By Jonathan E. Himlin

During the course of writing my Publisher’s Note in the September/October 2007 issue, I posed this question: Does creating art always demand talent, or can someone with little or no skill make a living as an artist simply on his or her ideas?

Perhaps you’ve heard of the work of artist Felix Gonzalez-Torres. I read about him in a magazine earlier this year when one of his “wrapped candies” displays was being exhibited at a New York gallery. Gonzalez-Torres’ displays use simple everyday items—candy, cube-like stacks of paper or 15-watt frosted light bulbs, for example—and invites viewers to take a piece of the display with them. This particular piece was comprised of thousands of individually-wrapped black licorice pieces, which were piled a few feet high into one corner of the room. The candy, gradually being consumed by viewers, was periodically replenished by the curator in order to maintain a seemingly unending supply. (more…)