Mark Dion: Self-Proclaimed Low-Budget Antiquarian

In a recent article for Gallerist NY, writer Andrew Russeth examines Mark Dion’s transformation of  globe-trotting natural science into art form, and time into treasure:

Everything ultimately seems to find its way into his work. Does he ever buy things just for himself? “I’m kind of a low-budget antiquarian,” he said. “What I do when I’m really broke, and totally depressed, is that I go to the Strand and just spend half a day going through their dollar and two-dollar bins. I’ll leave with a big stack of books and I’ll feel like a king.” Other times he heads up to Argosy in Midtown, which has a hefty selection of three-dollar prints. “It takes a minimum of two hours,” he said. “You walk out of there not spending more than $20 and you have some incredibly beautiful things. You just put in the time to find the treasures.”

Mark Dion, Curator’s Office, 2013, Minneapolis Institute of Arts (installation view); courtesy the artist and Tanya Bonakdar Gallery