Two works: (i) 20-Inch Copper (FedEx® Large Kraft Box ©2005 FEDEX 330508 REV 10/05 SSCC), International Priority, Los Angeles–London trk#868587725897, October 2–5, 2009; (ii) 20-Inch Copper (FedEx® Large Kraft Box ©2005 FEDEX 330508 REV 10/05 SSCC), International Priority, Los Angeles–London trk#868587728006, October 2–5, 2009
2009
In this work, Walead Beshty documents two identical FedEx shipments of copper sheets sent from Los Angeles to London, presenting the artwork through its shipping documentation and tracking numbers rather than the physical object itself. The piece exemplifies Beshty's conceptual practice of treating commercial logistics and material transport as the substance of art, where the act of shipping becomes inseparable from the work's meaning. By shipping copper specifically chosen for its capacity to be damaged and altered during transit, Beshty transforms the FedEx box into a vessel for exploring themes of documentation, value, and the invisible labor systems that move goods globally.
- Spotted At
- Auction House · Phillips
🔨 Auction Lot
New Now: Modern & Contemporary Art
April 10, 2025
Lot 120
More by Walead Beshty
FedEx® Medium Kraft Box © 2004 FEDEX 155143 REV 10/04 B), Standard Overnight, Los Angeles – New York trk#797507007510, September 12-13, 2011, Standard Overnight, New York- New Castle trk# 798659205644, July 25-26, 2012, Priority Overnight, New Castle – New York trk#799409496088, April 1-2, 2013
Four Magnet, Three Color Curl (CMY: Irvine, California, September 13th 2009, Fuji Crystal Archive Type C) and Abstract (Four Magnet, Three Color Curl (CMY: Irvine, California, September 13th 2009, Fuji Crystal Archive Type C))
2 Sided Mirrored Pair A & B, Los Angeles, November 23rd
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