On May 25, 2005, according to Wikipedia, Carrie Underwood won American Idol. On the same date Egyptians voted on a constitutional amendment to allow more presidential candidates to run for office. This is the date on the 4"x4" steel tubing that I decided would be a better fit for the art I was considering.
This steel is attractive because of its proportions to the former World Trade Center and that it had a specific date printed on the side of it and a note that it was MADE IN USA.
The cultural history of steel is enormous, it has literally been used for thousands of years. We would not have sky scrapers without it. This particular piece came from Watkins. Ron Lambert, sculpture professor, said that I could use it for art. He told me that it had belonged to an adjunct professor named James... scratch that.
I just went to go see Ron to find out James last name, its Darr. But this is not important anymore because Ron said that it was not his metal. Ron said it had been here forever, laying around waiting for someone to use it Even better, another subject laying around waiting to be noticed, asking someone to remember what happened on 5/23/05.
After looking at the previous piece with the over-sized knife and mummified chicken sitting on the elongated stand, I realized that these are now two separate works. The knife and the stand are in communion (though the stand still needs to be addressed). The mummified fluorescent chicken with the golden wish bone now sits perched atop the steel tube. They commune.
The title is Congratulations Carrie Underwood, Good Luck Egypt.
