“Kaufman describes his process as redemption, although calling it the deliberate misuse of materials has a more rebellious, subversive ring to it. Redemption implies a paragon, a rescue, a purification, and begs the question: exactly who or what is being restore”d to honor and virtue, and from what low place? In the last 20 years, Kaufman has turned eggshells into hefty bricks; carved foam into ceramic totems; crushed porcelain statues into explosive abstractions; cultivated paint shards into floral blossoms; developed Polaroid film without a camera; executed epic murals in beige ceiling popcorn; teased vibrantly exotic formations out of wood-shop remnants; and taken unaltered photographs that prove Photoshop is in the eye of the beholder.
The skill level required in balancing the interests of the material’s old and new qualities in a single object is immense, sometimes risky, and at the heart of the work’s success. To pull this trick off, unlike in theatrical stage magic, the audience must be in on it. His eggshells, bones, and foam form legible and fully realized new things unto themselves, and yet must remain recognizable as their previous selves. By allowing viewers to discover the disguise, Kaufman affords them access to emotions not usually activated in art galleries—surprise, delight, and curiosity. This is a good thing, because as everyone knows, you can’t tickle yourself.”
— Shana Nys Dambrot
