Wolfgang Laib

Art Brokerage: Wolfgang Laib German Artist: b. 1950. He finds spirituality in the simplicity of everyday, organic substances: milk, pollen, beeswax, rice that provide sustenance or engender life. In 1975 he created his first Milkstone in what has become an ongoing series of elemental sculptures. A rectangular block of polished white marble containing a slight depression on its upper surface, the piece is filled with a thin layer of milk to foster the illusion of a solid form. Though an inert object, this sculpture requires ritualistic participation. Laib performs the first act of pouring the milk when the piece is displayed, but after this initial gesture, the collector or museum staff must clean and refill the stone each day it is on view. Listings wanted.