Endless Box 1964

Editor: Here we have Mieko Shiomi’s "Endless Box". It's intriguing – a simple wooden box and lid, with her name graphically printed on it. What do you see in this piece, in terms of its historical context? Curator: Well, think about the Fluxus movement, where Shiomi was a key figure. This piece embodies their ethos: challenging the commodification of art and blurring boundaries between art and everyday life. The box itself becomes a stage for endless possibilities, democratizing art. What kind of possibilities do you imagine? Editor: I suppose the box could hold anything, any idea. So, it’s the potential, not the object itself, that's important? Curator: Precisely. It's about the social function of art, how it prompts interaction and redefines artistic value beyond the material. It invites the viewer to participate in defining its meaning. Editor: That's fascinating. I never considered how a simple box could be so subversive! Curator: And that's the brilliance of it, isn't it? It's a quiet rebellion against traditional art institutions.