signs (Atlanta)
Live phalaenopsis orchid in pot, artificial phalaenopsis orchid in pot
Dimensions variable

[This site-specific sculpture consists of two identical phalaenopsis orchids, one real and one artificial, presented side by side.  Signs takes the ubiquitous interior design element of the moth orchid (found in minimalist kitchens, spa-bathrooms, hotel lobbies, and corporate receptionists' desks the world over) and turns our attention to its oxymoronic status in the built world as "minimalist decoration."  The paradoxical semiotic work this plant does in architecture is to invoke both simplicity and luxury at once.  The doubling of the plant, pairing the one alive with its polyester-and-plastic simulacrum, points to its specious duality as a sign.]