Miriam El Abbassi | Arts Editor
Featured Image: What King did not realize was that on his way out of the gallery, he had actually spilled his coffee across the floor tiles of the gallery.
Spilled coffee against linoleum floor is one of the more peculiar pieces on display this week around campus. Located at the York University Art Gallery (YUAG) in the Accolade South building, newly discovered ‘artist’ and York custodian, Joe King, shows how a simple accident can transform into something so much bigger
King has worked as a custodian at York for 11 years, along with his team who work diligently to keep the campus clean and presentable. Growing up in the small town of Timmins, Ontario, making the ultimate decision to move to the ‘big city’ of Toronto was, what King says, the best decision he had ever made. It was shortly after the move when he acquired the custodial position at York.
Some time during the afternoon on February 25, King was performing some last minute cleaning in the exhibition space of the YUAG, while enjoying a cup of coffee. He continued his job as usual, but what he did not realize was that on his way out, King had actually spilled his beverage across the floor tiles of the gallery. CCTV cameras show the spill quite plainly, but King was none the wiser.
King recounts returning to the gallery several days later, only to find the coffee spill, now a dark stain, roped off, and accompanied with a small plaque, explaining the “significance” behind the piece. King was surprised to find that AGYU had mistook his coffee spill for an actual art piece, and made it into a part of the current exhibit.
Several groups of people were seen marvelling at the spill, taking photographs and jotting down notes, while engaging in discussion amongst themselves. First-year visual arts student, Sandy Beech, expands on her overall take of the piece: “I think it’s pretty clear this work represents the evident overthrow of capitalism by the incredibly exploited working class. Coffee can be interpreted as a metaphor for the everyday person, an ‘average Joe’ of sorts. The spill is a direct attack on the capitalist system which holds us all hostage.”
Many other students also expressed very similar opinions on the piece, with an imagined significance that seems to have resonated with several of them.
Representatives of the YUAG have refused to comment at this time.
DISCLAIMER: Everything published in this week’s issue (with the exception of advertisements) is satirical; it is not intended to communicate any true or factual information.
