
We Won't Do It without the Rose, 1972
31 1/2 x 21 15/16 inches ; edition of 80 (plus XX)
Photo by Jason Wyche, Courtesy Sean Kelly, New York
