Deposition
This publication chronicles the progress of the iconic installation “deposition" by Marissa Lee Benedict, Daniel de Paula, and David Rueter, which was situated in the central atrium of Oscar Niemeyer’s pavilion for the 34th Bienal de São Paulo. The book traces the salvage, displacement, and exhibition of the last corn commodities futures trading pit from the Chicago Board of Trade to São Paulo Bienal.
The book is structured around essays and interviews that offer varied perspectives on the work, ranging from intimate to distant, and exploring the object, the artists, the art institution, and the architectures of the geopolitical landscape in which they operate. Throughout the book, the authors unpack the multiple, and sometimes overlapping, meanings of the word “deposition” (geologic, legal, art historical), layering images and texts to build concrete yet non-linear relations.
Through this journey, the authors examine the complex relationships between art, commerce, and politics, and reflect on the ways in which these relationships shape our understanding of the world around us.
The book is structured around essays and interviews that offer varied perspectives on the work, ranging from intimate to distant, and exploring the object, the artists, the art institution, and the architectures of the geopolitical landscape in which they operate. Throughout the book, the authors unpack the multiple, and sometimes overlapping, meanings of the word “deposition” (geologic, legal, art historical), layering images and texts to build concrete yet non-linear relations.
Through this journey, the authors examine the complex relationships between art, commerce, and politics, and reflect on the ways in which these relationships shape our understanding of the world around us.












