This
apparatus, commissioned by the Embassy without A Country, is designed
to write borderlines or frontiers. Nevertheless, incapable of
performing this operation, it spews out bails of protocol books
instead, depositing them on its path. The ambassador, who's own
manpower drives the apparatus, is aided by an entourage of advisors
and protocol scribes that form a procession like performance for
the installation of this piece. Reference is also made to the
homeless business (see note on homeless) by way of the "Yatai,"
an ambulant vendor's charrete or cart, traditionally seen in Japan.
Flags pivot back and forth in rhythm with the motions of the procession.
The bellows like breathing machine, representing the link between
what is human and what is machine breaths incessantly but perforations
in its membranes make this effort senseless.
An apparatus that pretends
to harvest or collect but instead spews bails of bundled protocol
books, packaged and neatly placed in growing order. This apparatus
also carries a flag resembling those carried by the Japanese Edo
period soldiers in order to identify themselves in the battlefield.
Inclusive are the ubiquitous breathing machine and the ladder.
The apparatus rests on a lead platform etched with an outline
of the earth.
