Addison Gallery of American Art, Phillips Academy - Chewing Tzu - The Rumination Book

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Image of Chewing Tzu - The Rumination Book

Angela S. Lorenz , b. Sep 6, 1965

Chewing Tzu - The Rumination Book

1993
2 7/8 in. x 8 in. x 4 in. (7.37 cm x 20.32 cm x 10.16 cm)

Medium and Support: four flavors of chewing gum with rubber-stamped food coloring text
Credit Line: gift of the artist
Accession Number: 2008.71

Commentary

This artist’s book is composed of four pieces of chewing gum printed front and back with phrases by the ancient Taoist philosophers Chuang Tzu and Lao Tzu and from the ancient Chinese text, the I Ching. “Tzu” is the equivalent of “master.” Chuang recalls “chewing,” so Chewing Tzu may be thought of as chewing the words of the master which are often cryptic and require time to digest. Inviting physical engagement with language, the sticks of gum must first be read front and back, and then chewed and reflected upon, as each stick has a separate flavor which relates to the phrase. Playfully inverting the notion that words give meaning to ideas, Lorenz’s disappearing text gives way to insight.

The four phrases within each pack of gum are:

The Cinnamon can be eaten and so it gets cut down.

Dwell in the fruit do not rest in the flower.

Involved with the adult one loses the child.

The five flavors cause one’s palate to be spoiled.

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