Platometer

1981, 1986 | Frames, electronics, photostats, cardboard box (1986); 1981: 7 x 9 x 1 ins.; 1986: 3 x 5 x 1 ins.; an edition of 15.

THE PLATOMETER (Kantian mode) is an electronic device for determining the significance of an aesthetic experience – is it real or ersatz? The user simply points the Platometer in the direction of an artwork, musical performance, stage play, novel, sunset or other aesthetic moment, presses and holds the red “Formal Experience” button, and then presses the black “Phenomenal Significance” button (on the 1986 version) for a reading. Multiple readings can create a statistical norm for the user’s art encounters, and it can act as a guide for seeking out additional experiences. In this way, the Platometer greatly assists art critics in accurately assessing the value of the work they review. The Platometer was later recreated in 1986 in a multiple edition and was sold in museum shops and artist stores.