The installation functions as a three-dimensional rendering of the short story “Standard Length of a Miracle” written by Swedish author Jonas Hassen Khemiri as a commissioned response to Goldin+Senneby’s practice. Every day at 2:12 pm a gallery attendant stands up under the oak tree and reads Khemiri’s meta-fictional narrative. In the short story the narrator changes his name to Anders Reuterswärd, hoping to increase his chances of getting hired as a gallery attendant at the art center, and indeed proposes an oak tree installation under which he would tell his life story every day at 2:12 pm.

Anders Reuterswärd clothes are also worn as a conceptual uniform by all gallery attendants as part of the work. The clothing line is inspired by the protagonist in the short story with the same name, and his quest to leave his job at the dry cleaner in order to focus on an artistic career. The clothes were entirely produced from garments left behind at dry cleaners.

The work was first produced for the retrospective exhibition Standard Length of a Miracle (2016) at Tensta konsthall, Stockholm, together with Jonas Hassen Khemiri (author), Moa Ott (carpenter), Samir Al-Nehlaoui (arborist), and Behnaz Aram (costume designer). Curator: Maria Lind.

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Download short story:

• “Standard Length of a Miracle” by Jonas Hassen Khemiri (ENG)
• ”Standardlängden av ett mirakel” av Jonas Hassen Khemiri (SV)