Perfect Door/Perfect Odor/Perfect Rodo 1972

Bruce Nauman made these neon signs called “Perfect Door/Perfect Odor/Perfect Rodo” and I like how he’s messing with perfection. It’s kind of funny, right? The signs have this buzzing light, but they’re not totally slick like advertising; the wires hang down like exposed nerves. Look at how the neon glows, sort of uneven and fragile, and how the words are slightly clumsy. The letters of “door” in the first sign are so clear and white, while the O in odor is soft and orange. It’s like Nauman is poking fun at the idea of a perfect anything. It feels very process-oriented, like you can see him in his studio experimenting. Nauman often uses wordplay and simple materials to ask big questions about life, and I think of Ed Ruscha, also obsessed with text, but maybe Nauman is the more punk rock version? This piece reminds us that art doesn’t have to be fancy to be smart, and sometimes the most interesting stuff happens when things are a little off.