Unreal fortune

Michalina Marta Cap

Ephemera or Merchandise - Set of 10 jars containing 149,5 ml of fresh free-range air from a Polish meadow sealed on 22nd May 2020, glass, metal, paper

22 x 28 x 5 cm

In May of 2020, I filled jars with air from the meadow and put them up for sale on Etsy for a horrendous price. That work was about putting value on invaluable resources such as, at the time, COVID-free air. Air which wasn't cycled through over and over again. As opposed to the air in apartments of people forced to quarantine. None of the jars sold yet and I've been living with 10 jars of air priced at 15 000 € each for 4 years now. It's a curious state of quantum superposition. They are worth that much because I proclaimed it so. They are not worth that much because no one paid for them yet. As a result, I've been walking through life as a struggling artist and a very rich person simultaneously. The title has a double, not determined meaning. On the one hand 'unreal fortune' can be seen as 'unbelievable luck'. On the other hand, it's just ‘virtual, imaginary wealth'. As the idea and collection of jars - they have no problem existing without either being classified as truth. Until they are sold that is. The way in chose to have the work documented in 2D photographs was by setting the focus of the lens on the air in the jars as it is the true object of this not yet finalised sale. Overall the work speaks about a possibly delusional hope for a big break, patience and unwavering faith.