Altar

By altering found objects, re-creating canonical works of art and literature, and staging conceptual interventions, Kris Martin challenges notions of time and history. As he claims, his riddling works are “invitation\[s\] for the viewer to reflect.” 100 Years (2004), for example, is a seemingly innocuous golden sphere, allegedly set to explode in 2104. By slating this work for self-destruction, Martin highlights its temporality, questioning our drive to defeat time and transience through preservation. Other conceptual works include an intervention he staged at the 2007 Frieze Art Fair in London, in which a woman’s voice came over the PA system, urging all attendees to take a moment of silence for personal reflection.

Ghent, Belgium