Image Courtesy of Art21.org
Andrea Zittel, A-Z 1933 Living Unit
A-Z 1933 Living Unit by Andrea Zittel urges you to think about what you have in your life that you need along with what you have in your life that you want. The walk focuses in on those absolute necessities, showing that to live one does not need anything but the basics. Zittel had a grip on what life was. She created these pods and small living spaces and customized them by putting what people put within their real "pods," ultimately describing their way of thinking and their way of prioritizing their life.
A-Z 1933 Living Unit is a small piece in a large exhibit within the even larger home of The Whitney Museum. Zittel's minuscule piece holds a gargantuan meaning. Within this piece you see a small confined space that's large enough to dwell in for a while. Everything you need and some of what you want all in a space the size of a closet. Zittel's piece holds an area to shield from the daily uproar of life, and is a place not to just live in but to survive in. Within this space, the basic essentials are present: bed, soap, and towels. But while observing this piece, I realized there's a lot of what you want as well. One can really get to know what true luxury is when living here. Zittel's piece is a confined area to find the true meaning of life and what we actually need in our lives.
One bed, or one area to spend your snooze time. A flat thin lifeless blue hammock almost, to rest your head upon, and refresh yourself for the day ahead. A small seat for resting your weary legs on. A black sweater just in case you run into a chilly day. Heating machines; microwave and stove. Then you look around the small living area and notice there are items, even in this miniature area, that are not necessarily a need but rather a want. For example, one does not need two mirrors with in their living space. Vanity has become a thing of such importance to everyone nowadays, looking in the mirror at least 3 times a day to make sure they measure up to the outside world standards. One does not need that many mason jars; you can store everything you need within one to two jars. One does not need that many drawers; you can most likely fit everything you NEED into one drawer.
A-Z 1933 Living Unit urges you to think about what you have in your life that you need and the things you have in your life that you want. Most everything you have in your life is something you want. And this specific piece allows you to dive deep and separate both your wants and your needs. Everything you have in your life is not everything that you absolutely need in your life. There are definitely certain things in your life that are not a life or death situation if you do not have them.
Taylor Giraud