140 Ways to Make a Cassette Unlistenable began as a list of methods of destruction. It describes
a state wherein the power of reason is harnessed for base and evil ends. The piece itself consists
of merely a text list. I then went on to execute some of the ideas, in the manner of subtractive sculpture,
thereby transforming negative concepts into affirmative things: two negatives become a positive.
The work is documented in sculpture, video, photographs, documents, and testimonials. The project concluded
with a painting of the list, called "140 Ways to Destroy a ______," whose title highlights the broad conceptual concerns of the project. 140 Ways to Make a Cassette Unlistenable was shown at The LAB in San Francisco in 2008. Special thanks to Alex Rosmarin, who was an equal contributor in brainstorming the list, and who helped produce video documentation.
39. Letter to document destruction company in N. Carolina requesting price for destroying a single cassette. Hand-written response details price plus shipping and handling.
47. Firework company solicited about attaching cassette to a firework and launching it during Fourth of July celebrations.
59. Letter to Erie, Penna. paving company exploring the feasibility of encasing a cassette in a freshly-paved residential driveway.
67. Letter to artist Ed Ruscha offering the chance for a cassette to be buried inside his person upon his demise.
90. Testimonial by artist's mother describing her disposal of a cassette, via miniature hot-air balloon, into a cooling tower at three Mile Island nuclear power facility, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
