LONG ISLAND CITY — One man's art is another man's trash.
Organizers behind a piece of performance art that kicked off Thursday at MoMA PS1 is inviting artists to bring their drawings, paintings, sculptures and other art the museum to be destroyed, according to an announcement.
"Art Amnesty," a project of artist Bob and Roberta Smith will place dumpsters in the coutyard of MoMA PS1 through March 8, and will invite artists to bring up to one piece of art each to purge from the world once and for all.
Before the work is destroyed, it could be displayed in PS1's main galleries on the second floor — with no credit to the artist, according to a statement. The project won't accept art containing any organic material (animal, plant, or bodily matter), or "illicit material" and warned that the art "may not pose a danger to its maker or audience."
Sculptures and 3-D art have to be 150 pounds or lighter and has to be no more than 10 square feet, according to the guidelines.
"Many successful artists have recently voiced embarrassment that their work commands high prices," Bob and Roberta Smith said in a statement. "Artists may also use the opportunity of the Art Amnesty to expel certain works of art from the art market and demote them to objects unburdened by grand expectations and dashed dreams."
Those who contribute works to the project have to sign an agreement that they never want to see their work again, and will be invited to sign a pledge that states, "I promise never to make art again," which will give them the chance to make one last drawing for the gallery exhibit, with materials provided by the museum.
The details of how the work will be destroyed was not immediately available.
A full set of guidelines and conditions for participating in Art Amnesty can be found on MoMA PS1's website.
