September-October 1969
In September and October of 1969 I documented a series of informal public sculpture interventions on sites around Vancouver by the Intermedia artist Bob “Box” Arnold. In each location Arnold used 6”x6”x6” corrugated cardboard boxes as modules with which to build impromptu public artworks. Some of these works occupied deserted industrial spaces. These were simple site related sculptures – studies – quickly and quietly constructed – considered – photographed and dissembled. Other works such as those set up on busy street-corners were made to be deliberately provocative. It was Bob’s mission to explore how his artworking might be made to blend into the work-a-day world. There were aspects of theatre involved in these artwork outings. By the way Bob dressed it would be hard to distinguish him from any other tradesman off-loading boxes from his old truck putting them in place in a manner that to the casual observer might seem to be part of some quotidian routine. What would attract attention though was the sculpture itself, an unusual unexplained object, often in the way. Bob would position himself, far enough outside the frame of his work, where he was able while not being noticed, to observe people’s reaction to it.
