[jim collins]

A few years ago I used a specialist welder to do some welding for me on a sculpture that included titanium parts. He not only welded but wanted to give me some of his ideas about the design of the construction and the form of the work. He was an excellent welder, but his aesthete was very different from mine. So, I pressed on with my own design, and at the finish he wanted to be able to sign the piece along with my signature.

Here is what I said. I have never seen a Ford automobile running down the road with everyone’s signature on the frame, finders, top or windows. One sees only a bright and shiny FORD logo representing the production.
From Peter Paul Rubins to Andy Warhol no artist works alone. Even primitive tribes have to rely on others for production and most importantly the greater the technology the more we rely on others for our final vision.