Brian Docherty
A Response to Bill Woodward's Ssculpture Car Door Ironing Board and Twin Tub with North American Indian Head-Dress, 1981
Out here on the High Plains
is the world's junkyard.
Once you've bought it
you can't take it back.
Once you've used it
it won't go away.
Some of it will rot,
some of it will rust,
some of it will cut
our children open.
Some of it will choke
the birds & animals.
Why do you think we care?
Will you pay us to make sculpture?
If you think any of this
is Art, take it away.
Does your neighbourhood
look like this? If not,
why not? Someone
like you made this stuff,
someone like you
sold this stuff to us.
You have everything else
in your Museums,
why not have these
authentic artefacts as well.
They're just as genuine
as canoes, tomahawks,
wigwams, head-dresses.
Promise me you'll take the lot.
is the world's junkyard.
Once you've bought it
you can't take it back.
Once you've used it
it won't go away.
Some of it will rot,
some of it will rust,
some of it will cut
our children open.
Some of it will choke
the birds & animals.
Why do you think we care?
Will you pay us to make sculpture?
If you think any of this
is Art, take it away.
Does your neighbourhood
look like this? If not,
why not? Someone
like you made this stuff,
someone like you
sold this stuff to us.
You have everything else
in your Museums,
why not have these
authentic artefacts as well.
They're just as genuine
as canoes, tomahawks,
wigwams, head-dresses.
Promise me you'll take the lot.
Brian Docherty was born in Glasgow and now lives in North London. His first collection, Armchair Theatre, was published by Hearing Eye in 1999.
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