Al's Grand Hotel 1971

Allen Ruppersberg made this vitrine, Al's Grand Hotel, to contain traces of an artmaking process. The muted palette and found materials make it a melancholic piece. I’m struck by the way Ruppersberg assembles seemingly disparate elements. The newspaper, the tube of paint, the clear case: it is like a fossil in which the object tells us about a moment in time. This moment is then placed in the gallery, displayed under glass, transforming the residue of an artist's process into an object of aesthetic contemplation. The silver frame adds to the work's sense of preciousness. We think about the contrast between the disposable nature of a newspaper and the supposed permanence of art. This piece shares an affinity with the work of Joseph Cornell, who created intricate worlds within boxes. Ruppersberg's piece also invites a quiet, personal reflection, opening a space of imagination around the artwork.