Cameron Rowland
Loot, 2013
Cut and dented copper tube, cardboard box
35.6 x 50.8 x 30.5 cm
14 x 20 x 12 in

At some point basic utilities like electricity and water were services controlled by the state, because they relied so heavily of public infrastructure. More and more these flows are valved by private corporations. Abandoned buildings and sometimes those still used, are broken into and stripped of their copper piping. This is then sold to scrap yards where it is cut down and smaller rods are inserted into thicker ones to make the densest bulk. Rowland bought Loot as is. All of these transactions are extra-legal activities. Copper has a function, its base material has an inherent use value, just as gold and diamonds also carry utilitarian properties.