Overheard, 2

This morning, on the radio, I heard somebody talking about art. There is an artist whose works consist of organisms which have been genetically modified to be luminous. One of these organisms was a rabbit, and the speaker was wondering whether or not the rabbit would continue to be a work of art after it was dead.

Then this afternoon, on my way back from the Cass Business School, I was passing a new gallery behind Liverpool Street Station. One of the works in the gallery is an illuminated display with the words

AND THE TREES ARE SENTINELS
OF SOMETHING, STANDING
THERE BETWEEN THE BUILDINGS
BREATHING LIKE HORSES
ALL NIGHT

I have seen this several times now, but can’t identify the source of the statement. But today, as I passed it, I overtook three workmen. They looked in the window, and I overheard the following conversation:

• First workman: “What’s that?”
• Second workman: “Art.”
• Third workman: “Nah, that’s not art!”

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