"Untitled" (Public Opinion) 1991

Felix Gonzalez-Torres created "Untitled" (Public Opinion) with individually wrapped candies, inviting us to consider art as an ongoing process of exchange. The work's physicality is striking; a mountain of black and silver candies filling a corner of the room. These candies aren't precious objects, but rather everyday things, mass-produced and easily consumed. The texture is both appealing and slightly unsettling. The sheen of the wrappers catches the light, but the sheer volume hints at something darker, like a heap of coal or gravel. Take a closer look. The wrappers are slightly crumpled, showing the traces of human touch, a reminder of the many hands that have reached for a piece. Gonzalez-Torres's work reminds me of some of Allan Kaprow's happenings, blurring the lines between art and life. It’s about transformation, loss, and the beauty found in impermanence. It resists fixed meanings, inviting us to bring our own experiences to the table and engage in a dialogue with the work.