KINMONT, Ben. ~ "It's easier to talk about art while washing dirty dishes, Wadsworth Atheneum". Prospectus 1988-2010, Forty-Two works by Ben Kinmont.
One of 42 special copies with the original lead type for one of the project descriptions, this being no. 41. “It’s easier to talk about art while washing dirty dishes, Wadsworth Atheneum”. 16 pp. of illustrations printed from polymer plates. Designed by Ben Kinmont and Patrick Reagh and letterpress printed in Monotype Ehrhardt 453 on Mohawk Superfine paper. 8vo., original blue printed wrappers. The prospectus is housed in a cloth backed card portfolio and the original wooden backed lead type in a small archival box tied up with linen tape. Both together in a larger cream archival box tied with linen tape. As new.
A prospectus of Kinmont’s projects which are the descriptions of the experience he wrote up once he had finished with a project. Kinmont writes:
“I chose the title ‘Prospectus’ to refer to a proposal or a suggestion for things to come. My projects have always followed a question-based practice, one where I am trying to explore the possibilities and limitations of an activity and what can and cannot happen from the different value structures that occupy our lives. In the context of this investigation the title ‘Prospectus’ reveals my optimism that there are still places in which to do things and that there are still things to be done”
This copy has the original lead type for the project “It’s easier to talk about art while washing dirty dishes, Wadsworth Atheneum”. 1995.
Kinmont describes the project thus: As a lecture for the Atheneum, I showed videos of past projects in the restaurant’s kitchen while washing the lunch hour’s dirty dishes. Those who came were given a pen that was signed and read: “the object of our authorship.” They then videoed me, signed my arms, some helping me to finish the dishes. One woman came up to me halfway through and gave me a pair of rubber gloves she had brought: “I was too embarrassed earlier, but I thought that you might need these.”