Chapter 1
A monument made of candy
Chapter 2
Breaking the museum rules
Chapter 3
Science and public opinion
Chapter 4
The art of letting go
YOUR GOAL
Master of The sweet sadness of Félix González-Torres's candy piles
Ch 1 · A monument made of candy
choko Untitled Portrait of Ross
Take a sweet piece, we fill it right back, love never fades.
choko Sweet Taste of Communion
Take a sweet piece, take a sweet piece. We share the weight of his love.
choko As visitors take candy, the diminishing pile represents Ross Laycock's physical decline from AIDS-related complications in 1991.
choko Visitors taking candy pieces directly reduce the sculpture's weight, representing a fading body.
Fun Fact
Candy weight: The candy pile in "Portrait of Ross in L.A." weighs exactly 175 pounds, which is roughly equivalent to 15,000 individual pieces of candy!
Glossary
monument (noun)
A statue, building, or other structure erected to commemorate a notable person or event. In 1991, Félix González-Torres redefined this concept by honoring his partner Ross Laycock with spilled candy.
A statue, building, or other structure erected to commemorate a notable person or event. In 1991, Félix González-Torres redefined this concept by honoring his partner Ross Laycock with spilled candy.
Quiz
In which major US city did Ross Laycock pass away, inspiring the parenthetical subtitle of the 1991 portrait?
choko Felix Gonzalez-Torres designed candy sculptures that represent the fading human body.
Quiz
What does the initial 175-pound weight of the candy pile in Félix González-Torres's famous 1991 artwork directly represent?
Quiz
What physical process of the human body during a severe illness does the shrinking candy pile symbolize?
Quiz
How does the physical form of "Untitled" (Portrait of Ross in L.A.) change over time when exhibited?
Quiz
In which decade did the HIV/AIDS epidemic first emerge as a major global public health crisis?
Quiz
How did Félix González-Torres's approach to representing the AIDS crisis differ from many activist artists of his time?
Quiz
What sensory experience does the artist use to help visitors internalize the memory of his partner?