Walter De Maria | High Energy Bar

Walter De Maria

High Energy Bar 

Self-published, 1966

3.9 x 35.5 x 3.9

Open edition

The certificate that accompanies an edition helps the work retain its financial value. In the case of High Energy Bar, the certificate is necessary - according to the artist - to ensure its artistic value. 

It reads:

"This certifies that _______ is the owner of High Energy Bar number ____ of an infinite series. This certificate will be incorporated as part of the whole work of aet, to he known as the High Energy Unit. All High Energy Bars in order to be operative and authentic must be accompanied buy a properly executed certificate. Ownership of this High Energy Bar has been recorded in the archives of the artist."

Assuming the numbering is sequential, at least 80 copies were produced. In February 2020, an example was auctioned at Christies in London, fetching GBP 27 500, exceeding the upper end of the estimate by 53%. 

While searching for more information on this work I skimmed the only book I have on the artist and it's not in the index, and none of the photos illustrate it, but I did come across perhaps my favorite quote about the impetus to produce art:

"I kept wanting to say five things at once. That's the real reason you make art, I think, to say five or ten things at once, just like that."

- Walter De Maria