The Duchess of Wonderland: A Sculpture in Papier-mâché and the Double Myse en Abyme of its Provenance
Styles Akira
2013
Akira’s work is subtitled “A Sculpture in Papier-mâché and the Double Myse en Abyme of its Provenance.” His submission includes an extensively footnoted story about the history of the work and its owners—the current ones having bought the piece at Northeby’s (as opposed to Sotheby’s) along with a certificate of “denyenance” (as opposed to provenance). It also features appearances by Charles Dodgson AND Lewis Carroll. A “mise en abyme” is a term signifying an artist has placed a copy of an image within itself, perfectly self-referential for this convoluted prize-winning work.