U.K. Art Exhibit Features ... Nothing

L O N D O N, March 21, 2001 -- A British art gallery exhibiting nothing but bare walls has not gone unnoticed.

Ridiculed in British newspapers as "2,500 sq. ft. of nothing," the show entitled "Exhibition To Be Constructed in Your Head" challenges visitors to do the job of the artist.

The exhibition consists of 60 imaginary works of art by 38 artists — supposedly real. Three of the imaginary works were even mounted on plinths.

Mixed Reactions

Handwritten prompt cards to get visitors' minds working accompany the whitewashed walls. "My idea of a work of art is a statement. The statement is this. There is no full stop," one card read, leaving visitors less than inspired.

Two students who visited the exhibit described the exhibition as "dreadful" and "certainly not art."

"The most interesting thing is that mould growing up there," Rebecca James, 19, told The Times of London. Her opinions were not shared by the organizers.

A spokesman for the arts group behind the show, said the feedback from visitors had been very positive. "When visitors walk into the gallery the space appears empty, but as they take time to read the prompts the emptiness disappears — your mind takes over," he said.

All in Your Head

Yoko Ono's "Paintings To Be Constructed in Your Head," was the inspiration for the exhibition that is due to run for a week at the Custard Factory arts center in Birmingham, central England.

"Paintings To Be Constructed in Your Head" was part of Ono's exhibit in Britain in 1997 at the Royal Festival Hall. She called them 'instruction paintings.' Most called them invisible. One instruction read: "Imagine dividing the canvas into 20 different shapes."

Miles Grundy, who rented the gallery space to the arts group, was very happy with the turnout. He claimed more than 200 people had visited the exhibition so far. "I didn't expect it to be this successful," he said.

"But while this may be a good test of people's imagination, I personally prefer art you can see."