The flea market multiples: 1. Happy birthday
by Benjamin Böhm, Germany

exhibit Nr.256

Description: Two matchboxes. The first has 'happy birthday' and some hearts and flowers on its label, the second is labelled 'The Flea Market Multiples - Collect all seven - 2004'. Both contain a number of small candles and some matches.

Comments/Origin: You can still use the matchboxes to light the matches. My remake also contains a little booklet with the origin of these multiples:

In the summer of 1998 (or ‘99?) while walking around a flea market in Tübingen, Germany, I found a box of matchboxes at a stand with toys. They were named and labelled, contained small objects, came in a certain edition and contained a humorous and almost metaphysical idea. The perfect multiples in a Fluxus spirit were offered between old toys and other jumble.
I started to ask the man behind the stand about these multiples, but he was just standing in for his children, who had made the boxes. He seemed almost embarrassed when I enquired about the price. I bought seven of the multiples for 1 D-Mark (about 50 Cent) each from him. I waited for a while, but the kids didn't show up. So I didn't have the chance to meet the original artists.
This re-make of the original multiples is dedicated to the anonymous artists who brought them to life.

entered the Museum of Temporary Art on: 05.05.2004