But the Truth Is Simple

I suppose that since Image Not Available didn't reach a level beyond the standard Collector's Discount on Listed Retail at the auction, I ought to play the art version of Seinfeld's soup Nazi: "No private artist's statement for you!"

The physical portion of the work can be viewed here: http://joculum.livejournal.com/243961.html#cutid1

As is stated there (and as wasn't actually visible at the auction, either), the words "image not available" are hand-printed in gloss on the seemingly blank matte white canvas. The object on the square canvas below it is a small branch coated with acrylic gesso, so it isn't an image any more than the words about lack of an image. It's the real thing.

The art historical precursors are pretty obvious (Malevich, Ad R., Magritte, Yves Klein, Tino Sehgal), beginning with witnesses to an invisible spirituality and ending with purveyors of invisible zones of commerce. The bluntly commercial offer made in the poorly written artist's statement framed above the painting(s) has now been carried out.

The presence of the material question, however, does not negate the question of the spiritual. What we don't see, don't notice, or deny is even there remains a presence and a problem just as much as the fact that the words that elucidate this mystery are invisible in all but the most unusual of lighting conditions. (I did manage to photograph them, more or less. But only the word "not" is legible.)