Above: The Daniel Buren Time Box closed and sealed 25 years ago
Below: an excerpt of the opening of the Buren Box (see full article on the opening of all the Time Boxes on the Time Box Index Page).
Daniel Buren, just having flown in from France and resplendent in a black silver buttoned velvet vest, walks to the table where his box has been placed. He has the happiest face.
In a delightfully thick French accent he says "My first thought, thinking of the process, if I was here today, everything going fairly, it would be unfair that you would be the only one seeing the four surprises. I remember perfectly well what it is, but have no idea what is inside".Both Antonakos and Buren begin opening the box lid. Daniel Buren is the most emotional of all the artists at this point, and it becomes apparent why when he pulls out a letter taped inside the opened box.
We are not privy to the piece yet, but Buren reads the letter aloud. "June 1975. The box inside the work is not known by anyone. The box you bought may have been an experiment of your curiosity. It will be no work of mine as such except the letter you are reading - which is not a work of art. I gave the Time Box to a good friend of mine who is an Artist. With best regards from NY, and see you in 25 years".
Inside, a packing tube holds down the covered contents inside. Buren looks with anticipation. He is curious. He is helping Antonakos, and it is finally opened. "My friend and Artist Chris D'Archangalo filled it", he explains "and he never told me what was in it".
As the box is carefully unwrapped we see inside is a new box with a painting of red stripes on its inside and lid, These stripes are the familiar sign of a Daniel Burens' work.
Daniel Buren, his voice filled with emotion, quietly states: "My friend died three years ago".
This box in so many ways tells the whole story of this entire Conceptual Work, as a moment of true spirituality fills the room.
© by Fred Lewis(see complete essay of the four Time Box openings on the main Time Box page link below)
Note: images below show a blue cast light from the neon lighting of the Millennium Room designed by Antonakos.
Below image of opened Daniel Buren Time Box.
Below image of letter written by Buren and placed inside Time Box
