Matt Mullican
Heaven
An accordian-fold book reproducing the 32 part work
Untitled (Things Change in Heaven), 2020
Text from an interview with the artist, summer 2020
Published in an edition of 500 with 100 copies signed by the artist in connection with the exhibition "Matt Mullican: Things Change in Heaven," Marc Selwyn Fine Art, Beverly Hills, May 29 - July 10 2021
Buy $40

THE SIGN FOR HEAVEN IS THE TARGET. A TARGET WHICH IS THE MIND. WHAT THE MIND DOES BY ITSELF, THAT IS HEAVEN.


In addition to publishing and exhibiting the Matt Mullican and Allan McCollum collaboration Your Fate in 2004, in 2006 the gallery published Matt Mullican's project Three Suitcases of Love, Truth, Work and Beauty. A continuation of Mullican's project for the Ludwig Museum in March 2005, Learning from the Person's Work, Three Suitcases is similarly one that Mullican describes as being made by 'that person'. In his introduction to the Ludwig exhibition catalogue, Kasper König writes: [Mullican's] "main interest is not so much to draw a fictitious character but rather to localise its origin in the artist's consciousness." Where is Mullican, the artist, in the creation of his work? Where should one locate the border between fiction and reality, between the subjective and the objective? These are the questions that Mullican has explored with his work, most notably with his works using hypnosis, since the mid 1970s.




Three Suitcases of Love Truth, Work and Beauty, 2006
Installation view
9 white cotton sheets measuring 103 x 89 inches each
mounted with 9 ink on paper drawings measuring 32 x 26 3⁄4 inches each,
housed in an orange custom built trunk measuring 37 1⁄2 (wide) x 31 (deep) x 13 1⁄2 (high)
accompanied by two pillows in pillowcases
Published as a series of 3 by Christine Burgin and Matt Mullican


Three Suitcases of Love, Truth, Work and Beauty, consists of nine bed sheets each mounted with nine ink on paper drawings. In these drawings the beliefs and daily rituals of 'that person' are outlined. The bed sheets are hung from the walls and ceiling, replacing the gallery's architecture with a world made created by 'that person'. Accompanying these drawings is a custom made trunk designed to house all nine of these sheets when folded. It is the intent of 'that person' that this work be used to spread the word: "Love is number one, Truth is for everyone, Work is hard and important, Beauty is everywhere." In order to help the owner of these works 'that person' has carefully copied out as drawings both a first aid in the workplace manual and mathematical charts which, as 'that person' notes: "can help". Also, copied out are the lyrics to the song Heatwave: "...could it be a devil in me - or is this the way - love's sup-posed to be?" 'That person' likes to copy. Copying reaffirms for him his daily ritual and the things that make up his world. Copying also allows him to incorporate needed material into his world. All nine sheets of drawings that make up this work will be copied out by 'that person' five times, making up the five suitcases referred to in the title. In addition to the nine sets of drawings in each trunk there will also be two pillows. These pillows are included by 'that person' to be of help to the new owner of the trunk. They also serve as a reminder that the entire work is created of sheets, the structure of the project the same as a bed, the realm of the unconscious, the sexual, a fragile realm entered everyday.